23. A family member you dislike
That’s awful. I can honestly say I like all my family members. A lot. So instead, I’ll write about a family member’s annoying habit.
I do almost all my writing while sitting at the kitchen table. I have a study, but I prefer the kitchen because then I’m not so cut off from my family. I can endure a fair amount of noise and chaos, and the TV in the adjacent family room rarely bothers me.
In the evenings, my husband often sits in the family room, watching TV or playing video games. And periodically he’ll say a thing. Like, “Remember I’ll be home late Thursday.” Which interrupts me, but okay. I respond. He goes back to whatever. And just as I’m getting back to work, he’ll say another thing. Like, “And I have an appointment Wednesday morning.” I respond. Another long pause. I get back to work. Then, “I think we should refinance the house.”
It makes me want to strangle him.
Sometimes I just glare. “Are you done yet?” I demand. Spit it all out at once, you know? I was once on a deadline, writing the last chapter of a book, and I threatened to stab him if he kept interrupting like that. He and the kids thought that was hilarious.