Imelda has wound me up something chronic today.

Today Imelda rang me after work at 10pm to see if I was able to take him to a hospital appointment next week.  I had vaguely agreed to this a week or so ago, the last time I had dropped him off for a hospital appointment.  He had not been sure of the date and was going to get back to me so I had not set the date in my diary. Bear in mind he can still drive and he has a car.  I take him as the hospital car parking charges are rather high and it really is not far.  This appointment is in a hospital about 7 miles away and he will have to be there for tests.  The letter says to be prepared to stay there 2-4 hours.

So today he rang to check I was still OK to take him.

Unfortunately ~ or very fortunately depending on how you look at it, I have just been offered a new job in a place which appears very promising.  I am not able to name names here but my current job is evil and after being there two years, for at least the past six months I have been looking for a way out.  Finally I have a ticket to freedom in the form of a job which appears to suit me - better hours, pay and better job.  I start in a week and so this means I can't take Imelda to his appointment.  I can hardly take my first day of a new job off now can I?

I apologised and told Imelda I wasn't able to take him as I have been offered a new job.  I found out a day or two ago about the job and had not yet told Imelda, primarily as I don't believe he has any interest in what job I am doing and secondly as he still hasn't worked out the ins and outs of his hearing aid yet, (six months or so now) any off the wall conversation needs to be done in person. I had anticipated telling him with pride and happiness and for him to be all pleased and say "Wow - Congratulations you!" or similar. I waited for a reaction. None came.

Did he congratulate me? - No
Did he ask what new job? - No
Did he express surprise or interest in any way WHATSOEVER about my new job? - No.
Did he sound pleased or alter his tone to match my apparent happiness at being offered a ticket out of current hellhole where I have been battling with my sanity for two years? - No
Did he even say a token 'Oh that's nice!' - Did he buggery bollocks! - No he said NOTHING AT ALL about it.

Instead he says - 'Well if you can't take me then I will have to find someone else - as simple as that.'

I was silently fuming - surely your own Dad should at least express something by way of - well something when his daughter tells him with pure happiness she is out of the job she has hated for years and into a better one.  Most Dads, I suspect would want to know where the new one was, who it was with, what I would be doing. I suspect a great deal of Dads would call after the interview to see how it went.

Not Imelda.

'Well goodnight' he said.
I wasn't going to leave it at that 'Aren't you going to ask me about the new job?' I said
'Yes - you said you had a new job!'
'And aren;t you going to ask me who it is with'
'Yes well you have told me you have a new job - I had no IDEA you were even looking for a new job.'
'I have been looking for at least six months Dad - you know I hate where I am'.
'I didn't know you were looking for a new job.'
'Well I was and now I have one and that is a good thing and I am happy about it'
'Yes, so you can't take me then.'
'So are you going to ask who the new job is with?'
'Well are you going to tell me and not play stupid games?'

So here I am with the conversation I envisaged with him being happy for me - proud even that the new company is a household name. I envisaged him congratulating me and telling me that was marvelous news.  No - now I am in the situation where I have to tell him as part of an argument.  My blood pressure is rising and my mad-axe-murderer is re-surfacing ~ fast.

So I had no choice but to tell him.  The moment I told him he said to me
'Well you told me the other day you had an interview with them but I had no idea you'd got the job,'
Twas at this point I freaked at him.  He clearly therefore did know I was not only looking for a job but that I had an interview the following day and this had clearly meant so little to him at the time that it left his head completely.
I pointed out if he remembered I had an interview then he clearly knew I was looking for another job so why did he just tell me he had no idea.
He told me to stop making excuses.
It was at this point I had to put the phone down and scream loudly.  Sorry neighbours ~ it had to come out. After I'd screamed enough I had to write it down here. Now I feel somewhat better although the prospect of a large gin is very appealing...