The Soap Opera, the second chapter

I think I mentioned previously that we were having a gathering for the Super Bowl game. We didn’t have a BIG gathering (12), but the folks who were there were lots of fun. And of course there was more food than you care to think about plus Ole grilled burgers and brauts outside. I think everyone went home quite well fed. I used my Norwegian enabling personality trying to convince folks to eat more, but I still had lots of leftovers. I think we’ll be eating chili for a week!!

I didn’t watch much of the game as I spent most of my time gabbing with the other gals. I’m not a football fan anyway so it really didn’t matter. The only ones in attendance from “The Circle” were Bob and Carol. Dick and Jane had another commitment, and Ted and Alice aren’t football fans plus had family issues they had to deal with. I’m reasonably sure even if Dick and Jane hadn’t had other commitments they wouldn’t have come judging by the way Jane’s been acting around me. But then why does that surprise me? I’m currently in her Invisible Group. She pretends I’m not there and looks right through me. But that’s okay – she can play her childish games. I’ve tossed her the ball several times since our little too-doo over the fire department so the ball’s in her court now. If she doesn’t want to throw it back it’s her problem. And I tossed that ball out strictly for Dick’s sake – because I was/am afraid that she’s going to put so much pressure on him not to associate with us anymore. When Dick and I had our little conversation he assured me that wouldn’t happen – but we’ll have to see. Dick always visits with us after church on Sundays and yesterday he looked several times over at the table we were sitting at but that was as far as it went. I will feel very badly if we lose his friendship.

There was karaoke at the Watering Hole last Friday night. It’s amazing how much fun our group can have when Jane’s caustic personality isn’t hanging over everyone. Dick and Jane were apparently home babysitting their granddaughter as their daughter (Jane II) and son-in-law (Mac) came in with some friends later in the evening. Jane II made no connection with any of us whatsoever – not even so much as hello. But Mac always comes over and says hello and visits a bit. Mac isn’t the sharpest knife in the drawer, but I must give him credit for being very personable. So Ole invited Mac and Jane II out to our Super Bowl party on Sunday.

I truly didn’t expect either one of them to show up, but late in the evening, shortly after almost everyone else had left Mac came driving up alone. We invited him in for a burger and some chili and he happily snarfed them up. In addition to that he proceeded to spill his guts to both Ole and me. As I said previously, he’s not the sharpest knife in the drawer and has made some bad decisions in the past and I’m sure will make more in the future. I think he’s a young man who grew up without any guidance within a very dysfunctional family. So of course Dick and Jane don’t like him. Jane has always been extremely vocal about that fact, and Dick is becoming more so as time goes on. The kids have been married about a year and a half now, but shortly after they were married Jane spouted the proclamation that she was going to do everything she could to break them up. She wanted/wants her daughter and granddaughter living at home with her so that she can make sure that the little one is getting “proper care.”

Well, judging from what Mac told us last night I think Jane is well on her way to success. Jane is very open about the fact that she doesn’t like Mac – right to his face. He told me last night – and this is a verbatim quote – “My mother-in-law thinks I’m a slug. She doesn’t like me and she doesn’t want me around her or around Jane II and Baby.” He refuses to stay at Dick and Jane’s for the weekends when Jane II comes home. He stays in town with his own mother.

Ole and I really got an information overload last night. Mac was here for almost four hours. It was like he needed someone to talk to and we happened to be in front of him. I truly felt sorry for him. He said the last time he and Jane had a conversation/argument he couldn’t stay to finish it because he had to get to work. I have no idea HOW he left the house, whether it was in anger or whatever, slamming doors, I don’t know. But he said that Jane called him TWO DAYS later to finish the conversation and prefaced it by screaming into the phone “How dare you walk out on me when we’re having a conversation like that.” And he said that wasn’t the first time something like that had happened.

He also told us that Jane II is getting more like Jane all the time. After she gets off the phone with her mother she starts yelling and screaming at him on subjects that seem to come out of the blue. Gee, I wonder where she’s getting her ammunition.

He would like to move his little family away from here – far away to help cut the apron strings but Jane II refuses to live anywhere but close to her mother. Anybody see where this is going?

And the conversation went on – until Mac was “empty.” Seemed like he needed to clean out his insides. Ole and I just sat there and listened. Believe me there was lots I would have liked to say, but I’m not going to stoop to Jane’s level. Besides I truly think that anything I would have had to tell him he probably already knew.
Tonight is half-price burger night at the Watering Hole – I wonder if Jane will even show up or has she lost her guts? So the soap opera goes on.