I missed my in-class peer critique session today due to curcumstances beyond my control. So I thought I'd try posting my essay here to get some feedback. I admit; I am nervous because for one, this is the first academic essay I have written in fifteen years. The other reason is; this is a rough draft so...I'm not sure what changes I should make. By the way, our professor stated this is an informal essay so...I ask the reading public to excuse one of the dialogue sentantaces.
Veteran of Domestic Wars
I have never claimed to be one of those sweet, innocent strict female adherers to
fundamentalist Christianity. If anything, I would advertize myself to be a wise woman
that has learned a lot by making mistakes and from life itself. I have never served in any
of the armed forces, but I believe myself to be a veteran of domestic wars. There is one
incident especially that inspired me to believe this.
For many months on end; my husband Isaias would go somewhere without telling
and would disappear for hours at a time. His behavior worried me, and for good reason.
I had been the victim of cheaters before. The first thing any smart woman will notice is;
that the cheater is not spending as much time with you compared against the amount that
he did in days of yore. However, back in my good old days; there was only myself to
worry about. Things have changed and now there is my son Jorge to concern myself
with. So, I asked myself the following hard questions; " Does he see what is going on? If
so, what does this teach him? Could his feelings be hurt by this?"
Isaias' behavior also made me angry. I do not sit on my tail smoking weed and
watching soap operas all day. I keep the house decent enough. It might not be to Martha
Steward standards, but she does not care for an autistic child. I may add; I take very
good care of Jorge. I take him to all of his therapies. I do it without the benefit of a
yellow minivan, or any other type of vehicle. All of the trips are on a Metro bus; therefore
Faria 2
requiring a lot of planning and forethought. I never took any classes in speech language
pathology, however, I believe that being a former sufferer of a speech disorder is enough
of a qualification. I don't know the first thing about physical therapy, but I have
figured out the best way to help Jorge is to keep him moving. I have never attended
any occupational therapist training classes, but my Grandma Faria taught me the value of
keeping little hands busy. I only took an Introduction to Psychology class back in my
OSU of OKC days, yet I am not afraid to talk to Jorge about psychological subjects
such as nightmares.
Even with the fact I was keeping busy, still thoughts intruded into my business
like a burglar desperate to obtain money for a drug addiction. Horrible thoughts; such as
--"What does she have that I don't have? Does he believe that I am so horrible of a
woman that the only relief is escaping? Am I too demanding?"
After a telephone conversation with my best friend, Nick; I was either inspired
or possessed to confront Isaias. After much mental deliberation; I had decided to not
make my suspicions the issue with Isaias. It was as if my Spiderman spider sense told me
that it could possibly make things worse. I also based one of my reason on fact;
Isaias had once told me he did not like jealous women. I thought of one more thing; a
statement that I had made to all the cheating bozos of my colorful past, "Go mess with
the rest, because you no longer can have the best. It's over!"
My next thought became, "What to make the issue?" For some odd reason, I had
A Temple Grandin moment. I had seen the gang graffiti of MS 13 on a fence on the way
to a clinic that I obtain medical services from. The picture was not in front of me, but in
Faria 3
my brain. On July 5, 2010; I confronted Isaias. I enquired, "Why do you up and leave the
house for several hours, without telling me where you are going first?"
"But I always come home with groceries. And the stores are crowded," he stated.
I thought it was odd that he was trying to shift away from the subject. "But this is
a bad neighborhood. There are signs that MS 13 hangs out in Ms. Lettie's complex. I
also don't like not having an answer when Jorge asks me, 'Where did dad go?' Do you
have any idea what that could do to him psychologically?"
"But one time I come home late because I stopped for food. The bus run late because of
the rain."
Now he is changing the subject all together. I said in an angry bitch tone, "First off, that
is a different ballgame. I am not that stupid! I ride the bus sometimes, thank you. I
have noticed that indeed; the buses run late when it rains. Now listen nicely. This has to
deal with going out of the house without telling me where you are going first. This is a
consideration issue. From now on, I want you to be considerate enough to tell me where
you are going first. You demand that out of me. I don't take double standard bullshit
from anyone."
