People Share Things You’d Only Know If You Grew up Poor

Poverty in the U.S. is rampant, even if you don’t see it all the time. And there are some things that you only know about and understand if you grew up poor.

AskReddit users weighed in on this topic.

1. Pre-cut

“Pre-cut Christmas trees are free on Christmas Eve. I remember the Christmas tree hunt on Christmas Eve was like our little family tradition. We would drive around in the evening looking for stores that still had trees sitting out front. Nine times out of 10, when we would ask about the tree we were interested in, they would say “just take it,” glad to get rid of them by that point.

Every year we had a perfectly beautiful tree and it was exciting to find perfect trees for free and then stay up late decorating it with home-made glitter pine cones and candy canes.”

2. Hot checks

“If you send a bad check to the utilities company on a Friday you have power for the weekend.”

3. No one will stop them

“Most gas station attendants will not stop a small child from stealing toilet paper from their bathrooms. Who knew?”

4. Libraries are lifesavers

“Libraries can save your life.

The first part of my childhood I would get home from school, usually to a vacant house. I really wouldn’t know if I was even going to see either of my parents each night. No cell phones of course. But I was always afraid… nervous at least, of what would happen if they did decide to make an appearance.

I started walking to the library everyday after school and staying till they closed every night just to avoid the feeling of anxiety for a little longer. Eventually one of the librarians noticed and took a liking to me. I think she might have been through similar things in her life that she saw in me. Gradually we got to know each other. First I started noticing there were more books being added in the genres that I liked. Then one day after the library closed, I walked over to McDonald’s.

I was a quarter or so short to buy a hamburger and she saw me asking people if they had any change. I saw her and was embarrassed and kinda hid from her. From that point on I think she decided that she was going to take me under her wing. For over a year she would come by my desk at the library and just drop off chips, granola bars, pop, whatever you know? Of course, I would tell her I didn’t need it, when in reality I only knew where one meal would come from each day.

When I would ask her where it came from, she would just say it was extras from the break room, even though I could hear her in there putting coin after coin into the vending machine. Eventually she would just bring dinner every night to the library and we would sit down in the break room with each other and eat. I finally opened up to her about my family/living issues and had her to talk to. Even though I was still pretty guarded, this was a huge relief. THEN, after I had been there almost 2 years, it was the week before school started, and I headed into the library.

Before I left she told me to meet her outside after close. I did, we walked to her car, and she pulled out a brand new school backpack, and inside was a new outfit, binder, and shoes (my first Nikes). That’s when I broke down, and my walls crumbled. She was a single lady working off a librarians income, but she still made room for me.

For 3 years she supported me as much as she could, and she was more of a friend than I had ever experienced up until that point in my life. She is the number 1 reason I got out of that house and life. She was with me at all my adoption hearings, and made sure I was put with a nice family. She was at my graduation, and my wedding. She saw me grow up and succeed in life after coming from the bottom. She saw her work and love pay off. I went to her funeral this summer and it felt like I had lost my mother, but I couldn’t stop reflecting on how much she changed my life through her sacrifice.

Truly an amazing person, and I still donate to the library every year.”

5. You gotta eat

“How good a buttered tortilla is.”

6. Wintertime

“IDK about in other states but in Minnesota they can’t shut your power off during the winter because of the danger of someone freezing to death in their house. So that was a good time to try to catch up on some other bills you are way behind on too.”

7. All kinds of things

“Government cheese, doing your laundry in a bathtub using only cold water bc the gas was shut off, trying to spend the night at your friends house bc they had food and a warm room, (thanks Nikki) loving going to school because you could at least eat there, trips to Goodwill for “new” clothes, showers at school because at least three water was warm.

Being made fun of because you smelled like kerosene, having lice and no one doing anything about it, going to school with bruises bc your parents took their shitty decisions out in you. I’m so grateful to a handful of people that saw potential in me, I went to college, got a great job, and broke the cycle . Thanks Tom and Toni.”

8. Eat up

“Pizza nights are the best birthday present you could ever fucking get.

A whole pizza, ordered exactly how you like it, and you get to have more than one slice.”

9. Change

“Food stamp paper change.

When I was a kid , if you used food stamps they would give back the change in food stamp form. My Mom was too “proud” to publicly use them so she would make up a reason to leave & I would have to pay using them – I was 11 or so. She did it every time…I had to learn to keep my head up.”

10. Sacrifice

“That sometimes your parents sacrifice everything they have, including their sanity just to see you happy. And you only learn later in life the soul crushing existence of poverty. Then you wonder how they managed to do so much with so little.”

11. F*cked

“When you get home and see a yellow notice hanging off your door you’re fucked. It’s always on a Friday to so you’re out of luck until Monday.”

12. Going hungry

“What hunger really is. I remember waiting for my dad’s payday for the grocery shopping trip and being absolutely ravenous when the food got there.”

13. A good lesson

“Witness to the adage “how much you really do have”. Major fire wiped out several hundred million-dollar homes. Heat generated left rubble of two-story homes only feet high. Families devastated. I still see the face of one man so completely shattered, I wondered if he would live to be able to rebuild.

I later was in the Command Post area when I was approached by a young girl and her Father. The Dad couldn’t speak English, so the girl would translate. “My family wants to know if this is where we can bring donations for the people whose houses burned down?” To my working knowledge, none had been established at that point. Her Father talks, she translates: “can we leave it here? Many roads are being closed, and we’re not familiar with this part of town.”

I walk with them to their car, a much older beater, the Mom and a couple of siblings in it. Dad opens the trunk, and together, we all bring out couple cases of water, canned and dry food, adult and child clothing, some used toys, and prepared food. Almost list it when each kid handed me their toys. Little girl: “we have so much stuff and we want to share with those families.”

14. Work with what you have

“Outdated technology.

When I started college, one of my professors asked if anyone in our class remembered how you changed a channel on the TV before remote controls. I was the only person in the room who remembered turning dials and adjusting rabbit ears despite being one of the youngest students in the class, because my family had a TV from the 70s until 1995.

Same sort of thing with computers, phones, etc. If we had it at all, we got something much later than anyone else (after it got cheaper) and bought used. I got my first computer in 1999. It had Windows 3.1 and that was what I used until I was able to use my financial aid to get a new PC tower for college.”

15. Cheap items

“Knowing the cheapest thing on the menu at every restaurant, for when your friends’ family invites you out to dinner. Even though you’re not paying, you’re programmed to only select the cheapest thing. My friend’s mom said “you sure like hot dogs. That’s all you order no matter where we go to eat.”

The post People Share Things You’d Only Know If You Grew up Poor appeared first on UberFacts.

13 Things Even Major Fans Might Have Missed in the Harry Potter Movies

Even if you claim one of the houses of Godric Gryffindor, Salazar Slytherin, Rowena Ravenclaw or Helga Hufflepuff, and you say you have nary a trace of Muggle in your family because you truly are pure-blood, you may find you’ve missed a few of these tiny details.

Let’s see, shall we?

1. In The Sorcerer’s Stone, there’s a scene showing Aunt Petunia at the stove dying Dudley’s clothes gray for Harry to wear.

This is talked about in the book, but no one says anything about it in the movie.

Photo Credit: Warner Bros.

2. The Sorcerer’s Stone scene showing Harry getting his Hogwarts letter is eerily close to Hitchcock’s The Birds.

But instead of letters coming through the fireplace, Hitchcock had killer birds fluttering down the flue.

Photo Credit: Warner Bros.

3. In The Sorcerer’s Stone, Neville Longbottom receives a Remembrall to remind him what he’s forgotten. He’s also the only one not wearing his cloak…

Photo Credit: Warner Bros.

4. Julianne Hough is one of the unnamed students in The Sorcerer’s Stone.

Photo Credit: Warner Bros.

5. Voldemort appears in The Sorcerer’s Stone cast list as He Who Must Not be Named.

Photo Credit: Warner Bros.

6. Mrs. Weasley’s clock for showing where her children are in The Chamber of Secrets includes an option for prison.

Photo Credit: Warner Bros.

7. In The Chamber of Secrets, there’s a display of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books in the windows of a store in Knockturn Alley.

Photo Credit: Warner Bros.

8. Ron’s robes are dingier than everyone else’s in The Chamber of Secrets.

Of course, his are second-hand.

Photo Credit: Warner Bros.

9. Harry warns Dobby in The Chamber of Secrets to never save his life again, and when Dobby does in Deathly Hallows, Part. 1, he dies.

Photo Credit: Warner Bros.

10. There’s a portrait of Voldemort visible by the Grand Staircase in The Prisoner of Azkaban.

Photo Credit: Warner Bros.

11. In The Prisoner of Azkaban, the students enjoy bowls of Cheeri-Owls for breakfast.

Photo Credit: Warner Bros.

12. Nagini is reflected slithering in the Warner Brothers logo before the start of The Goblet of Fire.

A slithering Nagini also opens the first scene of the movie.

Photo Credit: Warner Bros.

13. Professor Slughorn can be seen swallowing a little Liquid Luck before casting the defense shield in The Deathly Hallows, Part 2.

Photo Credit: Warner Bros.

