Babysitter Drive-Thru

The marriage has been legally dissolved (like Alka-seltzer) for two weeks, yet she lives in my house still (with her adult daughter). And last Saturday she emailed me to say that she was going out and needed a babysitter for the little one. I told her that I would take care of it.

But when Saturday night approached with her makeup suitcase, I thought twice. 'Why am I accommodating her while she goes out with her boyfriend?' She has really taken advantage of me by taking my retirement and staying in my house for another 2 months, without paying anything. Why should I make life so easy for her?

So I jettisoned the Pod.

I went to a friend's house and turned off my phone.


I had a good time there, sitting on the back yard deck, looking at other desperate singles on the laptop. And when the night was about over, I turned on my phone again and got two voice messages and one text message. I was surprised at what I heard.

Apparently, my ex-wife had left home for her date after first dropping the 5-year-old off at the neighbor's. They have two very young daughters themselves, but they also like to plan things in advance. And they go to bed early. Nonetheless, my ex-wife dropped her there with the false information that I would be picking her up before 10:00pm.

As 10:00 approached, they left a message for me asking if I was going to pick her up or not. And that they were going to bed at 10:30. Then the 18-year-old step-daughter sent me a text message saying that I was going to have to pick up my daughter.

And then....I got a voice message from my daughter. In a very sad, almost crying voice, she asked when I was going to pick her up. She was clearly not happy about being there and wanted to come home. Only I didn't hear any of this until too late.

I went home immediately, but no one was there and the neighbor's lights were out. Early the next morning I walked to their house and got my daughter. She was fine. And then I apologized to the neighbors and explained that there was a communication breakdown. I didn't know she was going to be at the neighbor's.

Sometime between 2:30 AM and 8:00 AM my ex-wife returned to my house to sleep it off.
She said nothing the rest of the day and simply avoided me. She did appear to have some discussion with the teenager. I heard her refer to me in profane terms. No matter.

As I planted trees in the yard on Sunday and thought about it, I realized that my plan to make life in my house a little more difficult for her was fruitless. She kept her social appointments anyway, and my daughter was left on someone's doorstep like a package. I would rather spend time with her myself. I just thought I could retaliate for all the opportunities my ex has taken.

I don't think I can change my ex-wife's attitude and certainly not her actions. Next time I will just cooperate and try to change my own attitude.