He acted in his typical way, he got real quiet. Mind you, he behaved the way I had
insisted from then on. I had felt better knowing that I had confronted him over that
outrageous behavior. The way he handled the conversation itself forever broke my
trust. I might be a veteran of domestic wars, but even an old soldier keeps an eye on what
enemy forces are up to.
Veteran of Domestic Wars
I have never claimed to be one of those sweet, innocent strict female adherers to
fundamentalist Christianity. If anything, I would advertize myself to be a wise woman
that has learned a lot by making mistakes and from life itself. I have never served in any
of the armed forces, but I believe myself to be a veteran of domestic wars. There is one
incident especially that inspired me to believe this.
For many months on end; my husband Isaias would go somewhere without telling
and would disappear for hours at a time. His behavior worried me, and for good reason.
I had been the victim of cheaters before. The first thing any smart woman will notice is;
that the cheater is not spending as much time with you compared against the amount that
he did in days of yore. However, back in my good old days; there was only myself to
worry about. Things have changed and now there is my son Jorge to concern myself
with. So, I asked myself the following hard questions; " Does he see what is going on? If
so, what does this teach him? Could his feelings be hurt by this?"
Isaias' behavior also made me angry. I do not sit on my tail smoking weed and
watching soap operas all day. I keep the house decent enough. It might not be to Martha
Steward standards, but she does not care for an autistic child. I may add; I take very
good care of Jorge. I take him to all of his therapies. I do it without the benefit of a
yellow minivan, or any other type of vehicle. All of the trips are on a Metro bus; therefore
Faria 2
requiring a lot of planning and forethought. I never took any classes in speech language
pathology, however, I believe that being a former sufferer of a speech disorder is enough
of a qualification. I don't know the first thing about physical therapy, but I have
figured out the best way to help Jorge is to keep him moving. I have never attended
any occupational therapist training classes, but my Grandma Faria taught me the value of
keeping little hands busy. I only took an Introduction to Psychology class back in my
OSU of OKC days, yet I am not afraid to talk to Jorge about psychological subjects
such as nightmares.
Even with the fact I was keeping busy, still thoughts intruded into my business
like a burglar desperate to obtain money for a drug addiction. Horrible thoughts; such as
--"What does she have that I don't have? Does he believe that I am so horrible of a
woman that the only relief is escaping? Am I too demanding?"
After a telephone conversation with my best friend, Nick; I was either inspired
or possessed to confront Isaias. After much mental deliberation; I had decided to not
make my suspicions the issue with Isaias. It was as if my Spiderman spider sense told me
that it could possibly make things worse. I also based one of my reason on fact;
Isaias had once told me he did not like jealous women. I thought of one more thing; a
statement that I had made to all the cheating bozos of my colorful past, "Go mess with
the rest, because you no longer can have the best. It's over!"
My next thought became, "What to make the issue?" For some odd reason, I had
A Temple Grandin moment. I had seen the gang graffiti of MS 13 on a fence on the way
to a clinic that I obtain medical services from. The picture was not in front of me, but in
Faria 3
my brain. On July 5, 2010; I confronted Isaias. I enquired, "Why do you up and leave the
house for several hours, without telling me where you are going first?"
"But I always come home with groceries. And the stores are crowded," he stated.
I thought it was odd that he was trying to shift away from the subject. "But this is
a bad neighborhood. There are signs that MS 13 hangs out in Ms. Lettie's complex. I
also don't like not having an answer when Jorge asks me, 'Where did dad go?' Do you
have any idea what that could do to him psychologically?"
"But one time I come home late because I stopped for food. The bus run late because of
the rain."
Now he is changing the subject all together. I said in an angry bitch tone, "First off, that
is a different ballgame. I am not that stupid! I ride the bus sometimes, thank you. I
have noticed that indeed; the buses run late when it rains. Now listen nicely. This has to
deal with going out of the house without telling me where you are going first. This is a
consideration issue. From now on, I want you to be considerate enough to tell me where
you are going first. You demand that out of me. I don't take double standard bullshit
from anyone."
He acted in his typical way, he got real quiet. Mind you, he behaved the way I had
insisted from then on. I had felt better knowing that I had confronted him over that
outrageous behavior. The way he handled the conversation itself forever broke my
trust. I might be a veteran of domestic wars, but even an old soldier keeps an eye on what
enemy forces are up to.
