One of the major things I hate about being adult, or this period of life I seem to be in where everyone is getting married, having children, buying houses etc. etc.----is the need others feel to meddle. Apart from the general, " why aren't you two married yet? It's been eight years already!" crap, I'm especially sick of the recent probing of my unemployment status. Truly, never before in my life have I experienced such judgement, ridicule, scowling and unsolicited advice, as I have since I lost my job. It's like someones at the front of the line, "here here!! man down! pick'em up!"As if I'm clouding up the perfect diamond of life that everyone is so sure they deserve and are on the path to achieving.
How about leaving me alone? How about not asking me every time I see you, how the job prospects are going? Don't you read the damn paper? Watch the news? Its not like I'm the only person this is happening too. I'm just the only person in your circle and apparently I'm f**king up the rotation of good fortune. I'm bringing everybody down with my no prospects in sight, no college education and no future. Perhaps it isn't me anyone is worried about? Maybe they're worried about the boy. Suddenly thanks to the economy I've become an even less desirable candidate to spend the rest of his life with? > insert ginormous sigh here. < I can just see it every time his mother asks me about work and in the way that she looks at me. I think Carrie had it right when she said, "When did we stop being free to be you and me?"
To the meddlers, nay sayers and ultimate dream crushers, I say this : all I know is that I'm not giving anyone advice they didn't ask for, telling people how to raise their kids, or who they should or should not marry. And I'm not complaining. I rarely even talk about my job situation, unless asked. Whatever happened to just letting people live their lives? The way they see fit? If you wanna live the dream so be it. As Eddie Izzard once said, "Goooooooo then! s'the American Dream!" Just don't count on me walking behind you, I might be forming my own line....and it may not be heading towards the top of the hill. It might be a check out line at Trader Joe's but....it'll be MINE.
