Upset
My old mate came to pick me up to go swimming......all good so far......but remember she is the one who brings up politics.
I thought she had got the message that it really isn't a good idea. I don't agree with her on anything, but I avoid saying anything as there is no point really. She is very right wing and loves to launch into a tirade about about good for nothing lay a bouts taking all the tax money in welfare.
This country is very far from being a welfare state.
It is no place to be poor.
She doesn't even pay taxes as she is a pensioner, so I do find it hard to understand.
She has no idea about the rest of the world and will not even try to understand universal healthcare.
She is also a very staunch Christian.
Like so many others, there is this sort of "there all out to get us" attitude.
For these reasons (and as she has become quite heated in the past) I always try to avoid any conversation that could lead to anything political or religious.
I truly wish she would too.
I am so upset.
This morning she picked me up and while we were driving along chatting about this and that she told me she had heard something on the radio that would cause loads of trouble.
My heart sank. I hate it when she hears things on the radio. Mostly they are just stirring up panic.
She was all bent out of shape because there were plans to give all Milwaukee school children who attend regular schools (not private ones) free school lunches.
All I said was, "I really don't mind children getting a free lunch".
That was it off she went, "Oh I guessed you would say that. You are so far out there - left wing!!!"
I didn't say much after that and hoped it would drop.
It did until we got in the pool and she started again. She gets really quite nasty, which is rather surprising as she can be such a sweet person.
It was almost as if she was out of control.
I kept very calm and very softly spoken and just couldn't agree with her when she said even the poorest children shouldn't get a school lunch as that doesn't encourage the parents to get a job.
I did say I didn't think it was right to punish children for their parents actions. Making children go hungry hardly seems like a fair solution.
Eventually I couldn't handle it and told her I could not go on in this fashion. I was getting too upset. I told her it would take me days to get over it (and it will). She just told me I wasn't the only sensitive person and kept right on.
She really did seem unable to control herself. At one time I told her to please stop being so horrible.
I gave up and told her I was going home. I would walk. I know the bus stops and I had worked out my route. I was a bit ticked off because I had chosen to wear flip flops and that might be a problem.
She managed to get out of the pool before me and was waiting in the car. I waved and continued on my way but she followed me and insisted I got in the car. I actually didn't want to but I could see she would be upset if I walked home.
She kept trying to talk to me on the way home. She asked me if this was the end of our friendship, to which I replied that I really didn't know.
I was too choked to talk anyway. I did tell her (and she already knew) that I hate conflict and have always tried to avoid arguments at all costs.
She really didn't seem to understand that none of it should have happened and that I had done my very best to stop it.
We got home, I said "Thank you anyway." and wished her a safe and happy trip. She and her husband are going on vacation next week.
I really don't know what will happen now.
It took me at least an hour to stop shaking. I really don't need this sort of stress so maybe it will be better if it ends now.
I have never had a friendship end like this. I still don't understand it. She gave me all that grief because I said I haven't got a problem with children having a free lunch.
What was that about? It makes me think there must have been something else that had got her all fired up.
posted by Sue Banks @ 11:29 AM
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