I was only 22 years old when I found myself alone, without a husband, holding little David in my arms. My son was just two at the time. My husband left because he grew tired of constant worrieshe said he had to earn money yet felt that spending it on his family was a burden. He preferred splashing out on himself and his mistress. However he behaved as a husband, things actually became easier for me after he left. Suddenly, everything was my responsibility.
I put David in nursery and started working myself. I remember days when I was so exhausted I could barely feel my feet, yet my home was always tidy, dinner was cooked, and my child was fed and neat. My mother instilled these values in me; our generation was made of stronger stuff. I confess, I spoiled David a bit. At 27, he still didnt know how to fry an egg. But recently, he got married. I thought finally hed found someone to look after him, and I could turn to my own hobbies or even try a new job. In short, I hoped to finally live quietly.
Then my son told me that he and his wife were going to stay with me for a while. Naturally, I wasnt thrilled, but agreed to let them stay. I pictured his wife taking care of him, doing his washing, cooking meals, and thought I’d just need a bit of patience. But thats not how it turned out. Kate was quite a character. She didnt tidy up after dinner, didnt wash up, didnt do laundry for herself or David, didnt even give the room a cursory sweepshe did nothing at all.
For three months, I ended up taking care of all three of us. Did I really need this? What did my daughter-in-law do? Since David decided hed be the breadwinner, Kate didn’t work anywhere. From morning until evening, unless David was home from work, she was either out in town with her friends or chatting endlessly on the phone. And I was still working. Coming home to chaos, the place always messy, fridge empty, not a single meal cooked. So Id have to pop down to Tesco, buy groceries, cook dinner, and do the washing up.
Kate seemed utterly unconcerned. She even had the nerve, while I was washing dishes, to bring over a plate shed kept in her room for daysshed forgotten about it and now it was crawling with flies and who knows what else. The next time she gave me a plate, I told her straight, if she had any sense of decency shed at least do the washing up once in a while.
Do you think she apologised or changed her ways? Not at all. The very next day, after a row, she and my son moved out and rented a flat. David even claimed I was trying to break up their marriage. For whatbecause I asked his wife to wash the dishes once? Honestly, thank heavens! Now I get to live in a calm and tidy home, and I dont have to clean up after anyone. Young people these days, I do swear, are utterly useless. Irresponsible, the lot of them.