It’s always fun to go back through a beloved series and see what other little details have gone unnoticed. You’ll need the weekend.

h/t Reddit, Buzzfeed

The post 13 Things Even Major Fans Might Have Missed in the Harry Potter Movies appeared first on UberFacts.

Siblings of Sociopaths Share What It’s like Having Them in Their Family

Judging by how many true crimes shows there are out there, it’s clear that people’s fascination with antisocial personalities isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

But what would it be like to really grow up with someone like that?

If you’re curious, these 15 siblings of sociopaths is ready to remember the truth.

15. Twisted sister.

My daughter was hit by a drunk driver when she was 12 and nearly died. She was in a coma for two weeks and I was there all day every day, except to go home to shower and change. My sister decided that when I was at the hospital was the perfect time for her and her druggie girlfriend to jimmy the sliding door off the track, break in and steal everything she could find–jewelry, my camera, and yes, my daughter’s piggy bank.

The bitch stole the piggy bank from a comatose kid.

14. I had to cut her off.

When she threw a cup of hot tea at my face because I refused to show her something on the computer. Or the time when she yelled at me for over an hour because I was really sick and had thrown up all over the bathroom sink. The same bathroom she had just cleaned.

I stopped speaking with her over 7 years ago.

13. He’s never had empathy.

My brother was diagnosed with NPD at 16.

He’s never had empathy. Children learn empathy at some point, but it was like he never reached that developmental stage. He was unconcerned when people got hurt. He hit and bullied others in school to get what he wanted. Doctors, therapists, medication… Nothing made a difference, and it’s not like there was some kind of trauma or a reason for his behavior. It’s like he was just born wrong.

When he was 10 he started taking and dealing drugs (as a drug runner for some older teens; you can’t be prosecuted under 14 in Germany). My parents called our version of CPS for help. He got more therapy, some in-patient stays and his own social worker. He stole my dad’s car when he was 12 and got picked up by the cops. He got his first charges at 14: drugs and assault.

My parents were at their wit’s end and agreed to have him placed in a group home for troubled teens for a year. He was kicked out shortly before the year was up. He came home and seemed to recognize in a clinical, detached kind of way, that he couldn’t go on like this without ending up in prison. He was about 15. He started being less violent, but he had insane delusions of grandeur and needed everyone to comply with whatever he wanted. If they didn’t, he lashed out.

My parents still made him go to therapy. He assaulted my dad and choked him because he didn’t want to. My brother was 16, but also 6’3 and about 190 lbs.

My dad died from a sudden aneurysm when he was 16, and he went off the rails completely.

He got a girl pregnant and she was kicked out by her mom. My mom took her in. The girl was not a bad person, just had some issues, so it wasn’t that surprising that she’d date my brother (who could be charming if he situation demanded it). He beat her up at our house a couple months later while she was still pregnant. That was the last straw for my mom: she kicked my brother out. We helped the girl to find an apartment for her and the baby. Unsurprisingly, my mom caved a short while later and let my brother move back in.

He seemed to think he was the head of the household. My parents never married, so my father’s modest possessions went to me and my brother instead of my mom, and that included the car my dad bought a year before he died. It was the first brand new car he ever bought, a small one, but he was proud of it. My brother made my mom sell it so he could get “his” half of the money. It wasn’t even a fucking expensive one, and my mom was devastated to lose my dead dad’s little car.

I was 20 then, my brother was 17. He was verbally abusive and basically tortured my mom mentally. He threatened to hit me on a daily basis whenever I didn’t do something or give him something he wanted. He also threatened to kill me a couple of times.

On a particular bad day he told my mom that he’d have no trouble to get a couple guys to run her off the road when she went out. When the threats got stale, he’d beat me up every couple weeks.

There was one particular instance where I was actually afraid he was going to kill me. He did his usual spiel of using me as a verbal punching bag because he had bad a bad day, and I was just burnt out. Didn’t even react anymore. He hit me a couple of times and choked me. No idea how, but I fought him off, grabbed my phone and ran to the bathroom where I locked myself in before he could get to me again. He was trying to beat down the door while I called the cops.

The cops did nothing. Told me he lived there, so we’d have to get along, and since we both said opposing things, nothing would come of it. I insisted they take my fucking statement.

My mom wasn’t home at the time, but she was a wreck anyway and couldn’t deal anymore. A couple days later, my aunt came to visit for a couple of days. My brother was his charming, manipulative self for her. My aunt tried to pressure me into not pressing charges, since apparently I gave myself the dozens of bruises and contusions I had, as my brother had told her.

I was severely suicidal at that point and gave my mom an ultimatum: me or him. She kicked him out again. He came back a year later, and I moved out for college immediately.

I don’t blame my mom much anymore, rock and a hard place and all that, but she never could understand the fact that her love for her son was misplaced. He didn’t have the things that made someone human. He had no empathy, he was not capable of love, he was just an empty shell that went through life trying to get whatever pleasures he so desired by whatever means necessary.

I haven’t spoken to or seen him in about 7 years, but my mom’s still in contact with him. He went to Spain when the mother of his daughter tried to get child support. Sometimes, my mom still talks about the things he’s done. A couple examples:

For some reason, his ex-girlfriend started letting him see his daughter, and she flies to Spain with my mom once or twice a year. Or used to, anyway. He locked her in the basement with an adult-size portion of food she threw up on because she couldn’t eat anymore. She was 4 (hard to remember) or so. She doesn’t want to go visit him anymore.

He withheld rent from his Spanish landlord for like 6 months. The landlord had terminal cancer and my brother saw it as a waste to give money to a dying man.

He married a girl in Spain and had another kid, and he now makes a living as a realtor. From what I’ve heard, he still thinks he’s God’s gift to mankind.

I don’t think I’d even go to his funeral if he died.

12. My mom hung on his every word.

My brother was one of those grandiose narcissists. A typical example of his everyday behaviour was the time he purchased a can of and uncommon brand of cola and then bragged for days about it as though he had discovered the cure for cancer or something – all because it wasn’t Pepsi or Coke (those were for common people).

My mom would hang on his every word. She pretty much lived vicariously through him, and he could do no wrong in her eyes. He could act like a jerk towards me and she would make excuses for him, no matter how awful it was. However, once when he didn’t like the birthday gift I have him she acted like I had committed a crime.

Our parents were really against drugs. However when my brother decided to grow marijuana in our house our mom was enthusiastically supportive of it. However, a few years later when I smoked pot and my parents found out – well suddenly I was the one who “ruined Christmas for the family”.

My brother was living 3000 km away when she became gravely ill. I phoned him and told him he needed to get out here pronto if he wanted to say goodbye. The best he could manage was to come out a week later. She hung on for that week waiting for him to show up.

When I would visit her at the hospital and say “I’m here mom” she would respond with “I want your brother”. She instructed the hospital staff to not tell me anything, so when I would ask how she was doing I would get a ‘that’s private confidential information ” type of response. Meanwhile, my brother would phone the hospital daily and they would tell him everything about her care – from the medications she was on, her bloodwork levels, her treatment options (it was pretty much palliative by that point), and all that. I could not even get a “she slept well last night” from the nurses but he could tell me her blood oxygen levels from 3000 km away. Every day that I talked to him I would ask him if could not come out sooner. But he could never get away from work, even though he was one of the highest ranking people at his job.

I took care of the house while she was in the hospital. I cleaned up all the diarrhea, did her laundry, took care of the bills….but wasn’t a welcome visitor to her bedside.

When he finally did show up he visited her for a short while, then said “lets go for lunch” to me. She passed away as soon as we stepped out of the hospital. She hung on just to hear him say hello.

11. Poor quality of life.

I haven’t spoke to my brother in 3-4 years. Last time I did he went after my wife and that was the last straw for me. Since then, my parents have cut him off, he lost his job, and his life has spiraled. Not sure what he is up to now but my quality of life has improved with him not in it.

10. A close call.

When I was 10, my mom put a lock on my door because my brother started threatening to kill me and my mom in the night. When I was 14, he fixated on my mom and threatened to burn down our house, shoot my whole family, and steal all the valuables and drive away. That same year, (he was 17), he took our car and ran away from home for two weeks. We ended up calling the police on him. When he came home, the police decided that it would be best if he lived somewhere else so he did. As we were cleaning out his room we found hundreds of knives, a hand gun, lighter fluid, gasoline and lighters.

9. Always a target.

My sister has never been diagnosed with narcissism or a personality disorder other than OCD, but when we were younger she often enjoyed telling people before I met them that I had a “difficult relationship with the truth” so that they wouldn’t want to be around me. I had the reputation of a liar and no friends for most of my preteen years, and she was popular in our homeschool group until she left and got into highschool. After she left, I still didn’t have friends, but neither did she, and she blamed me for it during her frequent temper tantrums. She would throw things, scream, cry, and threaten me with kitchen knives on a pretty regular basis. All of a sudden, the year that I turned 17 and she turned 21, the tantrums stopped and she got engaged. He moved in with us, the tantrums started again, and for once I wasn’t the target. The worst fight they had happened when she caught him looking at a photo of a bikini model, which she considered cheating. She hit him full force with an open palm, and when our mum saw, she threatened to kick her out if she hit him again. They got married, moved out, and divorced within a year of him enlisting in the army.

