I posted this cartoon from Poorly Drawn Lines on social media yesterday with the comment “I know people whose significant others are like this.”
And… yeah. I do know people who act like that towards their significant others. They run things on an explicit quid pro quo basis. At best. At worst, they’ll withdraw love, compassion, approval – even things like money and help around the house – if they don’t get what they want. Some even “forget” to do things that create more problems for their significant others.
This sort of squirrely behavior doesn’t often show up in lists of “signs of an abusive relationship“, but it probably should.
So I’m going to start referring to this behavior as being a shitty squirrel (or a shitty tree-rat), much in the same way that I use the shorthand of brain weasels.
In the meantime, I’m going to keep telling my amour that she’s freaking awesome.
Especially when she takes the time to tell me when I’m wrong, or when she needs time to herself, or otherwise disappoints me.
Because there’s no way I want to act like a freaking tree-rat.
You're no tree-rat. 🙂