Interpretations

***Names have been changed to protect the not so innocent****


Dear Katie,

Yesterday you attacked my character via email. Something I had been doing for a while had gotten underneath your skin and instead of approaching me face to face like an adult so we can discuss this, you verbally assaulted me via email like the coward you are. You felt I was speaking about you and your family in derogatory terms when I stated "I admire you and your situation."

To me "situation" is not an inherently bad word. This is in fact a word that my friends, my family, and myself use on a fairly regular basis to refer to a multitude of scenarios. The key is to know who is saying it and why they are saying it to understand what context it's ebing used it. This is a concept that seems to elude you. Clearly when someone tells you they admire you they must be putting you down? Or at least that's how you see it because "admire" is such an ugly/dirty word. Since you seem to be prejudice to "situation" I'll give you some examples:

When asking about what plans are going on that night... "So what's the situation?"
When asking for an update "What's the latest situation?"
When describing something I'm experiencing good/bad/other "Here's the situation..."
You may even recall a TV show we both watch where a guy refers to himself as "The Situation". I highly doubt he's referring to himself in a derogatory fashion.

When I pointed out that I don't look down on you based on how often I compliment and praise you, you questioned the intention of my compliments therefore implying I may be insincere. This has offended me. Then after I apologized several times for an OBVIOUS MISUNDERSTANDING you stated "You are not who I thought you were. I thought you were a compassionate person who I could talk to, clearly I was wrong."

Since you are so convinced I am a disingenuous, phony, and two faced person yet you had zero evidence to provide when I asked you for it...let me provide some examples for you.

1A. The second time we ever hung out YOU invited ME out for drinks. Not only did you pick me up two hours later than we had previously discussed, but on your way to come pick me up you had the audacity to ask me to lend you $20. Now correct me if I'm wrong, but when Person A asks Person B out, is it okay for Person A to then ask Person B to pay for it? I lent you the money assuming it was a one time thing but boy was I wrong.

B. After spending a wonderful Saturday together, you text me 8:30 at night and ask to borrow $20. Since you are currently without a car, I woudl ahve to drive out to you. You explain that you need to get juice for your kids and your daughter wants to go to the movies with her friends. I explain to you I'm at home in my pajamas relaxing with my pets. I'd have to put the pets away, get some clothes on, drive to an ATM, and then drive to your house to give you the money. Obviously this is a major inconvenience for me...your response is "So can you do it?" Some words come to mind: selfish and inconsiderate being two of them. I tell you "no".

C. You make lunch plans with a friend but realize you don't have money to pay for yourself. You ask me to borrow $5. Not only is this the third time in a one month period you've asked me for money, but it's for a lunch you didn't even invite me to. After delaying in giving you a response because I'm so offended, you send me a nasty email about how I left you hanging. I say "no" to this request.

D. The fourth and final request for money is the weekend after we went to an amusement park. You ask for $20 because you have no gas in your car. I tell you "no". I'm still trying to figure out how I turned into a potential ATM for you. I should have never said "yes" that first time because I set up a precedence for you to think you can ask me on a regular basis.


2. You confided in me that someone you trusted had spread rumors about you and caused a lot of unnecessary drama between you and some of your co-workers. You were hurt by this person's actions. You even have colorful words for what you thought of this person. Yet on a daily basis I see the two of you talking, laughing, hanging out. You explain to me she's just a surface level friend, you'll be social with her but won't trust her again. You're right, I'M the disingenuous, two faced, phony one.

3.You give me $5 and ask me to drive down the road to go get your family some ice cream. Your toddler wants to go with me, but I explain I don't have a car seat. You say it's okay because it's just down the street. After the fact I find out from friends and family that I could have gotten fined, a ticket, or even possibly arrested for child endangerment. Thank you for once again thinking of someone besides yourself, oh wait you didn't! And when you claim to be a super mom who puts your kids above all others, you put your child's life in danger for ice cream. You have been in the car with me twice, so hwo do you know what kind of driver I am?

We have this beautiful thing called free will. You are completely within your rights to think or say whatever you want about me no matter how delusional it is. You can make a character assessment based on the misinterpretation of a word. Thankfully I have actual examples of who you are on my side. You did me a favor once and for all proving why I don't need someone like you in my life.

Good Luck and Good Riddance.
Laura