8. Nothing but drama.

They can make drama out of any situation and will try to drag you into it even years later.

Example: I am the next to youngest. My whole family is a shit show, but when I was planning my wedding, I was still trying to pretend I had a reasonable family. My future husband’s family was like Leave it to Beaver.

So I asked both of my sisters to be bridesmaids. I knew this was a risk, but I hoped they could keep their shit together for a single evening. At the time, I thought they had.

About 8 years later, we were in the same city because one of our brothers was in the hospital due to a bad car accident. We had one hotel room across the street from the hospital so people could go rest when they needed to.

I was in that room with my oldest sister when she said, “You know {middle sister} stole wine glasses from your wedding, right?” I told her I didn’t care.

A couple of hours later, I was in that room with my middle sister. She said, “You know {older sister} stole glasses from your wedding, right?” I also told her I didn’t care.

So here we are, waiting to see if our brother was going to die and both of these bitches are playing reindeer games with me, trying to make me be angry with the other one.

Our brother lived. I’ve cut contact with all my siblings because they are all like this. They have to start shit no matter what the situation or consequences.

7. Constant nightmares.

My older sister & I used to physically fight and such when my family was here. Then I lived with her and my brother in a duplex for school… I had to clean up everything, if I told her to clean her own stuff up she would yell at me and follow me around if I wanted to get away from her. She had thrown all of my stuff that she could get her hands on outside in the back yard which is the main entrance for the place (my clothes, electronics, glasses, etc, some broken and ripped) all because my boyfriend & I had left for class after she asked me for a ride with us 5 minutes before I had to leave (boyfriend had a car, I didn’t).

She would constantly monopolize the car my mom left for all of us to share, so I would have to take the bus or ask friends/boyfriend to take me to the grocery store to buy groceries. Throughout our childhood & in our teenage years, she’d tell stories that were pretty convincing, but when talking to someone else involved, nothing like that happened. She knew I liked one of her friends and then proceeded to have sex with him the following week. She’d always get my mom to shell out cash for her, and she’d spend it on drugs.

The final thing is when she would not leave me alone since she thought that I had her boyfriend’s clothes (I didn’t) when I was trying to do homework in my room. She wouldn’t leave my room, so I had to leave or try to drag her out. My brother tried to help, but he gave up and just played some games in his room. I had gotten her out of my room and locked the door so she wouldn’t get in, but she kept pounding the door and screaming at the top of her lungs for hours, it was so stressful. She then threatened that she will beat me up and plunge a knife through my chest once she got the door open. Then she acted as if she was the victim when I called my parents and let them hear what she was saying. I got super stressed and wanted her to stop, so I opened the door and quickly punched her in the face, then closed the door again. It was quiet for a minute but then the threats came in again, more pounding on the door. Also when my friend came to pick me up since I was at my wits ends, she tried to make my friend think I was the person who started the argument, said that I broke her bracelet (it broke when she kept pounding on the door). I just grabbed important documents, my school stuff, and clothes & left for 1-2 months. My parents were saying that it was my equally my fault for what happened, idk how.

Funny thing is that she left the place once I came back, and my parents blamed me for it & kept telling me off (they did not do that to my older sister when I was out of the house for months). They told me I broke the family, and that a few years down I will be laughing about the whole incident (haven’t laughed about it). I don’t talk to my sister, and she has tried speaking to me, but I don’t want her in my life anymore (my parents give me shit about it, saying that we should make up and be a family again, but I get panic/anxiety attacks at even the thought of my older sister).

I’ve had constant nightmares for a solid 3-4 months of my older sister coming to my place and just beating me up, making me do drugs with her (she puts a needle in me mainly), stabbing me, chasing me and threatening me. I still get very anxious when I think I see her somewhere (we live in the same city, last I heard she was still going to the same college, I’m not sure now though).

6. I gave up on him.

My little brother is a narcissistic, sociopath and psychopath.

I come from a culture where the family bond is incredibly important and no matter how bad your family is always forgive them, protect them.and take care of them. For 25 years we lived through fucking hell because of that piece of shit. It really pained me but I gave up on him years ago. My mother however being a Turkish mom forgave him countless times but he only got worse.

I mean I knew something was wrong back when we were still kids but I would still always do my best to be the good brother and role model. I would ALWAYS protect him and simultaneously get the blame for all his mistakes.

My mother was in the hospital giving birth to my oldest sister. We were home alone and he asked me if he could go out and play in front of our house (we have a great park in front of our home and live in a very green area). I gave him permission only for his friend to come back an hour or two later and tell me that my 11 year old piece of shit little bro (I was 13, we might have been a bit younger) was arrested for theft. we were a well off family, he was my mom’s sweetheart. He never needed money or needed to steal he did it just for attention. Just because he was upset our sister might take his place. I had to pick him.up and I remember crying out of shame while this fucking cunt had a smile from ear to ear. He didn’t give a SHIT. Police brought us both home, my parents were back from the hospital with my little sister and the house was filled with friends and acquaintances.

I remember feeling so much shame and embarrassment profusely apologising to my mom. I felt responsible.

As the years past by this became worse and worse and worse and we all basically lived in a constant state of terror and anxiety because of this lousy subhuman piece of shit. I’m too embarrased to share most other stories and I rather just not think about them anymore..we’ve finally cut.him out of our life after 25 years..

Imagine having to hide all your stuff because your house is never safe. Never being able to ask for anything as a teen because if I ask for 5 my little brother has to get 50. Imagine having to worry if you can leave because this little terrorist cunt might threathen your mother and steal her stuff or take her money.

For a while he had a really pretty gf (my mom.hoped this would help him.”notmalize”) and he treated her like she was his property. This one time he was yelling and threatening her, dragging her off thr stairs. I heard the commotion and when I saw it I rushed to them slapped him on the face and put him in a choke hold, told him if I ever heard him behave like that I’d break his legs. This allowed this poor girl to run off and get out of our house with my little brother yelling how he would ‘end her’. He later explained to me how he got angry because she “talked back” and wouldn’t “lend him money” (at this point he spends 1500 euro a night in clubs) When she finally dumped this piece of shit, he called her dad to tell him.”his daughter was a filthy slut” and sent him pictures of her underwear etc.

He then became incredibly depressed not because he loved her. He always talked about breaking up with her and how she bored him etc. But because SHE WAS HIS PROPERTY and how dares she leave him. “He owned her”. He then took my parents new car and smashed it into a wall for attention. Just fast enough that it totaled the car but also slow enough that he came out of the car without a scratch. I mean he had his own car, new BMW that he also got by manipulating my mom. But he didn’t use that, he used my parents car. He claimed his car had no gas. I checked it and it was fucking full..

He then emotionally manipulated my mom about how he was suicidal blaming us for not being more supportive. He used this for months as an excuse for his shitty behavior and intensified daily.

The only person he actually feared was me so i felt this incredible fucking burden on me to try and keep him in check. I couldn’t leave him alone with my mom..I couldn’t move out because I was worried sick he might kill her one day. I tried to talk with him but no amount of talking etc worked. He made a thousand promises thsn came up with some.lame excuse about how 19 years ago I once hit him “so this was all my fault”. I fucking hit him because he was about to smash this kids face in with a fucking rock. Or.how he was once grounded and had to stay in his room for 2 days so he was psychologically scared.

I mean I beat up at least 50 kids for this piece of shit. He’d always intentionally pick a fight with older bigger kids and use my name to get out of trouble..

Anyway I can go on for fucking ever. And these are literally. Just the tame things i mentioned.

My little brother was evil incarnate. It took years to finally break all contact. Because esp my mom always hoped he’d get “better” and she even excused his threats and theft (eventhough he could just ask… he liked stealing our stuff despite the fact that we’d have given it to him if he asked… he’d take money from our pockets, valuables form our rooms, etc. I couldn’t go to the bathroom without locking my door) but we finally no longer have contact. It’s like this burden is liften off by shoulders. I no longer have to worry he’s threatening, stealing or pressuring my mom. Abusing her trust etc etc. The anxiety, and terror we all felt on a daily fucking basis literally ruined our life

He literally made my mother sick. She was the strongest women I knew and this piece of shit destroyed her bit by bit. He ruined over 20 years of my life and I will.never forgive him for what he did. I do no longer consider him my.brother, family or even an acquaintance and in all honestly I won’t even go to his fucking funeral and don’t want him to come to mine.. fuck him.

