FAFO

Bitch I’m a red white and blue collar [girl] from the South…you can fuck around and find out. Come around here runnin’ your mouth…you fuck around and find out. I’m just saying, there’s the line, don’t cross it. We done talkin’. Fuck around and find out.

~Bryan Martin

Yesterday was a rough one. Mj’s best friend, I’ll call her “T”. She’s had a hard childhood. Her mama wasn’t in her life, until recently. Her dad has been a single father, raising her since birth. While I know he loves her, he’s not a great daddy. If he’s not at work, he’s in his garage, chain smoking and drinking. T was at our house most everyday. She ate supper with us most nights. Her and Mj aren’t in the same school, anymore. We don’t get to see her everyday, like we used to. When T was here, a couple weeks ago, we noticed cuts up both of her arms. She had taken a razor blade, and cut into herself. I talked with her. I told her how much we love her. I told her, she can talk to me anytime. I won’t ever repeat things she tells me, unless I’m afraid for her safety. I offered to help her reach out and ask for help. I talked to her dad. He, clearly, did nothing. He called me in tears, yesterday afternoon. He told me T was with social services. She had tried to hang herself. T had tied a bunch of string together, wrapped it around her neck, and attempted to end her life. That absolutely shatters me. I’m also livid. Her dad claimed they wouldn’t tell him anything. He called me from his garage. I could hear the beer cans being opened. I could tell he was lighting up cigarette after cigarette. If that was my baby, I’d be up there beating down doors and begging to see my daughter. I’d be desperately searching for help for her. I’d be asking so many questions, trying to figure out what I could do for her. He got drunk.

T called me, last night. We had a long talk. I don’t know what I can do, but I so badly want to help that little girl. Adam and I, Wyatt and Mj, we love T like family.

Today, someone else pissed me off. Compared to the situation with T, it’s nothing. But, I have had my fill of tolerating idiots and assholes. I do our taxes every year. This year, I had done everything, put all the numbers into the forms, and come up with a final number. It was way different than what I’d anticipated. Adam and I talked about it, and decided to have an accountant look over everything. We just wanted to double check I’d done everything correctly. I brought everything I’d done to her, last week. She told me she’d have it looked at, by that same evening. It took several days, and several messages and phone calls from me, before she finally bothered to call me back. This morning, she informed me that my figures are correct. Then, she tried to charge me $425. $425 to LOOK OVER my own paperwork?! We have paid less than half of that amount, to have our old accountant do ALL the paperwork. I’d learned what I was doing, a few years back, and been doing it myself. I told this lady, it took me 7 minutes and 19 seconds to plug these numbers into the same system she did. That’s literally all she did, too. She couldn’t answer my questions. She’s been dodging me for days. Uhh, no. I’m not having it today. I haven’t said anything to her, yet. I was so angry, I needed time to cool off. I haven’t even talked to Adam about it. Maybe I’m making too big a deal out of it? I just get so sick and tired of people assuming they can price gauge me, and overcharge for things, as if I’m too stupid to notice or care. If I drive up in my cush SUV, or hand over paperwork showing our income, and someone assumes I’m not intelligent with money, that sets me off. The nice things we have are because we know the value of things, and chose to spend our money on them. The value of the work this lady did is absolutely not what she’s trying to charge. She did our friends taxes, start to finish, for $80. Their taxes were no less complicated than ours, either. Ours ain’t even that difficult! I only wanted to make certain I was right with my figuring. Anyhow, I’m a little turnt up, this afternoon.

To add to all this, Adam told me his elbow has been hurting real bad. He says it’s been a few weeks, and not gotten better. He never said a thing to me, until a couple nights ago. He doesn’t complain, especially about pain. He’s had this issue before. Playing high school, and then college football, did take its toll on his body. He had to have surgery, last time this happened. He’s worried he’s going to wind up needing surgery again. I told him he needs to go see the doctor! He refused. He insists we wait it out longer, to see if it won’t feel better. He’s worried about his work, if he has to go through all the crap he did the last time his elbow felt like this. It’s several weeks of rest and then rehab. He had no problem, whatsoever, picking me up and throwing me over his shoulder. He’s been able to swing his hand down onto my behind, just fine. So, I can’t know whether he’s being a tough guy, and ignoring pain? Or, maybe he’s paranoid about a pain that will end up being no big deal?

It’s not the day to piss me off. I’m not grouchy. I’m just not in any mood to be dealing with anymore bull crap. It’s gorgeous out. I’m playing music, and writing here. I need to call and tell Adam about my “accountant” frustrations. I wanted to find a better attitude before I talked to him, though. I suppose I’ll get it over with. Maybe. I don’t know? We’ll see. I might wait til he’s home, this evening.