It’s weird how when I was growing up, I didn’t hear much about illnesses other than colds, flus and maybe typhoid fever. Probably because as a kid, I hadn’t started a job, had kids myself, or learned about debt, taxes and death. But as soon as I started experiencing real stress, like making sure I earned enough money to not live on the streets, I started discovering all kinds of new diseases. Things like kidney stones, Irritable Bowel Syndrome and gout. Even those were kind of well known diseases.
Then real strange diseases that I never heard of started to crop up. I discovered that my leg is always bouncing up and down, even more when I have something stressful like a mortgage payment, an interview, or when the wi-fi goes down for a microsecond while I’m playing an important video game. Come to find out that restless leg syndrome is a real thing and probably something I need to get checked out.
Every day I see ads on TV, the internet and my phone wallpaper about new diseases that have been invented to describe everything that is wrong with me. All I need to do is visit my doctor and tell them about a weird tic that won’t go away and he will start talking like an ad man about how Trintellex can cure my disease in 30 years or so. Unfortunately, my insurance won’t cover it, so I will just have to live with that tic forever.
The latest disease I discovered is that I am the spouse that nobody likes.
I started noticing this disease when I would go to parties (meaning my wife said we had to go to a party) and people would be so excited when we arrived. The host would greet my wife with hugs and smiles and excitement, and then turn to me. The smile would immediately fade, the excitement would wane and they direct me to the food in the corner where no one else would be, and then turn back to excitedly talk to my wife.
I started doing a sniff test to see if I smelled bad, or if there was a stain on my shirt, but none of those things were true. I started noticing this phenomenon happening wherever we would go.
Then another shift happened. When I was first married, my mom and dad would call me, and at the end of the call would ask how my wife was. After a little while they would start calling my wife and then at the end, would ask how I was doing. Now they just call HER.
When my kids were little, and I got home from work, they would run to the door and say, “Yeah, daddy’s home!” They would get all excited and ask me to play with them or go for a walk or something. My wife would come to the door too and ask how my day was. Now I have the new superpower of temporary invisibility. I can be home for an hour or two and my kids will walk by and say, “Oh, when did you get home? Mom said you have some money for me and you need to drive me somewhere.”
I went to my doctor to ask if there was any cure for this disease. He said no. “There is no pill that will ever make people like you as much as your spouse. There are some exercises however, that will help you at least be in the same areana however. You could try, like caring about other people’s thoughts and feelings and listening and being compassionate.”
“In other words there is no cure,” I said.
ARRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH
Bitterly Despised Spouse Ben
Ben's Bitter Blog 
None of that abuse matters after 5 PM. Your time zone or the zone two to the east of you. By the way, close to the eats table you are shunted-off to at gatherings, save the church soirees, is a bar of some sort [or carry a hip flask, dewd] and a nip or two will obviate the distress; you will become almost an agreeable, semi-likable dewd. BTDT, feel for ya. Adapt. Survive. Thrive.
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I actually prefer being invisible so I don’t have to pretend to care about people or engage in small talk. Thank goodness for spouse invisibility.
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Funny post. Everyone wants to change a curmudgeon. I believe restless leg syndrome is a sleep disorder, though. Assuming you were awake, it is something else. Hope this helps.
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So I just have awakeness leg syndrome.
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I think it’s the curse of people with stressful jobs to create an environment where no one bothers us. It’s a way to get a little peace.
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I think the best thing ever to happen to workplaces is headphones.
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In my “old age,” I am feeling moodier and that sort of thing. Somewhere in me, a curmudgeon is being born.
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Keep working on your curmudgeonlyness and you will succeed.
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I’m going to repost this and add a few touches with snapshots of “Married With Children” pictures from the internet. There are some choice Al and Peg Bundy pics to choose from.
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I would love to see that.
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I can totally relate to this post. It ain’t easy being disliked, but someone has to do it.
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I concur.
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We do what we have to do. Someone has to be the awkward, bitter guy in the corner that everyone talks about.
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I too suffer from this disease. But I don’t need a support group. However, cash donations will be readily accepted.
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Not only do I take cash, but I take Visa and American Express.
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I have a flag hanging outside my cheap hotel room (‘Lion’s Den’—very apropos place for me to end up)—a flag with four, count ‘em, four.
Four stars representing each of my wonderful failed marriages.
Yep.
I am a ‘gold-star’ failure at the sanctimony that is matrimony.
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Great post Ben.
Cheers!
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I applaud your ability at being the despised of the spouses. We bow down to you, O Lord of despisals.
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LOL! if this were a poker game, I’d raise you by one marriage.
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Hey! I’m still young! Hahahaha
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Then you still have time for one more.
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That’s nice that you are a four star thing, but it seems like you could be a 5 star general.
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