Baffled Yet Again

Last Friday one of my Darling Daughters shows up unexpectedly with a bag of cane slices (another time...) and a package.

Said package is addressed to Daughter and bears the teeny return address sticker of (alley oop) none other than Mommy Dearest.  "Why give this to me?"  I ask.  "It could be for you."  "Yeah, like Grandma's going to send something to me."  Yeah, indeed.  So I open it.

Very carefully over wrapped in brown paper (and I know how difficult that is to locate these days.  "Paper or plastic?" doesn't happen anymore) and layers of clear tape.  Daughter's name and address in MD's cramped red markered handwriting  And, I'm pretty sure, over $5.00 in postage.  Obviously she's gone to a lot of trouble.  To say nothing of the drive to the Post Office.  What could be so important?

Inside, white cardboard box, my name and old address, containing not one but two urinary incontinence undergarment samples.  Being the Dark Evil Individual I am, my first thought runs along the lines of:  WTF?  I certainly didn't send for these items nor did I purchase any similar items or visit any similar web sites.  Who could have signed me up?  If not MD herself then most likely the same insensitive, cruel bitch person who used to mail anonymous weight loss offers  to my then house.  Ah, well.

Stop the Madness!  Is there ANY way I can interpret this package as a kind gesture?  A concerned parent delicately reaching out to aid a child in her hour of need?  Um, nope.  I tried.  I really did.  But then I remember that this is the parent who flat out refuses to pick up the phone and call me.  This is the parent who believed lies and repeated lies without ever hearing my side.  This is the parent who never took the opportunity to kindly address the "problem" when I was in the very next room.

So, if there was kindness in the gesture I didn't get it.  And that is my failure I know.  That was an awful lot of effort in order to totally avoid the simple act of picking up a telephone.  Next time I hope she just saves her money.

 And I can feel the flapping of the Flying Monkey wings as they read and mass for the kill.  Don't you get it?  You've won!  You wanted me out of the family and I went.  And despite what you may say about "choices" you ALL are culpable.  Don't pretend this is one big happy family when you have CHOSEN to toss a sibling out like garbage.  I am constantly astonished.  I am constantly trying to let this go.

One last thing:  All those un-named siblings know how to get in touch with me.  Although I do not expect that will happen.  More's the pity.  I guess I remain baffled.