P.s. this is why I believe some people are born evil. This piece of shit had an incredibly loving and supportive family that gave him all the attention he needed or wanted. But it was never enough it was like absolutely no one except he was real. None of us mattered. He treated his friends, girls etc all thr same way. This was made worse with hoe social and manipulative he was..everyone that met him thought he was great and funny until he took their money etc and one day he just switched and threatened them, spread lies about.them etc etc and did absolutely everything to ruin them. He would NEVER, EVER forgive anything and was so stubborn that he would cut his own arm just so he could get back at someone or get his revenge. Eventhough he was always the wrong party he made up this delusional stories in his head that made him the one that was the victim. I mean my mother once refused to give him money because he had stolen 500 euro from her. He was like 15. So he went into her room and when he couldn’t find money he took a scissor and cut Up ALL her clothes and shoes Then took all the sauces we had at home and squeezed the mayo, ketchup bbq sauce and anything else you can imagine on the clothes he cut, all over her floors and carpet and her bed. Even years later this piece of shit used that as an example of my mom being a “bad mom” or treating him wrong. Saying my little sister got pocket money but she couldn’t spare to give him some money. He blamed her and my mom to my fucking frustration for years like an idiot (I love her but this is the one thing I absolutely resent) apologized to him saying she should have just given him the money. When I hot angry about this and explained to my mom she shouldn’t ever apologize to him because in his head it legitimizes his behavior. She simply says she doesn’t want to cause any drama and problems in the house. She was fucking scared. The problem is the more she did it the worse it got… something she now finally realizes

Fuck man I just keep ranting and I can go on for ever.. I’m going to stop now. Literally made myself depressed thinking back. Anyway… fuck him. We’re all happier than we’ve ever been now that we are rid of this piece of shit.

5. That’s what it was like.

I was playing with a suitcase while watching TV. I was small enough to fit myself in it. My brother, nearly four and a half years older than me, saw what I was doing and asked to zip me up in it. After already having learned to never trust him, I asked Mom to watch us to make sure he didn’t do anything stupid.

He zipped me up inside the suitcase and started carrying it in a shuffle-step.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

I heard the sliding door to the enclosed patio open, Mom started screaming and I could hear her slapping my brother repeatedly. The suitcase fell over onto its side with me still in it.

I managed to pry open the zippers from the inside and got myself out of the suitcase as quickly as possible. Mom was still slapping at my brother, screaming “Why?!

I was two feet away from being dumped inside a suitcase into the family hot tub.

He laughed and said that I would have floated, what’s the big deal?

So, yeah, that’s what it was like growing up with a sociopath.

4. Give me what I want.

Brother believes the world is his oyster and that friends and family and loved ones are his to control and exploit.

He told a girl they are dating and she should buy him a car and take him out for dinner.

Brother has also tried to burn down our childhood home thrice because mom didn’t give him the things he wanted, we were poor and he knew that but he honestly believes that he gets what he wants because that’s how it should be.

He also tried to sell my car, he still hounds me for the money he should have gotten if he sold it.

3. I can’t keep missing work.

It’s interesting really. My mom died recently. When I called my sister to come down the day before she died she said “I thought she was going to die today. I’m not disappointed, but I can’t keep missing work.”

The next day I called her to come to the hospital again as the doctor and I made the decision to take her off the ventilator. On the phone she said “Well, can we pull out the tube as soon as I get there because I have plans tonight.”

She also proceeded to ask me for rent money that day, as I also live with her.

The things they say, and don’t realize how messed up it is is really baffling.

2. She’s a liar.

She called the cops and CPS, repeatedly accusing our step dad of child abuse. It usually lined up with her having rules and punishments. She didn’t like that my parents did research on how to raise a psychopath that doesn’t become a murderer, they suddenly knew all her tricks and tactics. I sometimes think about how sad it must be to be physically incapable of feeling human emotions, but it clearly would only hold her back.

Edit:

Her diagnosis was “emerging antisocial personality disorder” because they said they couldn’t diagnose someone under 25 as a psychopath. Dad acts really really similar so I assume whatever she has, he has that too.

to add some more now that I’m more awake: I lost almost all of my friends. My family,besides my immediate, totally ignore me because me and my mum “protected” my step dad by saying my sister was lying about the abuse. Just to be clear, we were investigated multiple times and cps said they were doing a phenomenal job raising so many kids with so many mental health issues so well. They put down that they were false claims the first 2 times and after that they were like “we just have to investigate to be sure, just do the interviews and get it done. We have to do it every time” which I do appreciate the diligence if a child is really being abused, but we had stuff from therapists and counsellors that were all like “has a history of lying” “tells lies to get what she wants” and my entire family still thinks were protecting a monster.

The real kicker is that our biological father is also a psychopath and actually a child abuser. Guess who she moved in with when my aunt’s refused to let her go back to my mum’s? If you guessed our actually abusive dad, who was now basically giving her psychopath 101 courses just by being near each other, then you’re right! All our family who banded together in a fickle justice brigade about child abuse are now BFFs with the guy who used to threaten to break my legs and choke me and hit me when I was 7 or younger. I’m sure it makes my mom feel great too, knowing that all her sisters took her abusers side after a lengthy divorce battle that he kept coming back with more and more affidavits for and just drained her emotionally and financially for years on end.

I could write a book about how much they’ve all hurt me, by being or enabling a psychopath. I’m pretty certain that at least some of my aunt’s are narcissistic. Last week my grandma went on a tirade about me “not forgiving” but no one has ever apologized or even acklowdged that they did anything wrong. I won’t rugsweep something that still hurts me regularly, and apparently that makes me that problem again.

1. You life isn’t your own.

You feel your life isn’t your own. Every thing will revolve around them. Constantly causing drama and trouble. Sister who would steal from you. Never ending drama. Tried to steal my boyfriend repeatedly. Actually broke into one sisters house and robbed her. Can’t tell the truth ever. Disowned her about ten years ago after her awful treatment of terminally ill mother. Peace since then.

Here’s hoping both of my kids turn out average, in this department.

The post Siblings of Sociopaths Share What It’s like Having Them in Their Family appeared first on UberFacts.

This Guy Plans to Share Lottery Winnings with His Ex-Wife, Whether It Upsets His Girlfriend or Not

This story is sure to raise some eyebrows…

The subreddit title Am I The A**hole is always rife with drama and situations that make you really think – it’s kind of like an advice column but where there’s no expert giving answers, just other people on the internet weighing in.

And this guy wondering if he’s the a**hole is definitely stirring up some differing opinions.

Basically, he won millions of dollars in the lottery (rough life, right?) and wants to give a hefty amount of it to his ex-wife (they have 2 kids together). They’re divorced because he cheated on her with his current girlfriend, so he was definitely the a**hole in that situation.

Now, though, that girlfriend is pissed at him – to the point of threatening to break up – because she thinks him wanting to give his ex the money means he’s still in love with her.

AITA for giving my ex wife a large amount of money I won despite the anger of my gf? from AmItheAsshole

He maintains it’s just about giving back to her and ensuring that his children have a good, comfortable life no matter whose house they’re at, and, well…people have thoughts.

Some (most, perhaps) think he’s definitely NTA (not the a**hole).

Because reasons…

And more reasons…

And more…

Others think his girlfriend maybe has a point…

Because that’s A LOT of money…

But you’re not THAT much of an asshole…

Because loyalty!

And a few think everyone involved sucks (ESH, everyone sucks here).

Because doesn’t everybody suck in these cases?

I don’t know where you fall, but I’m with the NTA folks – there’s nothing wrong with him wanting to make sure his kids and their mother don’t have to worry, and it sounds like he’s got plenty to spare.

Also, if the thought of his gf breaking up with him makes him feel relieved, well…I think the answer there is pretty clear.

My two cents!

The post This Guy Plans to Share Lottery Winnings with His Ex-Wife, Whether It Upsets His Girlfriend or Not appeared first on UberFacts.

People Share the Best Weaknesses You Should Share in a Job Interview

Job interviews are pretty rough for interviewees. The nerves are palpable, and the back-and-forth between employer and job prospect can often be rife with landmines.

Then there’s the dreaded question: “What’s your biggest weakness?”

Ugh, now what? Well, we’re all in luck. These AskReddit users shared their opinions on how you should answer the most infamously difficult question to get “right.”

1. Awareness

“When I was graduating college I got interview tips from my dad who was heavily involved in the hiring process at his company for his department. His advice on this one, which I’ve used ever since and has gone great, was:

The whole “say a weakness that’s actually a positive” has been done to death and is such common knowledge that it’s no longer a clever “trick” and is now seen as avoiding the question. People want to see some self awareness, obviously don’t bring something absolutely terrible up, but mention a real flaw and most importantly what you’ve done to address or work with it.

For example the one I tend to use is that I can be forgetful so I now keep multiple sets of calendars, reminders, notes, etc to cover as much as possible.”

2. Nervous excitement

“One of my actual weaknesses: when I get nervous/excited, I tend to speak really fast and breathlessly. This can actually have a negative influence on my job as I work in healthcare and have to respond/communicate during emergencies.

For my next interview, I will bring this up, and say I have discovered that taking a second to collect myself and take a deep breath seems to calm my nerves and allow me to do/say what is needed in a more collected manner.”

3. Might work?

“What’s your greatest-”

“Weakness? Finishing other peoples’ sentences.” Calan_adan

“That’s what I was gonna’ say!”

4. Sharing

“For my current job, I said that I had a hard time sharing my ideas with new groups.”

5. Controlling

“Actual weakness: Taking on jobs by myself, not taking time to train other people to do them. In the end, I’m usually “the guy” and find myself feeling burnt out.

Probably could be worded better at an interview, but this could sound like you’re a “go-getter.” It might also encourage your employer to find opportunities for you to train other people to do things you particularly don’t like doing.”

