The Spanish Inquisition

The Squeeze’s bout of ‘manning up’ over the tent has been interesting to watch, in a “why can’t he just bitch slap that cow off a chair” kind of way.

Personally, I don’t see the difficulty in standing up for myself.  I have said previously (on several occasions), if a friend had grabbed the tent from Kid 1 and then refused to give it back; not only refusing to give it back, but lying about it and sending you off on wild goose chases to the school to retrieve it; and then instructing your kids to lie about it – would you stand for that?”  The answer is of course, no; he wouldn’t.

And he has stood his ground, at least to the point where he has told the Harridan “okay; if you want the tent so badly, it’s yours.  Except you are paying for it and I will be deducting what I consider is a fair price, out of maintenance.” (Good move, of course the price was far from fair)  And let’s face it, it has taken a year to get to that place in time.

Of course I can almost guarantee that she wouldn’t conceive of the idea that he would actually do it.  He got no reply to his communiqué re “withholding funds”.  He never gets a reply when it is something that she doesn’t like.  In short, I picture her sitting on the floor, hands over her ears singing “la la la” loudly in an attempt to drown out the words.  She has this nifty knack of only hearing what she wants to hear; possibly part of her madness.

So I have enjoyed watching him acquire a bit of mettle about him although I’ve seen bravado on previous threats wilt in the wind; so I’m not celebrating just yet.

And I am watchful.  It’s not enough to withhold the funds for a week or two and then slink back into net banking and transfer the rest of the funds to her like a cowardly lion (if I only had a heart…)  Watchful because I always knew that she couldn’t leave it there…  Not a chance; how dare he grow a spine! 

So last night, I ask “did you hear from the Harridan?”

I’m not sure why I have to ask frankly.  It has been the topic of scores of conversations between us; he knows damned well I’m waiting to see just what will happen and what the threat will be this time.  But no; his preference is to make me feel like I’m a member of the Spanish Inquisition – so I have to drag it out of him, one bloody word at a time.

Yes.  She had called yesterday to tell him he needed to pay the rest of the maintenance, because that is completely separate to the tent and he can’t do that.  He replied with mentioning the fact that he had told her that would be the price of the tent and it is done and over with.  (What a pity she doesn’t call when I’m there because I’d have loved to have heard that conversation.)

Then she starts the “you can’t do that; if you don’t pay I’ll have to take action”.  I can’t resist putting in “pity you didn’t tell her that if I had of had my way, I’d have called the police and reported it stolen” – which is after all, exactly what it was, stolen.

Then it is “just pay it and we’ll discuss the tent when I get home.”  Yeah, why don’t we try that?  Ummm what the hell does she think all of those conversations re the tent up until this point have been about?

As for the threats..  Yeah, go for it.  Please go for it.  I’m tipping if she starts “action” she will find herself far from better off; especially when the tax department start going through her records only to discover that her earnings are much higher than reported due to the rent she receives.

As for the Moodle, I will have to keep my eye on him to make sure he sticks to his guns…