Ok, so maybe I’m the biggest bitch on wheels but I can’t stand the fact that Ryan can’t think or act for himself. It’s like he assumes I’ve replaced his mommy but I’m not his mother and never will be. I don’t exist for him; I don’t exist to coddle him and make life easy for him. If I wasn’t around, sure, he would find a way to handle trials on his own but because I am around and I’m good at navigating life, he sits back and lets me drive. I DON’T WANT TO DRIVE when he can. And, in this case, he can!
His car broke down tonight and he had it towed to a shop that told him it might be fixed tomorrow afternoon. So he spends all night playing hockey and drinking beer with buddies instead of finding a way to get to work in the morning. Why? Because he expects to take my new car and leave me at home all day. Sometimes I never leave the house so I wouldn’t miss my car – but that’s by choice. The fact that he had plenty of time to contact a co-worker who lives right around the corner from us and who could have given him a ride, leaves me livid. All because he doesn’t want to get his ass out of bed a half-hour earlier in the morning?!
If I was in the same sitch I would do whatever was easiest for everyone. I would, in fact, get up and catch a ride. Of course, those who know me are saying, “Riiiight, Jill does what is easiest on her.” Yes, to an extent that’s true. But I also figure out a way to deal with a situation that makes the most sense for everyone. For example, I don’t ask random people for a ride to the airport. I ask around to see if someone is already heading in that direction. If I couldn’t get him to the airport, Ryan would park his car at the ParknJet even if it meant paying for a week there before he would try to find a ride. Instead of borrowing Ryan’s car all the time while mine was getting fixed, I rented from Enterprise and they picked me up. If I’m hungry, I make myself something to eat. If Ryan’s hungry, he’ll order delivery or drive somewhere and buy himself dinner before he’d make even a sandwich or can of soup. He’s wired to expect me (or women in general) to take care of him.
It would have been easier for Ryan to simply get a ride from someone who is already going in to his office but he’s being selfish and expects me to enable his laziness. He’d rather assume I’ll come to his rescue than for him to go out of his way and make some phone calls. This is the same sh*t he did when he got his DUI and lost his license FOR THREE YEARS. He expected me to chauffeur him around instead of trying to catch rides from those heading in the same direction. In fact, there were more than a few times when I called MY friends and asked them to give him a ride because he “didn’t want to impose on anyone.” But it’s ok to impose on me? Why is it that being a girlfriend means getting the raw end of the deal? Is it too much to ask to be treated the way he might treat a friend? With concern over imposing? Granted, the definition of “relationship” is ‘never feeling like you’re imposing’ but that attitude truly sucks.

Would Ryan do the same for me?
The answer’s yes. If I needed his car- for whatever reason- he would have me drive him to work (at 5:30 a.m.), drop him off and take his car. He wouldn’t think twice about it. Wait a minute! Would he call and get a ride in to work and leave his car for me? Uh Uh. So I guess we can’t say he’d do the same for me. Anyway, back to the analogy- he lends me his car when I won’t lend mine. If it were that simple (and it NEVER is), of course he could take my car and I stay home for a day.
The point I’m trying to make is that it’s not about the car. It’s about his unwillingness to use anyone but me. If he had made even a little effort to find a ride, I would have been willing to help. But no, he goes out and f*7ks around all night then comes home and asks for my car keys. I’ve never been much of a sharer so you can’t take my stuff without my permission and assume it’s cool and you can’t guilt me into giving it over. (Which he is now relentlessly doing.) I have to want to share.
He wants – and expects – me to carry his ass and it drives me nuts. Why are the men I date so unresourceful and ineffective?? I guarantee you that he plans to call in sick tomorrow rather than get up early and call his friend for a ride; just to try to make me out as the bad guy and subsequently blame me for the reason he lost a sick day. After six years, I know that program.

5 minutes later:

Looks like I was right (of course). He just walked into my office to announce he’s “going to be hanging out” with me tomorrow. He’s calling in sick. What do I do, people? Let him lose the day and forever be the crappy girlfriend? Or give in and enable him to pull this act yet again?