Zen and The Art of A Grudge
I reworked a draft of my first book in 1999. At the same time I was still in touch with a former girl friend who was an artist. I always liked her work. To this day I have two of her etchings and two of her paintings hanging in my home. Her work was good, not great, but good. She was a more imaginative print maker than a painter, but her painting skills were getting noticeably stronger.
In the spirit of keeping in touch I sent her a copy of the draft. About a year later she sent me some photos of her most recent work. I sincerely liked it with her new bold, colorful and rounded style. I wrote her to praise her work comparing her recent style to a reminiscence of Diego Rivera.
The next message I got from her included phrases such as …and the horse you rode in on. She was totally pissed. I suppose my efforts to send her examples of the similarities for a side by side comparison even pissed her off even more. I guess she wanted me to tell her new style was unique and never seen by human eyes before.
So I go to my mailbox tonight to find a large envelope with her return address. Inside is the draft I sent her with a letter that stated: “I never could get through your book. There was just too much I would have torn apart…”
Now that is a woman who can hold a grudge. A ten year grudge is a heavy one. I hope she feels better. I know I got a good laugh out of it.
posted by The Guy Who Writes This at 4:00 AM
15 Comments:
Wow. Good thing you didn't decide to marry her. I don't picture her being a very pleasant life partner.
So what you're saying is that this surprised you? Sounds like you may not be aware of the correct answer to the question "does my ass look big in these jeans" either...
Moose
Grudges are such a waste of time and energy. :(
good lord. i agree with tango. time to move on cupcake. jeesh!
Jesus-On-Toast, even I am not that bad.
Yikes. A psycho ex and an artist as well. I can see this showing up on Lifetime channel any time now.
Looks like, well, just like you said...reminscent of Diego Rivera's work...
Haa....I LOLd at Rev.
Man, what did you do to her?! Wait....I bet you tried to make her eat mac and cheese pizza. I understand now. *giggle*
F'in psycho.
Since you have her return address, send her a bottle of prozac - no comment necessary.
Pft. Ten years? That's nothin. I still hold a bit of a grudge toward the guy that got me fired from my gas station job, circa 1973.
Flashback to my grandmother who in her late 80's could still get enraged over a bad grade on a 4th grade book report she thought she didn't deserve. She still had the book report and would bring it out as evidence to the injustice done her. Nasty old harpy, I was happy when she died.
columbiacritter
Not to forgive is to be imprisoned by the past.... and the horse you rode in on.
Donna, even when we dated she was edgy and unpredictable. She nearly knifed the fellow she dated after me.
Moose, I meant it as a compliment, but it was a good thing 3000 miles seperated us at the time.
Tango, Guess I haven't pissed you off yet ; )
Selkie, Cupcake? That sounds so Sinatra. I like it.
Auntie, Yeah, I don't think you've ever been angry with me for longer than a week. But then you are a better artist.
Darev, She's been married to the same guy now for 25 years, though I haven't seen or heard from him for the last 20 years.
Critter, only the good go young.
Teri, that is a Rivera painting, I didn't want to promote her.
Amy, I don't want to get that close, ever again.
g, I'm not going to poke a stick in that wasp nest. All I have to do is avoid her for the next 20 years and I'll be home free.
Mark, Want to send him a copy of my book? That will fix him.
Anon, and my poor horse didn't have anything to do with it and he's getting the treatment as well. Just not fair.
HIGH larious. i can barely hold a job. a ten-year grudges is an occupation in itself. :-)
Dalia, That's because you are a nice person and you understand forgiveness.
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