Thursday, July 24, 2014

In which Ted, Primo's half brother, demands that Primo drop everything to do Ted a favor

Last night, Primo came home from a four day business trip. He leaves again today for a week. Today is Saturday. Yes, I posted this on a Thursday, but I write these things as they happen.

So he came home after being gone for four days. I don't know what business travel is like for you guys, but I think for most of us now it means spending all day at the customer site or the conference and then spending several hours in the evening answering email because hey the world doesn't stop just because you are doing something else during the work day and if we don't take care of the customer, someone else will.

So Primo spends all day with the customer and then spends hours answering email from co-workers and other customers and trying to keep everyone happy and every now and then sending me a facebook message that he wants to quit his job and become a revolutionary, to which I say, Don't we all?

So he was gone for four days. Gets home at 8 p.m. Friday. His flight today leaves at noon. No, he is still not ready even though he needs to leave for the airport ten minutes ago.

I did not realize that part of marriage would be Sucking Up Your Partner's Stress. But it is. I guess.

Is there any stress worse (outside of watching someone you love suffer from an illness) than stress you watch that the other person imposes on himself? As in, Primo has to catch a plane. He has to pack and take a shower and doesn't have a lot of time.

So he does the dishes. And scoops the kitty litter.

Neither of those tasks are on the critical path. Both are tasks that can easily be delegated. Both are tasks I can and I will do.

But rather than focus on packing and showering, he does the dishes.

Because I did not do them, he tells me.

I said that I would have done them eventually and it is not necessary for the dishes to be done by 10:00 a.m. and could he just chill and do what he needs to do?

I cannot shower for him. I cannot pack for him. (I don't fold things right. Oh, how sad I am that he would rather I not fold his shirts.)

I can, however, do dishes and scoop the cat box.

Primo is easily distracted. Squirrel!

So. Back to Ted the Jerk.

He came downstairs last night after checking his email and said that his half brother Ted, the one who told me I was f-ing stupid for not thinking that Ted Kennedy was the most amazing wonderful person evah after I pointed out that Kennedy left a woman to drown in his car after he drove the car off a bridge and used his political influence to escape the consequences that would have befallen a normal person.

Ted and I do not get along.

He is his father's son.

How did Primo turn out so well, one asks?

I don't know but I'm glad he did. Still, I wish that he were an orphan. Our lives would be a lot easier.

Ted had emailed Primo, Sly, and Doris, asking them to review the 90-minute rough cut of his latest documentary.

Sly and Doris wrote back to Ted and told him they had watched it and would send him some notes this weekend.

Ted wrote back and said that this weekend would be too late.

Primo wrote and said that he would not have a chance to watch the movie and give feedback for a few weeks, as he was very busy.

Ted replied that if Primo wants to be in [Primo's business], he can do what you want. If he wants to be in politics, he has to adjust his schedule.

I should not be surprised that Ted is being a jerk. It's who he is.

Update:
Primo has more information. Turns out that the person who is funding the production of Ted's film is considering pulling the money. Ted wanted to give her some positive feedback about the film. So his solution was to have his father, stepmother, and half brother review it.

I won't even bother to comment on this.