What's Bugging Kden Today?

The question should really be, what's not? I get irritated easy. It's not easy being me, or I'm sure living with me.

What's bugging me lately is all over a dumb coat. When Barb and I were in Alaska and waiting for our flight out she had the cojones to ask one of the Miller Coors guys if we could get some coats from the company. He whipped out his iPad and ordered one for everyone that went on the trip. They all have the Blue Moon logo on them and can't be bought in a store. They're not fancy, but pretty decent. It's not for our winters here but I've started wearing it now that it's warming up. They're probably sized for men so it's long on me, but since I'm short most coats are. It's black with a grey lining and even reversible. There's a nice built in hood for rainy walks and it holds back the wind pretty darn good.

I've had hers all this time since they were delivered, because we could never find the time to get together. But the night of the wine social I brought it with me and gave it to her. She just tossed it in her car. The next day I emailed her and thanked her for going with me and she wrote back and said that her son already stole her coat. She said it fit but was too long for her so she just gave it up. I thought fire was going to shoot out of my ears and eyes!

This really made me so mad and I can't really pinpoint why. For one thing her son has been sponging off of her for quite awhile, because he can't find a job, or hurt himself on a job. He totaled her car a few days before our trip while coming home from 'work' and missed a curve. She had bought a sweatshirt at one of airports and he took that too, as soon as she got home. She bought more things for her kids than she did for herself. Her daughter has been in jail for 4 months and was going to stay with her for awhile when she got out. Two weeks after she got out, she went right back to the guy who was responsible for her stint in jail in the first place. I would like to say, "kick them both out, get your shit, and your life back."

But I think what bugs me the most is that for me the coat represents something. Maybe not the best trip in the world but it was an adventure that we had been through together; and will never get to do again. I told my family that I didn't care if I was too fat for my coat, NOBODY was going to get it. I earned it, it's mine! The way she gave it up so easily felt like it didn't mean the same for her. I did all the emailing with the MC guy, keeping on top of things and finding out why there were delays, and keeping her in the loop. I put in time and effort to make sure that we got the coats. If I'd known that's what she was going to do with it, I would have given it to my husband and told her we couldn't get them after all.

Hubby said it's her coat she can do what she wants with it. I guess I'm just too sentimental about objects (as you well know the cooler story), but dammit when an object is tied to memories I'd like to think that the person who made those memories with me felt just a little of the same about it.