Once Upon A Time...

Once upon a time, I thought having friends was the easiest thing in the world. You had people willing to be on your side, to back you up, even lift you up if you needed it. There were no questions asked, no deals, no terms, and it was the greatest feeling.

When did that change?

When did people become so cruel that they actually demanded price tags for every single thing?

I know these people across the street from me, and for a while I've considered them friends. They've helped me out when I've needed it. I've done the same for them. But recent events have forced me to take things into consideration, and if things don't change, I don't believe I'll be able to continue my friendship with them.

About 6 or 7 months ago we took in one of their dogs, and it was supposed to be until they found her a home. She was a pit bull mixed with lab, and there were times she could be sweet. But there were other times that she would rip up our house, chase our cats, and keep our dogs out of their own food bowls that we didn't know how much longer we could keep her. The alternative was to give her back and they would send her to the pound because they didn't take the time to properly train her and she would rip up their belongings like books and shoes. For their laxity they were willing to play Russian Roulette with her life, but we thought they would do the honorable thing and continue to help find her a home.

We were wrong.

Instantly, they dropped all regard for her. Wouldn't come over and see her, didn't offer to help with food, only posted an ad ONCE for her, and everytime something happened they only had two responses; "She's not my dog anymore. You guys took her in", or the ever prominent as time went on, "Why don't you just take her to the pound?". These were people that paid money for her on Craigslust, took her to get heartworm preventative, even shelled out money to get her fixed, and get her puppy shots. And when she'd escape our yard, she'd go to theirs to see their dog whom she regarded still as family. They wouldn't even leave the house to bring her back. They'd tell us to come get her, calling her, "your dog".

I don't understand anyone who can do that to an animal and sleep at night.

A few weeks ago, we took a dog off the streets and brought him home, but that's when the real trouble began. After a week, they both ganged up on one of our cats and tried to kill it. The cat is okay, so please don't freak out. But we knew they had to go. Thankfully, someone my mom had befriended agreed to take the dogs. She runs a sort of rescue from her property in Cleveland, Oklahoma, 30 minutes drive from Tulsa. The neighbors wouldn't even come out to say goodbye. When we put the leash around her she knew what was coming, and, in the end, we had to carry her to the car. The whole week before, that dog was depressed. She continually looked to their yard for a sign of rescue, for hope, and it never came. The whole way there she stress farted and just laid down, didn't even want to look around. I'd never seen a dog so heart broken, and it broke my mom and I to take her out there.

Leaving was hard. She watched us go and mom and I cried to the point we had to pull over. We didn't want to give her away, but we couldn't contain her, and we couldn't risk her hurting another animal. We didn't have it in us to take her to the shelter. Being food bowl aggressive and hating cats, she wouldn't have lasted long. I doubt even the day. And all this stemmed because they wanted a puppy, but didn't want to take the time necessary for her. They didn't want to be inconvenienced by either blocking off one room, or letting her whine in a crate until she was used to it. It was far easier for them to let someone else shoulder the burden and walk away.

The last I heard, the dog ran away to live with some other people down the road. I hope she's happier there, and can feel more secure. I carry that day with me, and I hate myself for what I had to do, but I harbour hatred towards them more than they know.

Then, a few days ago, it all came to a head.

A woman in the Tulsa Buy Sell Trade Facebook Group stated that she wanted $50 for her puppy or she was taking him to the pound that night. I wasn't able to screen capture the post, but I got her information, and I wanted to make sure she was known, in case she ever tried to get another animal.

I told my neighbor, who is an admin in the group, and I even sent the pictures along, asking her, pleading with her, to share them. She told me that unless she had the post, she wouldn't do it, because, and I quote this from her, "It's a moral issue, ya know?".

.............

"A moral issue?"

So, knowing that the whole group saw it, that I saw it, that my mother saw it, wasn't enough for her, but she says it's a moral issue.... she quoted morals.... after what she did to that dog....

Tonight, another issue came down when I put up a picture on Facebook, with the frame, "I have a pre-existing condition". Her husband decided to pipe up that that doesn't apply to me because I'm Native American. When was the last time he ever went to a clinic? There are medicines they refuse to prescribe because they're scared of red tape and law suits. There is medication I need, but I can't get from there or Family & Children Services because of it.

I explained all of that, and the fact that I did it because I stand with those that aren't so lucky. He knows that my health issues have kept me from maintaining, or even getting, a job.

He fires back, "then get a job and get your own health insurance. You'll see a difference almost immediately".

.............

This man wants to try to tell me to get a job? Even though he knows the reasons why I haven't been able to? A) When did I ever ask him to come onto my profile and start spouting his bullshit. And B) He wants to try to tell me what I need to do, when his own household is in such disarray, his own mother in law is tired of dealing with it? When his wife comes and cries to me because she's sick of it? When he comes home and drinks until bedtime? When he immediately takes the kids to his mother in laws house because he doesn't want to be left alone with them? And he tries to tell me what I NEED TO DO?!

Please tell me this is just a nightmare.

Please tell me this kind of shit doesn't really happen.

He was immediately removed from my list, and I'm contemplating doing the same for her. She's helped me a lot, especially after my breakup, with YouTube, my life, but after that last insult and with what went on with her dog, I don't know if it can continue. I can't handle the bullshit. I can't handle the drama. I also can't handle the sometimes selfishness that goes on.

I have a lot of thinking to do, but I know for certain that, right now, I'm keeping my distance. I don't want war, but I'm not yet calm enough to respond rationally. I don't want to be accusatory. I don't want to be mean or spiteful. Maybe my silence will be enough.

Only time will tell.

All I know is, I'm sick of drama, I'm sick of bullshit. I want peace, and I'm not sacrificing to get it. I refuse to lay down anymore.

Something has to give, and if it's an awkward glance from across the street from time to time, so be it.