Dearest Love of My Life:

It seems that you're totally oblivious. Not just sometimes, but MOST of the time. Since you don't take hints, allegations, or clues very well, let me spell this out for you.

I do not like being put on the spot. I don't like it when Mercedes asks if her friends can spend the night when they're right in front of me, and I don't like it when you hold the phone out in front of you with my dad on the other end of the line while asking if you can go grab a couple of beers with him. I realize you were not aware that I might have had plans, but I didn't even get the chance to voice them. I never had the opportunity to say, "Hey, you know what? I'm thinking about going out for karaoke by myself. Not taking you, not taking Christine, just going and doing something FOR myself, BY myself, for once."
And today, when your daughter asked YOU to take her to the park, since she knew I had to work tonight? I REALLY didn't appreciate it when you said, "Can't your mother take you?" I mean, really, what the fuck?
Stop taking me for granted. Stop asking my permission to go drink beer, when it's perfectly obvious that you're only going to take yes as an answer. Funny how I never have to justify YES. And if you're going to insist on getting my permission, then when I say no, don't put me on the defensive, and don't start pouting to whoever asks you to go with them.
It's about time you realized that being a man doesn't JUST mean paying the bills.

Love,
me

the last trail...the next path