6. Dedicated

“I said “I don’t like letting go of unfinished projects” during my interviews. I feel like it shows that I’m dedicated to the work I take on.”

7. Brutal honesty

“Show enough self awareness to know your actual weaknesses and mention how you’re working to reduce their impact on your life. For example, I have an issue with speaking compassionately. For a long time, I believed brutal honesty was the best way to go about things, but it often backfired and made people less willing to work with me because they respected me less and they thought I respected them less.

My wife has helped me with this by, for example when I say something and it’s phrased badly, she’ll say “stop. Try it again.” And I’ll rephrase it to be more empathetic and kinder while still getting across the information I want to communicate.”

8. …Yet

“If you are changing industries, your biggest weakness is not knowing the industry… yet.

If you are younger, say inexperience. Anything to show your willingness to learn and develop.”

9. Good move

“I work in healthcare and always say “Not speaking Spanish” and odds are the interviewer is also not fluent in Spanish so it comes across as not really a weakness. WIN-WIN!”

10. How will you respond?

“Frame it in terms of something you’re looking to improve. “Well, at my last performance evaluation I received some constructive criticism regarding X, so since then I’ve been doing Y and Z to focus on improving in that regard.”

Honestly though, if an interviewer asks you that ridiculous cliched question either they have no idea what they’re doing and/or don’t give a crap, or they aren’t looking for an answer but just want to see how you respond to being pushed.”

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15 People Respond to the Burning Question: How Do You Handle a Person Who Cuts in Line?

When people cut in line, it always seems as if there should be something pithy to say that would put them in their place.

If you’ve always come up as empty as I have when you’re put on the spot, then this list of best practices could be right up your alley!

15. So it’s just you then.

— From the old television show “Dead Like Me” —

[A woman cuts in line at the post office]
Rube:: Afternoon, ladies. Are you two old friends?
Woman: Eh, her daughter is in my son’s class.
Rube:: I have a question for you. Is everyone in this line an asshole?
Woman: Excuse me?
Rube:: Is everyone you just cut in front of an asshole?
Woman: Uhm. No?
Rube:: So it’s just you then.
Woman: I have children in the car.
Rube:: I have a cake in the oven. He’s got three minutes left on the meter. She’s got a lunch meeting. We all have a finite amount of time. Now get in the back of the line. And don’t use your children like that — it’s shameful.

14. Try being polite.

I prefer to pretend they didn’t see the line, which can occasionally happen with a bunch of long lines especially if they leave a space for people to get by, I just politely point out the line.

13. Queueing is the national pastime.

Cutting in line – The one crime the UK retains the death penalty for.

12. I mean it would probably work.

“Oi Cunt get the fuck back to your place before I drop ya”

11. Excuse me, sir, do you have a moment to talk about our lord and savior Squidward?

Start trying to convert them to something.

10. Yasss queen.

I used to work at a coffee shop at a university. During the transitions we would get a line 4 to 8 people deep. I was pretty quick and could serve people in less than about 10 seconds each. They usually just wanted coffee and the occasional muffin.

On one occasion with 6 people in line a 30ish year old guy steps in right behind the girl I’m currently serving. You could hear the other 5 people grumble but nobody said anything. He comes up and orders a coffee. I pretend like I didn’t hear him and serve the next in line. He gets pissed and says “I’m in a hurry!” “And they aren’t?” He huffs and walks off.

I got lots of tips for the next few minutes.

9. Act like it’s totally normal.

Just go cut back Infront of them, like, walk up, “sorry excuse me” like it’s totally normal.

8. This feels right.

As Finnish person i can’t think better way than keep your mouth shut and look at them furiously while thinking all the things you could say, but then notice that you missed your ‘ opportunity ‘.

7. Take your chicken seriously.

If someone cut directly in front of me I say nothing and cut in front of them. If they complain about it I just say if they are allowed to cut surely I am too. I need this KFC more then u buddy.

6. Every time.

Guys clear the way! We have a VIP coming through!

I use this one every time

5. Being straight-forward works.

“There’s a line. The back is over there.”

I found being straight forward works. Usually they just don’t know.

4. The line is behind me.

People cutting in line is probably my biggest pet peeve and it’s happened to me several times over the years. I always say the same thing: “The line is behind me”. Only once did a young girl ignore me and cut in front of not just me but the person who was in front of me. I said something to her but it was of no use. The cashier did nothing at all about it.

The best one wasn’t the woman cutting in front of me but a woman with a cart full of groceries in the express lane. Ten items or less. I had seven items. I let her put a bunch of stuff on the conveyor belt and then I told her she was in the wrong lane. She looked at me and I pointed to the sign. Ten items or less. Her response was: “I do this all the time”. I said “not today you won’t”. She continued putting her stuff on the belt and that’s when the cashier leaned over to her and told her to go to another lane. She did. When I was about to head out of the store the woman was still checking out. She said, “you must be having a bad day”. I said, “I was having a great day until I ran into you!”

3. Shame them into submission.

Excuse me, sorry, you probably didn’t realise, the start of the queue is back there” point

Is usually enough to shame them, and if not it makes it obvious to others that they’re aware of what they’ve done.

2. IS THERE?

No words need be said.

Whoever is directly behind the cutter cuts in front. Then the next person behind that person cuts the cutter. Then the next, then the next, and so on until the asshole is in the back where they belong.

What’re they going to say? Here’s how that conversation goes:

“Hey, there’s a line here…”

“Oh? IS THERE?” Furious stare

1. I’m sure it’s fine.

Start coughing as harshly as possible, right towards the back of their neck.

Then say “Damn, I knew that trip to west Africa was a mistake”.

Now you’re well-armed the next time it happens to you!

The post 15 People Respond to the Burning Question: How Do You Handle a Person Who Cuts in Line? appeared first on UberFacts.

15 Apartment Dwellers Share the Weirdest Thing They’ve Heard Through the Walls

You can overhear a lot of crazy sh*t through walls that are a bit too thin: funny things, inappropriate things, embarrassing things, perhaps even illegal things.

And let me tell you, these 15 Redditors have pretty much heard it all.

15. I’m grateful I forgot that book.

In college, I lived in a crappy apartment nearby the school, that was mostly populated by students. Halfway to class one day, I realized I forgot a book and had to rush back to my apartment to get it. As I was running up the stairs (which shared a wall with the stairs in the next door apartment, which mirrored my own) I could have sworn I heard someone yelling. I ignored it and ran to my room to grab my book. As I clambered downstairs, again I heard yelling, and I paused to listen. I heard some unintelligible moaning, and eventually heard the words “help me,” weakly groaned from the stairs next door. I rushed out and tried their door, but it was locked. I totally forgot about my class and ran to the apartment management office, hoping that someone was there. A manager was, thank goodness, and after I explained the situation, she grabbed her master keys and we booked it back to my neighbor’s place. She opened the door and the poor guy was laying in the stairwell (it was one of the ones that goes up halfway to the second floor, then turns 90 degrees for the rest of the way), clearly having fallen. I called 911 while the manager ran over to the guy. Ambulance came and picked him up, and I later learned that he had fallen down the stairs after passing into a brief diabetic coma. I guess he hadn’t eaten in some time; I don’t know too much about how diabetes works. Anyhow, to this day, I feel grateful that I forgot that book. That poor guy could have died, slumped halfway down the stairs with his face in the carpet.

Edited to add: also, relevant to the thread, I was grateful for the thin walls. Just for that though. Thin walls suck.

Edited again to add: Thanks stranger – baby’s first Reddit gold!

14. Geniuses.

My upstairs neighbors taking turns zapping each other with a stun gun, hitting the floor, groaning in pain, and then laughing like Beavis and Butthead.

13. I’ve felt it.

I’ve heard and felt the neighbors upstairs having sex.

And apparently they like to rearrange the furniture at least twice a week.

12. That’s one ballsy argument.

Heard the couple next door arguing. The wife was furious because she realized he had been cheating on her after she found out she had chlamydia. He tried to convince her that she must have been the unfaithful one. She still lives there. He doesn’t.

11. Going crazy on a piano.

an argument about money while I was doing the dishes. It ended with a slammed door and one of them on a piano, hitting the keys like a maniac. Some people read, some people go get something to eat, some people exercise.. this motherfucker relieves stress by going crazy on a piano. lol

10. Always a gamble.

my old neighbour was a cam girl and I could hear absolutely everything she said in every single session for a good 4 months. pretty much learned the names of her clients. I work from home and it was always a gamble whenever I had to meet with someone virtually.

9. We vacuum together.

I can hear when my neighbors vacuum. Our building tends to vaccuum together as a result. I hear my upstairs neighbor and go “oh hey i should vaccuum havent done that in awhile and its already noisy”. Then my downstairs neighbor and my left hand neighbor start vacuuming. It’s kinda hilarious. My right hand neighbor doesn’t vaccuum with us but does sing opera while doing dishes.

8. I never should have said anything.

I actually manage an apartment complex where my office is surrounded by a one bedroom unit. The building is old and the walls are thin. The tenant that used to live in the unit was a quiet man but would frequently sing beautiful opera music. His voice was amazing and I loved it every time I heard him sing!

