Passive aggressive.... ME?!!!

I had a late night chat with Jay around the fire one night during our last camping trip. Everyone else headed off to bed, so it was just the two of us. Jay has always been more talkative late at night. If she ever decides to get a therapist I hope it is someone with late night hours…. Like a vampire!! LOL!

We talked about lots of serious stuff, then we talked about ‘things that drive us crazy’. It has been a topic that in 20+ years, we have always been able to find something to discuss…. about our jobs, spouses, kids, vehicles, school…. Whatever! I had her laughing at my antics about this installment of “Things that Drive Us Crazy” … about Pepper while we’ve been travelling.

She called me passive aggressive… PaLeez!!

So I told Jay it drives me crazy that Pepper makes travelling so fun. I am almost always the “driver” and Pepper brings all this stuff… library books, her iPod, crochet and cross stitch projects, the newspaper, crossword puzzles, coloring… all kinds of stuff! She even LOOKS more comfortable than I feel. Stretched out and relaxed while I have to concentrate on the road.

One time, we were at her parents and I told her I wanted her to drive home (about an hour trip). I thought I could have fun too. Nope! The book I tried to read made me carsick, the headphones were too loud or too quiet… as soon as they were just right someone would try to talk to me so I had to take them out to hear them. The kids kept needing things that only I could reach….it was awful!!

The next trip we took, Pepper was right into super fun mode in the passenger seat again. I was quietly driving …and sulking. We were going farther this time, out of our normal radio area… so I started scanning the stations looking for something to listen too. I found an old rock and roll station…. I think “Bad Company” was playing. I always liked that band… but Pepper did not. I turned it up a notch or two louder than we usually listen and was singing along when Pepper reached over and turned the volume down to ask me something. I answered and turned the music up again. A minute later, she turned it down again. I turned it back up. BINGO!! I realized this was driving her crazy! She could not read, sew, hear her music or anything else because my singing and music choice was driving her nuts!!

I scanned more stations. We listened to Rap, very old country, a news story about refugees and a fascinating discussion about the future of pork bellies. All just a little louder than I knew her comfort level was. It was AMAZING how much more I enjoyed the drive!! It still makes me smile as I type this! I know… you think I am so mean for behaving this way, and Jay is right… I am a bit passive aggressive, but since I am blogging about this and Pepper reads this blog… I am NEVER going to get away with it again, so I am not ALL bad!!

I was really glad the story made Jay laugh and I hope you smiled a little too. Try this next time you are driving… you will be amazed how smilie it will make you too!! ☺