I am writing at the purple table. I reach for a sip of coffee and kick the cat.
I did not kick her on purpose.
I’ve already mentioned that we live with the world’s most patient cat. She is affectionate and loving, and she likes my ankles.
I sit at the table, right leg crossed over left, writing, answering questions, breaking up fights, sipping coffee, and writing some more. Invariably, I have to get up to fix or get or find something, and when I do, I pick up my right leg. When I lift my leg to get off the chair, my foot comes up and kicks Nina.
I usually catch her in the ribs.
I wince as much as she does, every time it happens.
This occurs several times a day.
The other day I asked Jenny and Will, “When do you think she’s going to figure out that she gets kicked every time I move my leg?”
They laughed and said, “Maybe you are the one who ought to do something about it.”
Just now, I was getting up and had the presence of mind to look down before lifting my foot.
There she was – our loyal, patient, loving, sweet fat cat was sitting by my ankles. She looked at me with huge chartreuse-colored eyes. I half expected her to say, “It’s okay if you kick me in the ribs again. I don’t really like it, but I love you enough to keep sitting next to you. I could get out of the way first, but I’m hoping that one day you’ll remember that I’m here, and you’ll look out for me.”
Then I realized that I, too, had been the patient one.
I had been the one who was waiting to be noticed by Mark.
I kept giving chances and hoping for the best. Each time I received that symbolic kick to the ribs I recoiled and winced. I brushed myself off, worked harder and tried to get close without getting in the way.
A girl can take a kick to the ribs only so many times.
Tags: all about me, divorce, humor, life, love, marriage, narcissism, narcissist behavior, narcissistic behavior, NPD, survive
Girl you said it so right… wow… I can be so mad, so frustrated with the N in this house, but I fix his favorite meal, clean up his messes, waiting for him to notice, nope he just takes more and gives less.
Thank God for the kitties in our lives, God made them for people like us to hold on to… give that fat cat a squeeze for me!