Then one time I saw him in the halls and made the mistake of asking if he was the one who sang these beautiful opera songs. His face turned red but he confirmed that it was him. I told him that I always enjoyed it when I heard him sing and that it would always brighten my day.

Never should have said anything because I never heard him sing again.

7. Oh my god.

“William! We do not hit!”

His mom was visiting. He was 30.

6. Three kids later.

“Yeah girl, you know you want this dick”

My college roommate. 3 kids later it’s apparent she did, in fact, want it.

5. Losers.

I once heard a former roommate laughing with his then girlfriend about how they’re fucking me over on money. Turned out they were taking my utility portion and buying various games and alcohol.

Instead of confronting them, I confirmed what they said with the utilities company (they hadn’t paid the bill is 2 months) and I moved all my stuff out that day while they were at work. For good measure, I took myself off the lease and told them about the GF that had been there 6 months.

4. Just me and my rabbit.

Years ago I had an upstairs neighbor. At 2am, every night, I would hear something sprint across the entire apartment. I realized three things, it was very fast, it took small strides, and it never deviated from its path. One day, I saw my neighbor outside and I said, “I dont know how you have energy at 2am?” He responded with, “Dude, I’ve been working the midnight to 8am shift for 15 years. Doesnt bother me at all”.

That night, I watched him leave his house, drive off, and waited two hours. At exactly 2am, I heard what sounded like two feet hit the floor in his bedroom, and the marathon started.

A few weeks later, I see him outside. I tell him what I hear at night and he says, “That’s strange, no one has my keys, it’s just me and my rabbit up there.”

3. Jeez, Jessica.

I once heard an argument that went a little like this:

“Stop treating me like I’m stupid!”

“You asked if Seahorses were mammals, Jessica!”

“THEY GIVE LIVE BIRTH.”

2. Solid argument.

“Fuck you, man! If you don’t like spaghetti, then you don’t like me!”

1. We could never figure out what that was all about.

In our old apartment our upstairs neighbor had extremely loud, theatrically enthusiastic sex in the middle of the day. The puzzle was that he would stop in the middle and we’d hear him walk to where the bathroom is, stay there for a minute or two and then walk back and resume in the bedroom. It was the same pattern every time. We could never figure out what that was all about. Any ideas welcomed.

I’m remembering why I’m happy to be in a house!

The post 15 Apartment Dwellers Share the Weirdest Thing They’ve Heard Through the Walls appeared first on UberFacts.

People Who “Ran to the Store” and Never Went Home Share Their Stories

Some people may fantasize about walking out on their family, home, and life to start a new one for a number of reasons – valid and not so valid – but what is it actually like to say “I’m running to the store” and never go back home?

These 15 people are willing to share the true tales of how they walked the walk…straight out the door.

#15. I never forgot him.

When I was five, my dad came home from work, and my mom informed him out, completely of the blue, that she wanted an immediate divorce (I found out many years later she’d had an affair and was pregnant). He moved out of the house (they had three little kids together; I was the oldest), and she married her second husband (twice; they weren’t divorced the first time). He was paying child support as he was supposed to, but she was calling him at work and sending him letters at home (his sister kept them), asking for more, and he began to get complaints about it from his bosses. He asked his mother what he should do; she advised him to tell her he was giving her all he could, and all he was ordered to, and that he was going to lose his job if she kept it up. And, that if she didn’t stop, he’d leave the state, and she’d never hear from him again. She thought that would make her wise up and leave him alone. So, he did. But she continued. So, he asked his mother for advice again. Her advice was to follow through. And so, he did. He packed his clothes into his car, and headed for Canada. He got as far as two states north from where he began, liked a little town he came across, and got a job there.

I never forgot him. I was the only one of the three of us kids that had any memories of him. But when I was 16 and moved away from my extremely abusive home (in every way), I called my aunt, whose name I knew, who happened to live in the town I was also then living in, and told her I wanted to meet him. Coincidentally, he happened to be visiting her. I met him, my aunt, my grandfather, and my grandmother while he was there. It turned out to be the only time I would ever meet my grandfather; he died two years later. But I will never, ever forget it – he wrapped me up in a big, strong bearhug; told me how beautiful I was; how much he loved me, and how much he’d ALWAYS loved me, and how very, very happy he was to see me again after all these years. I cried then, and I’m crying again now, writing it down. I can still feel the love and caring in his arms.

I wasn’t ready to get to know my dad at 16 though; I realize now that I just wanted to “see” him. It took me another 10 years before I contacted him again. But I did; when I was living in California. And when I did, he took two weeks vacation (so did I), drove down to see me, and we spent the entire two weeks getting to know one another. And once he left, we were in contact daily. And I quit my job and moved up to the PNW a month later, because I knew the hole in my heart would never be filled until my dad was a part of my life. And I was correct.

My son has a grandpa because of my decision, and my dad is the greatest grandpa there is. I wish he’d have always been in my life, but the outcome I received is worth everything I’ve been through. I love you, Dad. <3

#14. I said I would be back.

I didn’t go out for cigarettes, but I pulled a similar stunt.

My mom is abusive and I had no spine, so I told her I was going to move in with my dad for the summer, I said I would be back before the end of August. After I moved in with my dad I got my state ID (my mom didn’t want me to have any kind of id) and I finally got my drivers permit a few weeks later. I felt bad for lying at the time, but now l know if I didn’t lie to her I would have never gotten out of there. I would be stuck living on a shitty little hobby farm with a woman who did everything in her power to tear me down and hurt me.

#13. I was just a toddler.

I was a toddler. 2 or so. After 9/11 my mother moved ya up to Vermont with her boyfriend who, for what it is worth, is now in federal prison for first degree murder of another girlfriend. As that indicates he wasn’t a good guy. He wouldn’t let me drink water unless I’d eaten a full meal, and I was two, so my mother had to serve fruit with every meal so I’d have moisture and let me drink water while he was at work. On days he didn’t work she & I would go out and explore as much as we could. We took to cleaning up old over grown graveyards, since it was interesting and fun and most importantly time consuming. But he was very controlling and didn’t want us to leave. She didn’t have a car so we had to walk everywhere. Being from NC and with no ability to purchase a train ticket because he controlled all her finances and she didn’t have a phone, she was forced to use a pay phone to contact my grandparents to fly up and come rescue us and fly us back. And had to tune it with his work schedule to make sure he wasn’t there when they came because she thought he might try to hurt me if he saw them come to take us.

#12. I slept on the couch for months.

When I was 18, I moved out from my abusive father. I was commuting to college at the time and I had morning classes so the night before I packed my car with as much of my stuff as I could, and set off.

One of my professors that I regularly talk to after class noticed that my car was full of clothes and asked if everything was okay. Over lunch I explained my situation, and he offered to take me in. I had already made arrangements to live with my mother. After my classes for the day were over I went home for the first time since I was a child to live with my mother.

I slept on the couch for months before getting my own bed, and we didn’t always have the money to eat, but we made it work.

I have seen my father one time since then because he swore to me that he had changed, that night he proceeded to get wasted and tried to put his hands on me. I haven’t seen him since, and I have no regrets.

Edit: Thank you for the gold and silver! I didn’t expect it. I was just wanting to finally share my experience with a wider audience, and maybe bring hope to anyone else in a situation like mine.

Edit 2: Just to clear up some confusion that I’ve noticed in the replies, I am a male. “Put hands on me” is a slang term for starting a fight. I’m not sure if it’s popular slang, or regional slang (southeast US) but at no point was I sexually abused. I apologize if there was any confusion.

#11. My mom just wasn’t there anymore.

ETSay: thank you everyone for all the kind words and support and awards. I felt a lot of love reading it all today.

My mom just all of the sudden wasn’t there anymore.

She and my dad were miserable but my dad wouldn’t agree to divorce. He was a minister at a big church and didn’t believe divorce was right and so instead he tried to stay married to my mom, all while avoiding her and all the unhappiness at home.

She never really left her bedroom. She was miserable and she made everyone else miserable, too. She was horrible to me in those last few years. We had been really close before that.

She started moving stuff out of the house little by little when no one was home. Like, one day a bookshelf would be gone. And we’d all notice but just kind of go on with our lives.

And it bothers me very very much, but her moving out was so abrupt and so ambiguous, that I don’t remember specifics about it. Like I don’t know if it was during the school year or over summer – I don’t know where I was or what was different when I came home that day – but at some point, she didn’t live there anymore.

I was 14.

My dad told me that God told him she would never come back. I looked up to my dad a lot – he was kind-of on the same level as God in my mind – so I believed him. He soon after started dating another woman – secretly because the church didn’t know he was divorced yet. He intended to marry her as soon as possible.

I remember I had to pose for “family photos” with this new woman and her 2 kids. They were printed up and put into a frame and hung over our fireplace.

Then one day, my mom came to the house. She told me she had made the biggest mistake of her life, that she loved me, and my brother and my dad, and she wanted to work everything out.

I guess God was wrong when he spoke to my dad…

Then she walked out of my room and saw the new family portrait over the fireplace. She left quickly.

