silent treatment

There is a famous quote that says resentment is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die. I confess that I have been guilty of holding a grudge long after the initial feelings of hostility have gone away. But I have a former friend who gives new meaning to the word “bitter”. We used to be roommates back in the day. It is ironic because we initially bonded over our shared rancor towards a third party. I suppose nothing bonds people like a shared enemy. But as I started to fall behind in my rent payments, this frenemy started to unleash his animosity on me. Keep in mind that this was 1993 and my debt was only $200! I guess hell hath no fury like a landlord scorned. Although I was not able to make financial arrangements, my amigo was able to recoup his losses by selling off my prize possessions. My miniature television and cassette collection were put on the auction block. In my mind, we were even. So it puzzled me when I ran into this sourpuss years later and he still bore me ill will. In fact, he would look straight into my eyes and refuse to acknowledge my existence. To this day, whenever a mutual pal brings up my name, he spews forth venom in my direction. It’s a shame, because I did enjoy the relationship in its salad days. We lived in a tiny room together, so we had the opportunity to spend a lot of “quality time” together. We did not have a great deal in common, but we had some good times. I can’t imagine the thought process that allows malice to take up residence in your brain for 15 years. Get over it! In any case, I did retrieve my belongings eventually, including my Blow Monkeys tape. TBM were prime purveyors of the Sophisto-pop sound of the 80’s. This often maligned genre of music mixed smooth jazz, blue-eyed soul and British new wave to create a powerful musical cocktail. Although if you don’t have a high tolerance for sax solos, steer clear. There was a dance version of this track, but I prefer the original rendition. And the lyrics could serve as a wake-up call for my comrade in conflict. It’s time to relocate the focus of your hate! Because spite is so bad for your skin.