My sister, niece, and niece’s youngest daughter were visiting over the weekend. The oldest daughter is now 13 and has decided she doesn’t like me and refused to visit.
I have a table in the hallway where I display a collection of antique Avon perfume bottles that belonged to my mother. They are not toys. The little girl has been told this many times.
I caught her playing with them again and told her that I was going to “call the Devil and he’s going to come and put you in a sack and take you to Hell!”
My mother used this line on us growing up and it got us to behave. It certainly didn’t cause irreparable damage.
Well, the girl starts crying hysterically and of course runs to her mother and tells her what I said. All hell broke loose, with my niece launching into one of her attacks on me, telling me that I’m a crazy old queen and she doesn’t know what happened to me as a child, but I’m clearly some kind of deranged sociopath, how she doesn’t know why I keep those tacky bottles, or why I’ve “canonized” my mother (who died before my niece was born) because she’s always heard that the old woman was a Nazi, and that must be where I get it from, etc.
My sister just stood there glaring at me, then finally said she doesn’t understand why we can’t get through one visit without me “showing my ass,” in her words.
The little girl is standing there, not a tear in sight, taking it all in.
I was absolutely furious at this point and said that I was finished entertaining them (I might have tossed in a few insults of my own) and that I was now inviting them to leave.
They packed up in silence and left, the little 6-year old hussy in training sticking her tongue out at me as she left, trailing my sister and niece. I’m ashamed to say that I shot her the bird in response and closed the door.
Haven’t heard a peep from them, so I’m sure I’m on their shit list for next couple of months.