A few days later, she called the house, my dad answered, and she told him to “tell the kids I said goodbye.” Then she hung up. We started calling everyone we could think to call. We tried to call the phone operator, asking if they could trace the call. (this was 1995 so no caller ID or cell phone with a callback number)

A bit later that night, my new step-mom-to-be came over and pulled my dad aside. She saw a car at the end of our neighborhood that looked like my moms. My dad called 911. Everyone showed up. My mom had taken a BUCKET of pills. She was barely alive. They took her to the Er and pumped her stomach and intubated her. They told my dad to call my brother so he could come say his goodbyes too.

I was let into the room for a while. I looked at the machines and they were plugged into the wall and I stared for a long time thinking I should unplug it because she really didn’t want to be revived and I couldn’t understand why we were doing all of this. But then a nurse came in and said I had to leave while they did stuff.

My mom survived. My dad married the other lady. I think this messed me up and I honestly can’t believe Ive typed up this entire recollection. I don’t think about it very often and maybe that’s why I can’t remember the details of the day I realized she’d moved out.

TL:DR dont move out and leave your family without so much as a note, and don’t tell people God told you stuff.

#10. Grabbed a hat and walked out.

I grew up in a very abusive strict home. My step father beat both my sisters and then when they left I was next. Anyways one night he made me walk home from the mall because he wouldn’t give me a ride. I called and asked around five and he said you better have your ass home at five. I walked the eight miles and was pretty wiped out when I was coming up the driveway. We had a big front window and I saw him sitting in his chair drinking whiskey waiting for me. When I walked in he said something and I replied you won’t do shit. The next thing I knew he had me pinned to the wall and punched me in the face until I was knocked out. When I woke up I remember feeling the blood from my nose and my mother was standing there and told me I was a disgrace to go clean my face off. I went upstairs and grabbed a hat and walked out and never went back. I was 14 years old at the time. Edit: Gold! Thank you kind strangers!

#9. She called me the wrong name.

My grandmother did. Just left her husband and three kids, the eldest in elementary school.

My grandfather made it through. He worked at my great-grandfathers business and went on to own it. He also remarried a few years later.

About 25ish years after she left, she contact my dad wanting to meet her grandkids (my older brother and me) and reconnect. I was around two, my brother 5ish. My brother called her by her. This was upsetting to her and she left.

15 years pass and once again, she wants to be in our life. This time we go to her. I was excited to meet her, as my grandfathers wife hated her step kids, and thus her step-grandkids. So my teenage self set up a false reality. One bug happy family. Reality was, she had a whole different family she was happy with. A granddaughter who she loved dearly and made quilts with. She called me the wrong name the whole time we were there, even when corrected. She had a cute house with family pictures all over – none of us of course. It’s like she forgot all about her other three kids.

She’s just some lady to me. I only know her first name honestly. And I know that I never want to be like her. Edit to say because it did just end: it’s been about 10 years since we last saw her.

My dad… he hides it. His life growing up was not great as a result. He’s angry about it, but pretends not to be. But my dad had never, ever not been there for me. He’s honestly sometimes too much there for me.

#8. I never got to go back to my bedroom again.

I was ten years old when my mom and dad split up. We had been expecting it, but I didn’t know that my mom had packed up suitcases for herself, my sister, and I. One day we went to school like everything was normal, and went to my mom’s parents after school. It wasn’t unusual for us to have dinner there. But then mom sat us down and told us we’d be staying there for a while.

Ended up being six years before we got our own place. I never got to go back to my bedroom again. My dad got remarried and his wife’s daughter moved in and repainted my room. When I had to visit them I slept on the couch while she slept in my room.

Edit: I clearly do not check reddit enough. Thank you for all the love and support everyone is showing to everyone! And thank you for the silver kind strangers ?

#7. I was told he didn’t even notice.

When I was 16, I moved out without telling my stepdad, but my mom was in on it. And I just moved in with my grandparents. I left on a Friday. Got all my stuff in just two trips. I was told he didn’t even notice I was gone the first weekend. He was pretty mad once he figured it out, but it was all mostly a non-event. Everything turned out okay for me. It will have been 21 years, this September.

#6. Go ahead and leave.

My ex-husband was extremely physically and emotionally abusive, as well as an alcoholic/addict. He obsessively controlled the money and every second of my daily routine; an unplanned five minute delay to get gas on the way home would result in a dressing down (if I was lucky, a beating if I wasn’t). We had three daughters, and on the few occasions I threatened to leave, he’d tell me to go ahead and leave, but I couldn’t take our daughters with me.

At one of our couple-friends’ wedding reception, he got drunk as per usual and lost his mind over something insignificant, dragged me around in the street by my hair, and pulled a gun on me (in front of the wedding party). One of his friends – who was a real POS – took me aside while the groom’s mom was driving my ex home, and told me “you don’t have to live like this.” It was like a light went on in my mind – THIS GUY says I don’t have to live like this?!?

It took me a couple of weeks to put a plan in place, but one morning after my ex left for work my dad helped me pack everything that would fit in a uhaul, and I gtfo.

I’d like to say I never saw him again after that day, but I was pretty lucky he decided to leave me alone after an initial period of stalking and a bout in jail for violating an order of protection. Fast forward 15 years, and I finished undergrad, law school, and post-doc. I’m remarried with two more amazing kids, and life is pretty much goals.

EDIT: I forgot to mention the kids! I did take them with me – that was why I left the way I did, since I knew he wouldn’t let me leave with them otherwise. Unfortunately, it’s not been all sunshine and rainbows since, although we had some pretty wonderful times over the years. My ex passed on to the girls a genetic predisposition to serious mental illness, and I lost one daughter to suicide when she was 14. We all were (and are) pretty traumatized, but we cope the best we can and try to appreciate all the other wonderful things life has brought us.

EDIT 2: Thanks for the gold, and for the positive comments. All this isn’t something I talk about much in my d2d. It’s been years, but a lot of it is still fresh, and it’s occasionally cathartic to open up to strangers.

#5. She just couldn’t handle it.

Half answer.

My dad died when I was pretty young. My mom eventually remarried to a pretty cool guy when I was young. He was honestly an amazing dad, and when my mom got sick when I was a 12, he was absolutely incredible- taking care of everyone, and reaffirming that I was his son. When my mum died, it was just me and him for a few years – and there were some amazing times. He made sure I was seeing a counsellor, and we did family things on the weekend. My friends used to joke that he wasn’t even my biological dad and he still made more time for me, and did more things for me than their bio dad’s did.

When I was 15, he got remarried. I didn’t exactly like my new step mom, but I didn’t hate her. I think I just thought that the relationship wouldn’t last and he’d move on to someone better. Then they got married and it was kinda weird. I did get an amazing baby brother from that – not all bad.

My dad died when I was 17. Literally taken out by an undiagnosed severe allergy. My step-mom got me from school and drove me to the hospital, and when my dad passed away, she handed me my baby brother and said she needed a minute by herself. I never saw her again.

She was much younger than my dad, and was an ex-foster are kid with no family or best friends to support her – and I think she looked at her newborn baby and the kid her dead husband inherited and just couldn’t handle it. I sure know I wasn’t prepared to handle it – but my mom and my (biological) dad had been ex-foster care kids and mom told me a few fucked stories so I wasn’t going to let that happen to me or my brother. I do sometimes feel a little resentful that I can’t have the normal life – I’m working too much, and I have a six year old to figure out, to consider college but I don’t want my family to just be cycles of poverty and dead-end jobs.

**Edit: Wow guys! I’m touched by the response. I have full custody – my step-dad adopted me when my Mom died so for all intents and purposes, my brother is legally my brother. Afraid I can’t give too many details – I want to adopt him and there’s a court case or two that I don’t wanna compromise just in case – movies have told me that anyway!

Step-mom will probably be charged with abandonment when she can be located – but so far we haven’t heard anything. I’ve always been worried that she had a mental health break and either killed herself (I used to call up locally and ask for Jane Doe’s that fit her – hey coping mechanisms amirite?) or she’s had a mental health break and something snapped. Abandonment didn’t really fit what I knew of her – and I remember that she had some kind of mental health problems – it’s not like we talked about it though. She could have gone off her meds in the chaos and snapped. I’m more worried than angry – but my first concern will always be for my favourite little tyke.

We’re doing pretty well – we have a support worker who has been fantastic, helping us get access to free and reduced cost services. I’m also pretty thrifty – I youtube’d how to knit socks and fix clothing and thrift stores are great. I don’t live near a major city, and so it’s not as expensive as it could have been. Being frugal also helps.

There’s usually always good stuff out there if you know how to ask for help – and my dad always told me the hardest thing but the most important thing to do was to suck up your pride and ask for help. I’m getting better about that, but it’s hard. My dad making me do therapy helped a bunch to admit when I need help – he said that needing help wasn’t about not being capable, but about being smart. That if you’re carrying an expensive tv you could carry it by yourself but you’re smarter if you grab a friend.

I’m almost finished an apprenticeship right now – and I’m in a Union that’s decent enough that wives used to drop off casseroles and leave cribs and stuff on our porch. Everyone should be involved in their community. I wouldn’t have survived without everyone willing to go to bat for me.

