Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Green-eyed jealousy and irrational rage - Dickhead outdoes himself this time.


Dickhead perpetrated an epic fuckup this weekend and the whole sordid evening changed the landscape of our relationship. It ended with my very calm and resolute words, "I can't do this. I don't want to be with you anymore." So now lets rewind the tape.


A mutual friend invited us to a dinner party. The dinner party was to celebrate his father-in-law's 68th birthday who Dickhead and I never met. We packed-up my nine-year old son and made our way over. I was actually excited, and you would be too if you ever tasted the mom's cooking.


Anyway, we arrived and met the birthday boy and other guests. Things seemed fine until Dickhead started doing tequila shots and another couple arrived at the party.


Dickhead immediately doesn't like the husband. Sure. The husband talked a little too loud. He was a bit flamboyant. And he kept getting church calls like he was the Pastor of a huge congregation with a direct red phone to God's private office. But so what? We're in somebody else's home meeting their friends. Social grace and basic laws of socializing dictate that you make small talk and keep dat shit moving.


Long and short - Dickhead starts slumping in his chair and staring glaring at the husband during a three-minute conversation about cell phones old vs. new. He appears to be seething about stupid cell phone small-talk. I see this, give Dickhead a smile, take his hand, and say, "Sweetie. You look like you need a cigarette. Come on outside with me."


What happens next? Arnold Alkie almost falls down the porch steps on the way out and finally stops stumbling in the middle of the street. And the house isn't really that close to the street. The stumbling was acrobatic and poetic as I marveled over how he stayed on his feet. (Note to self: Dickhead is a ballerina). I had to quietly call him about TWENTY FUCKING TIMES from the side of the house to get him out of the street. When he finally moves, The King of Stunted Social Growth loses his damned mind on me outside. Really. Out of the blue, he cussed me out about talking to the gentleman at the party. Reason? Because "I can see he wants you."


"But I'm here with you, baby. I don't know what you're talking about."


"But I can see it. You're gonna be WITH HIM!"


"I don't even KNOW him."


Thinking to myself, "If I didn't think I would end up on the news, I'd slap every tooth out of your mouth and make you search through these white garden rocks to retrieve them."

But my body went into appeasement mode to stop the tide I saw rushing towards the shores. This drunk asshole is losing his mind over small talk at a dinner party... the same small talk his dumb. ass. was having with the man's wife. And when he went into ranting how "he wants you and you're gonna be with him..." I knew it was time to grab the kid get get outta there before he could embarrass me beyond showing my face ever again.


I apologized to our friend, who I straight up told that "Dickhead had too much to drink and was tripping again." I apologized to him. Gave beautiful smiles and good-byes to the rest of the house, and left with my heart in my feet. Our other friends hadn't even arrived yet, and once again I had to implement Plan Damage Control for a crazy fiance who took his drunken jealousy out on me.


I honestly don't see how else I could have handled that situation. I was almost whining - almost begging him to calm down. It was like watching myself in a movie, except I was in the audience screaming, "Leave him you dumb bitch!" That night, on the way home, that's exactly what I did. I broke up with him.


He's the love of my life. He's still in the home. And we're still friends. But intimacy will cease as we return to "friends" and he takes time to work out some issues - ones that I wanted to help him bear but can't anymore. I don't want to be an enabler. I especially don't want to be a target, and I actually feel relieved. Right in the middle of feeling guilty for being so happy about the decision, one of my closest girlfriends said this:


"You were able to make that decision without second-guessing yourself because your actions originated in love, honesty, and purpose."


I couldn't find better words than that. I love Dickhead, I live honestly with him, and I see the deeper purpose of him getting over his frightening jealousy while outside this relationship. The pull of his problem was starting to weigh me down. He made me the object of his irrational jealous behavior and the load simply got too heavy. So for now, I'm a best friend helping her Dickhead male friend deal with some issues.


He is overly concerned that this is the end for us. I want him to recognize this as a new beginning for him. There is not "us" so long as there's an angry, unstable, and unhappy him.


He may breeze through here and talk about this. I am pretty sure a history of cheating ex-wives and his own insecurities over his joblessness are major factors - but the depth and fire in his reactions speaks to something even deeper.


I thank you for reading. As a woman, what else could/should I have done after the jealousy fuse was lit?


Bonus PS: Dickhead reads all of these posts, so it's not like we're talking behind his back or anything. He knows very well that I find just the right words to describe the depths of his insanity.

5 comments:

Big Mark 243 said...

I wish I wasn't so caught up with my small issues. Not only are they small to me, they are small by ANY standard.

But I am caught up in them, and that is affecting my ability to objectively address this.

You speak with 'finality'. Look, there is NO getting that horse in the barn, and YOU KNOW THIS. Though this is only my second read (and I am not one to go back ... this is who I know, feel me?), I KNOW YOU KNOW.

There is not anything I could possibly tell you that you don't know, ONLY confirm. And that staying together as friends ..? Man, YOU HAVE ...

... take a breath Mark ... let it out slowly.

I am not going to ask about 'if' because what you are saying HERE is that it is over. And when that happens, that is what it is. No matter how hard it is to part, it WILL only get worse if you sit around together letting things degrade around you.

Man, that jealous crap DON'T WORK. People that pull that, for whatever reason or issue need to get over that ON THEIR LONELY. I don't know what the jealousy is a cover for, maybe he has some other insecuritis, other than the ones he is projecting on your relationship, There is a lot rotten in Denmark, no friggin' doubt.

Gonna say it one more again ... this is a D.O.A relationship, now that y'all have becomen 'friends'. That crap (and that IS what it is, CRAP) about him being without a job, and not being able to fend for himself (jumped to that assupmtion, cause YOU mentioned that 'he is still the love of your life' ... right, maybe I should call Mookie and ask her how she feels about me ... FREAKIN' NOT!!).

