The Saga Continues...

I can't seem to figure out why, whenever I try to do something nice for someone, I end up getting the shit end of the stick. It never fails. Every time I help someone out, it comes back to bite me in the ass for no good reason. It happens to me all the time and, just today, the neighbor who'd been in the hospital last week, stood at my front stoop screaming and yelling at me, telling me I had no business watching her kids while she was away; and that her husband, the one from whom she's separated, had no right to ask me to do it. She went on and on about how he’s a piece of trash, that I didn’t take that good of care of her children, and that he and I had no business even speaking to one another.

The entire time she was screaming at me, I just sat on the step and let her vent, although I really wanted to stand up and tell her what a jackass she is. Rather than being grateful that someone was even there to watch her kids, and that they didn’t have to spend time with their dad while he was at work, she’d rather bitch and gripe because he didn’t do exactly what she wanted when she wanted it done. Then, to go off on me, when I did absolutely nothing wrong, was completely insane. Whatever her problems are with her husband, she doesn’t need to put me in the middle of it all. When she'd stop to take a breath, I would tell her that all we did was talk, that I watched and fed her children, and that she needed to take her problems up with herself because I didn’t want any part of it.

She also spent time telling me what a bad mother I am-which I absolutely know is untrue-and the entire time she was screaming at me, my kids and hers, as well as all the neighbors, were standing there watching and listening. When I pointed out to her that she had no business discussing my parenting skills when she wasn’t, at that moment, setting a very good example for her children, her response was that she didn’t care that her children were standing there watching. Nice, right? At that point, I politely dismissed her. I told her I was finished listening to her and that she needed to leave, then I told her to have a nice day. She just looked at me and said she wouldn’t have a nice day, to which I responded, “Well, I guess that’s your choice, and you really can’t blame that on anyone but yourself.” So she walked away, and headed promptly to another neighbor’s house to vent about me, all the while still screaming in front of her kids.

Later this evening, I was sitting on my stoop talking on the phone to my friend Connie while my kids played outside when I noticed her husband come home from work, then start loading his belongings into his truck. I’m not sure if she told him to leave, or if he chose to leave. I had called him earlier in the day to report his wife’s behavior, and to let him know that if she ever came to my home screaming at me again, I’d have her arrested for harassment. Then, I’d apologized to my kids, and to hers, for them having to listen to her scream and rant the way she did. I thought that was only fair. So I don’t know if they spoke during the day or what, but I do know that, as he was getting in his truck to leave, she again stood on her stoop yelling at him, and threatening him, while my daughter, 3 years old, was standing near our home listening to the whole thing. This woman has absolutely no respect for the fact that there are others on this planet besides her.

I really want to let this go but I’m having trouble with it. I’m not the type of person to turn people down when they want favors, but I’m really getting tired of all the ungrateful assholes who want to throw their shit on me when I’ve spent my time helping them. I also don’t want my kids to see me treat people that way because that’s not the way I want them to be. I want them to be able to help people when it’s needed but not get the wrath that I always get. As my friend Connie pointed out to me when I told her all about it, “No good deed goes unpunished.” After today, I’m inclined to believe that, however, I really don’t want to. I want to believe that people actually appreciate it when others offer assistance. I know I do. I’m completely and totally grateful for all the help I’ve received over the past few years and would never dream of turning on any one of the people who’ve been there for me when I needed them. I know I’m not the only one, and it sure would be nice to meet some others.

Right now, I’m just counting my blessings. I’ve got three beautiful children, wonderful family members, and some spectacular friends, most of whom I know personally, and others whom I met during my online college experience and have only spoken to on the phone, but have “known” for a few years. I would do anything for any of them, at any given time, in any give place. As far as my helping neighbors and acquaintances again in the future, that remains to be seen