One day we took off our rose colored glasses and saw its big ass planted in the middle of the room. I lost track of how long ago that was. Years, I think. Before we knew what happened, the squatter became incredibly comfortable with its surroundings and the perfectly controlled environment we provided, rent-free. We went about our daily routines learning to dodge that thick-skinned pachydermatous as he adapted to its new home. Oh yes, it was an excellent player, one of the best I’ve ever seen.
On a good day, the rascal stood in the corner and we actually saw clearly for a moment or two and enjoyed some great conversations, then the mischievous imp extended its leg causing us to trip again. Most of the time, it stood smack dab in front of us. It blocked our perspective and dared us to make it move. We were anxious and fearful to share our concerns about our resident guest. We ignored it as it gained a great deal of weight since its arrival long ago. We didn’t want to hurt the poor thing’s feelings, so we whispered and talked behind its back. He heard us…we saw it look over its shoulder with tears in those big heartbreaking eyes, but all we did was stew in frustration until our spoiled houseguest went to sleep or we went to bed tired of playing the waiting game.
We gently tiptoed around it and didn’t talk about how we were going to get rid of it. It made us anxious and afraid to say anything to each other while it dominated our space. We’ve discussed our plans to get rid of it with others, hoping they would help us find a solution for our problem. Many of those “others” had their own houseguest and didn’t have a clue or their techniques didn’t work for us. It was controlling, it conditioned us not to talk about it while it’s in the room. Surely, it would lose its temper, erupting the perfect impression we’ve tried to nurture since its arrival.
Company came and went. A few mentioned a glimpse of something trying to hide behind the oversized tapestry chair in the corner. We were experts on denial. No one dared to mention our houseguest, I’m sure they didn’t want to embarrass us when they saw us trying to conceal its robust behind in the hall closet.
We’re in early negotiations with our unwanted stranger and we believe it’s sincerely trying to listen to our terms. We’ve had enough of its unsettling behavior and together, I am pleased to announce we found the nerve to face our obnoxious visitor and are gradually coercing it out the door. One day at a time…
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