BobbieJo, you so totally rock! I love, love, love the way you handled Dan's phone call.
I think that when WAS see that the end of the M is really happening, they try to cling on to any control that they can, no matter how banal. Doesn't mean they still want us, it just means they just can't stand to have it slip through their fingers.
Dan will have to look for someone else to heap abuse upon. And I say that because I remember some of the things that Dan would say to you, such as, "Use your head" and other things to put you down or otherwise make you feel stupid. It really made my heart hurt for you because those little digs are really not so little and show a great deal of hostility.
I have just now started venturing out into the dating world and I swear, if I see or hear any sort of hostile "just kidding" comments that are disguised as jokes, or more blatant putdowns, especially in front of other people, that man will be history. I will nip it in the bud because I let things like that slide before until it became seen as "normal." In reality, it is extremely unseemly and not the way a loving spouse would treat their mate.
No way am I ever going to let anyone chip away at my self-worth. It is gradual and insidious. I may seem ridiculous and unyielding, but this is now one of my deal breakers.
