Setting the Record Straight

Friday night, Leo and I had a small gathering at our house before heading out to the bars.

The scene: a few of the usuals are sitting around our dining room, sipping on beers discussing our Friday and figuring out what we should do for that evening. Leo gets out of his seat and begins to clean up the communal area (picking up old Newsweeks, throwing away empty Netflix envelopes, blowing the dust out of discarded shot glasses aka cleaning them, etc.).

So as we're laughing and sharing stories, I can hear Leo's voice cut through the chatter

"What the fuck is this?"

Oh shit.

I'm mid-sip and completely freeze. The rest of the table looks over at Leo.

In his left hand is an open box, in his right hand is a piece of blue wrapping paper.

So@24: Oh that. I-I-I... it's nothing.
Leo: We'll talk about this later, bitch.

It really ISN'T a big deal, but I knew Leo & co. would make it one. Lynn had just sent me a package with some cds in it of new songs/bands she found over the past year. Tossed in some Pixie Stix and a couple sticks of Fruit Stripe gum. And a card with a turtle on it congratulating me on my new gig.

I know it looks bad from the outside and I wish I could record the conversations we have so I can show that it's strictly on a friendship level. She's applied to grad schools in Seattle and will say things like, "With my next boyfriend, I need to..." Doesn't sound like the kind of things a girl would say to someone she's interested in dating. Just friends, I promise.

Later on in the evening, one of my friends Jamie (who is makes up "Couple 1" of the worst couples I've ever encountered on my short 24 years on this Earth) is mentioning another shitty couple might get back together.

Backstory. This couple in question has broken up and gotten back together about 9 times, I'd be surprised if they weren't in double digits. Even when they first starting sleeping together, hanging out together, dining together, going on dates together, etc... the guy wouldn't even admit they were a couple. He'd even insist to the girl that they were both single. Girl can't get over him. He comes crawling back when he wants more sex, cycle starts over again. Shitty couple.

So. Jamie is telling us that this girl is getting back together with this boy for the umpteenth time. I mention that it's ridiculous that they are doing this entire dance over again.

She chimes in with an oh-so-condescending tone, "I wouldn't judge. Look at you. You're still getting packages from your ex."

My face instantly turns hot. I'm livid. "Don't you dare compare my relationship with them. In fact, don't even compare me with YOUR relationship."

There's an uncomfortable moment in the living room and Jack quickly steps in to break the ice. He pours Smirnoff vodka into two shot glasses and sets them in the middle of the table.

Jack: Alrighty! Next person to mention the package has to take a shot. Those are the rules for the rest of the night.

I let it go, but I'm the type who has a hard time letting such an insulting statement slide like that. I'll most likely have a nice chit-chat with Jamie when we're not in a social environment.

The rest of the night I kept thinking about how interesting it is that I'm still protective of that relationship. It's been over for a year, yes. But the intensity of how pissed I got at such an insensitive and completely ignorant statement kind of surprised me.

It makes me wonder if anyone else gets on the defensive when someone verbally bashes on an old relationship.