Does he have family? Loan him money for the Uhaul, and send him home. Is he going to whine and moan about where he is at? Is he going to tell you how he miss you and all that? Is he (fill in the blank)? YES!!

But you are heading for something new. Chart your course and get there. PERIOD. Don't be scared. And that '... if they come back, they are yours' stuff is crap too. Let live and let go.

This isn't some crazed internet comment ... YOU SAID IT WAS OVER. MAKE IT SO. Relationship that linger only lead to more heartbreak and pain.

Whew ... therapy thru blogging in someone's comment box. I am for real ... but ARE YOU?

Don't be fakin' the funk, talking tough, but ready to shiver and shake. Will say that should you and your Man make up, you had BETTER OWN THAT, and make it work.

Because if you don't, you will only have YOURSELF to blame.

Her Side said...

Wow, Big Mark. I'm glad you took a deep breath and didn't hyperventilate here 'cause I would have just rolled you in the rug and put you on the curb. LOL. Just kidding...

Your comment grabbed me because it seems you also have an open wound in a related (or loosely related) matter. And boy do I feel your loss of objectivity on that one. :-)

He and I have had several conversations since the dreaded day. I don't believe in throwing the baby out with the bathwater. Every good thing about Dickhead didn't cease to be true because he has a problem that needs addressing. Seeing that life is dynamic and kinda cyclical, I am interested in seeing him work through those things towards us having a future.

I'm not waiting for him to change. I am waiting for him to heal. That sounds hokey, but I see an underlying broken heart that has him wounded (details he may wish to share on this blog at a later date).

I walked away from taking the brunt of a problem that he hasn't addressed, but I love the man. I am too old to perpetrate a childish string-along. LOL The desire for a different and healthier future with him is very real. I just don't wanna keep throwing myself under the bus for him like some hopeless enabler or martyr for the cause. That is out of fairness to myself.

Thanks for the long and energetic comment! hehe

Big Mark 243 said...

Another 'rarity' because I normally don't go back to check for comments or anything, but this one pull on me for real.

Yeah, I have some related experience ... I AM FORTY ONE!! Just from being around, not bitter. But jeez, I am so like 'I have seen this movie before, and it ends the same way every time!'

As I said ... AND YOU KNOW THIS. Don't act like you are new.

But, my reply is general and you have 'boots on the ground' information that may be affecting your judgement. You are seeing things in the shadows and in the darkness that I can't see. But I do see shadows and I do see the darkness.

Not because I am hurt and wounded, but because as I told you, I am old enough to know.

And that is the part that gets me. You know, just like I do, how stuff tends to blur and change shape. I have had a person take the risk that you are taking (oh, you still trying to act new? YOU knew before I did, you were taking a risk ... in fact, you have given ME something to journal about!!) by trying to prolong something that may have reached its logical end.

You may as well invite me to be the next D*ckhead ... for what it is worth, because y'all may well have run your course.

And that is cool. Means that what is next is on its way and THAT might be the one. You mention the good and bad ... which is to me like 'this and that', and THOSE aren't related! Don't know what is what, because you are there. But I have taken the interest in THIS PARTICULAR ENTRY, because whenever, for WHATEVER REASON some one uses the words that you did with this, turn out the lights, double lock the door, the party is over, GO THE HELL HOME.

Happiness is rare, but it is accessible. If you aren't at that 80% (or if you are, but the complications are high risk to high value) level, then you have to pack things up, regroup and move on.

Believe that there is no shame in moving on, and that you did not lose anything in self worth. You are still a beautiful mother (M.I.L.F ??), and you are going to fulfill your destiny.

And no human's true destiny includes drama as this SINGLE INCIDENT hints at. No one.

L&R
Mark

Babz Rawls Ivy said...

I am with Big Mark 243 on this one.

The reality is...he is not worthy of you. He has issues that go beyond his ability to love you. You are not his therapist or his mother. What you are doing is saying to him "Throw me any crumbs you have...I'll take them...gladly"

What you are doing is modeling relationship behaviour for your child. You are saying to your child, LOOK! this is how love is. If that's true then stay in the mess. But if it's not, call it what it is and move on.

Your problems aren't with him solely...you are afraid. And in your fear you are accepting anything with the belief that something is better than nothing.

HHhmm tell your child that. Tell your child to settle for less, tell your child that he is underserving of true lasting love. Tell him to put up with poor treatment in the hopes that the object of his affections will see how wonderful he is and get themselves together and become what he needs and wants. Tell him to be afraid to ask for and get what he truly desires in his heart. Tell him. Then come back and tell us how good that felt.

There is only love or fear. Right now You are choosing fear.

Blu Jewel said...

This is a rare moment for me because censorship isnt my thing, but, I'm going to limit my response to this post.

I respect the opinions and comments of the Mark and Lovebabz; however, I feel I must say that a level of respect must be extended to Her Side. She's in the midst of this battle and it's clear that she's seeing the forest for the trees. She's admitted that she loves the man with all her heart, but will not be an enabler or martyr. By encouraging him to work on himself for himself, she's exacting friendship and love and support, which he clearly needs to see that his past hurts, will ruin his current love if not dealt with.

All too often, we toss people aside instead of helping them see through their hurts, which only escalates their self-deprecation and gives room for them to not see beyond where they are in life. If we stop, reflect, encourage, and nuture those who are hurting, then we'll give foundation to them seeing that they're not damaged goods or disposable. No, we don't need to throw ourselves at their mercy, but we should at least give them positive examples.

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