My mother-in-law, Gloria, did something at Thanksgiving dinner that would forever alter the course of events. My face was printed on her well-known turkey, which was the final straw in a string of passive-aggressive behaviours.
Gloria had always operated like a pro. Her scathing remarks and patronising demeanour made me feel unimportant and unappreciated. But that awful Thanksgiving day, she went too far.
My face flushed with shame, I sat at the dinner table and had to do something. However, I decided not to speak to Gloria directly and instead to be more tactful.
I steadied myself and got up to take a photo of Gloria’s turkey. I made sure to include her smug expression in the photo as well. I invited all of Gloria’s friends to an event I created named “Gloria’s Annual Turkey Roast” after I uploaded the photo to Facebook.
Are you looking for a showpiece for your holiday table? My caption was the icing on the cake. Gloria’s distinctive “turkey selfies” have been the buzz of the season! Hurry and make your Christmas reservations immediately!
The response was massive. Gloria received messages and comments from friends and neighbours after her “turkey selfie” went viral, applauding her inventiveness and requesting assistance. But when additional remarks were received, it became evident that Gloria was not happy.
She commanded me to remove the post when she arrived at my door, her face flushed with rage. I told her I felt she would like the attention and smiled sweetly.
Over time, Gloria gained a reputation as “the turkey lady” in our community. The way she treated me altered significantly, even though she never stated it. She became less aggressive, and our interactions became a bit more civil.
For my part, I gained insight into how to be humorous and imaginative when interacting with difficult people. Remembering that iconic Thanksgiving meal always makes me grin.