I’m working pretty hard because I’m incredibly fortunate that I met good people along the way. I owe them a lot. I also work part time at a nursery helping with plants and stuff on weekends for the staff discount and free stuff. I taken home more than a few half-dead fruit trees and vegetable seedlings. The more I work, the more I can throw into savings. It’s morbid but I want to make sure if I die, he’s not frantically worrying about paying for that. It’s – not exactly a good feeling.

My bro and I have been working on expanding our tiny garden to try and off set the cost of food and he seems to like gardening just as much as my dad did. Last year we didn’t buy a single potato or any herbs. It’s been the best low-cost high-involved activity we’re doing – and it sometimes makes me feel less guilty that I can’t be there more for him like our dad was for me.

We have glass pasta jars and tin cans growing basil and rosemary right now – I told my bro if he can keep them alive all year without me needing to intervene, we can look at adopting chickens. He specifically wants two chickens named ChicKEN and ChicBARBIE because he’s funnier than I am.

I’m working a bunch now because I want him to be in a better position in the future – my dad left a small, but decent amount in a trust – and I pulled from it when I first got custody when I was scrambling to afford everything. I want to replace everything I took, and also make sure he can afford to do the things that I couldn’t when growing up. When he’s in high school and wants to celebrate by going to Mexico, then he’s going to Mexico.

I do miss the stuff I can’t do – I’ve never not had responsibilities. I’m still friends with people from school, and they’re doing cross-country adventures and dropping money on expensive stuff. It’s such a weird idea that they can just go to music festivals without worrying about anything while I’m trying to find a detergent that doesn’t set the bro’s eczema off. Wouldn’t trade him for the world though.

We have saving accounts and insurance policies and I’m probably better off than a lot of people. The comments have been incredible with people offering help from everywhere – I needed that help when I was 17 and scared out of my absolute mind.

I’m almost 24 now and I’m stable – but paranoid and weird for sure. If you’d like to donate, please direct them to local organisations fighting the good fight. The difficult part of the story is basically over – until he hits teenaged years probably. God knows how I’m going to handle that. That’s a problem for future me. I don’t need that kind of help anymore, and I’m moving into the phase of life where I just want to give back to people that have helped me, by passing it on. I joined reddit because I saw that post that said “Today you, tomorrow me” – that’s my philosophy in life.

There are a lot of people out there like me, and they deserve to be able to grow garlic in old jam jams with their family just as much as I did.**

#4. Mom never came looking for me.

Didnt leave my wife and kids as I dont have any but i did walk out on my mother and siblings without any notice. Dad was not in the picture.

After? Best decision of my life. My mother refuses treatment for her very serious mental illness or illnesses and was incredibly abusive physically as well and neglectful while i was growing up. I saw the affect it had burn out older siblings with no motive or drive and instead embraced the crazy just to feel sane in the toxic family home we lived in.

I was homeless for about a year and a half living out of a duffel and bumming food from friends. I feel like my life hasent even started until i left it behind. I feel like it held me back for 17 years and i now am finally being able to find out who i am.

Mom never came looking for me, i reconnected with my estranged father, whome i learned was in the military from the moment he was 18 until he was HD at 43. He has severe PTSD from his 3 tours in Iraq and afghanastan. He’s now getting his Masters in outdoors leadership which i believe is a perfect way to use his massive skill set. I dont see him much if ever but at least i know some blood is still thicker than water

#3. Until he got back.

For us it was that he went out for milk. Dad told me as the eldest surviving kid I was “The man of the house” until he got back, so it was my obligation to help/defend/take care of them for him until he came back. He never came back.

#2. He ghosted 4 families.

my real dad ghosted like 4 families. his first family, he had a son. he was in that family for 13 years, his son had a motorcycle wreck and ended up in intensive care. a year later he ghosted that family and moved to a new state. just up and left, didnt take anything but his clothes and his car.

second family, he had a daughter. he left almost immediately.

then he moved to another state, and married another woman, and had two more kids whom ive never met or spoken to. dont even know their names tbh. jake? john? jordan? josh? something with a j. he went out for a pack of smokes and never went back(his own words)

then he met my mom, and had my sister first. he ghosted my mom 3.2 years later, then showed up for some quick whoopie, and i happened. he ghosted her, but didnt leave the state. she called the cops and my first memory is of the cops bringing my dad to the house in cuffs and letting him go, only for him to attack my mom while she was holding me and she dropped me. then the cops arrested him. he wanted out, he got out.

he had 2 more marriages, but no kids. its his MO to shack up with well off women and mooch until they either kick him out or he gets bored.

its really fucking painful to see, because i want to be an asswiping dad whose there for his kids every fucking second of their lives. i want to be the exact opposite of him.

#1. I left a terrible human.

This is my throw away.

Got married right out of high school, everything was going well but we were young and both were our first partners. Came home early one day and walked in on my wife with another man. Standard insanity ensued, followed by her begging for forgiveness and we went to months of counseling. Everything seemed well and dandy, she seemed like a totally different woman and couldn’t live with out me.​

One day I log into our desktop PC and her Facebook is loaded and there are multiple messages and I had to look. I found exactly what I knew I would find. It crushed me but I acted like nothing happened. That weekend I packed up my favorite clothes and belongings that meant a lot to me and snuck them to the car. Sunday evening I said “Hey I’m going to take the dogs to the dog park and hike for a few hours”. When I left, I texted our neighbor to see if anyone showed up at the house. She replied pretty quickly that a male visitor was by very quickly, I told her goodbye and the dogs and I just drove. I had a decent savings and thought “Fuck it, start off somewhere new” and that is what I did​

My ex wife didn’t even try and contact me until around lunch time the next day. When I didn’t respond, she blew me up with photos and videos of her with multiple men and about how bad of a lover I was. It fucked me up but I just kept trucking. I ended up in a smaller town where I saw someone was hiring for my trade. Years later, I re-married to the best human ever.

I went home not long ago and my Mom posted a picture of us at a gathering. My ex hit up my facebook and asked if we could meet for a cup of coffee she would like some closure (I obviously would like as well). I have to say, for all the resentment and hatred I had toward this woman, our conversation was pleasant and I felt better after we talked. She understood why I left, she apologized deeply, many times and didn’t try to blame me for anything.

After an hour and a little bit of tears (awkward as hell in public hahaha) she asked if it was okay to get a hug. We hugged and said our goodbyes. Once I got home I told my wife about the visit and she got awkward for a few minutes. She left the room and I didn’t follow, I thought “oh I’m sleeping on the couch tonight”. Five minutes later, she came back crying and just gave me the biggest hug ever, she told me she forgot what I went through and she was sorry and glad our life is good.

Closing, I left a terrible human for the best human ever.

I don’t know if I could do it!

The post People Who “Ran to the Store” and Never Went Home Share Their Stories appeared first on UberFacts.

15 Things That Totally Scream “I Peaked in High School”

You know the kind of people I’m talking about – your still friends on Facebook, probably so you can feel good about yourself – but it definitely seems like high school was the best years of their lives.

And well, if you’re worried that might be you, you’d better check this list of 15 signs it could be.

15. Sad.

At my ten year reunion, the prom queen came wearing a tiara with a custom “Queen ’03” sash over her shoulder. I had to go outside I was laughing so hard.

But I’ll be damned if she didn’t rock that outfit the while time, so, respect.

Still sad though.

14. I can see that.

I dated a guy with his high school mascot tattooed on his arm. It was such a turnoff.

13. Or in real life.

Still bullying the “nerds” at your 10 year reunion.

12. Fast times.

Selling pot to teenagers and then trying to get them to stay and smoke with you.

11. #bossbabe

Want to earn money from home and set your own hours?

E: thank y’all for the hella love. And sorry you all have had that ‘bestie’ (read: distant acquaintance) reach out to you with a desperate sales pitch.

10. A permanent reminder.

Getting the score of the football game you won against the school’s rival tattooed on your shoulder.

9. It might be time for a new jacket.

A guy who graduated from my high school back in 2003 was arrested a few years ago for his 2nd DUI. He was wearing his Letterman jacket in his mugshot.

8. Bless your heart.

We used to play indoor floor hockey in a loft room in the big gym of my middle school. One game I scored three goals, one of them being a bank shot off the wall.

The next year I wrote about the game for an assignment in English class and the teacher read it to the class the next day.

I’m not sure which one was my peak.

7. Stay cool!

Sharing EVERY memory from Facebook talking about the “good ol days” and “wish we could go back” when it’s only been a few years since graduation.

6. Technology doesn’t help everyone.

Filming yourself running drills and throwing footballs off camera in front of your van/mobile home.

5. Why are you still here?

When I was in high school, this guy a year before me had a fearsome reputation. At house parties, people would fear him just by name alone. He would show up to parties with his cronies and start fights. He came from a decent enough family. Everybody wanted to be on his good side.

Anyway, he graduates high school, and most of us were still in 12th grade. I remember he used to come around lunctime to smoke with the people out front, shoot the breeze and talk about how much fun it is to just sleep in and do nothing and have all this freedom.

A couple of months of “Ohhh cool!” To, “Why are you still here?” as we awkwardly shuffled back to class.

4. It’s just creepy at that point.

Partying with high schoolers when you’re 30.

3. Peaking, indeed.

Billy Joel feels compelled to write a ballad about how you and your ex were the king and the queen of the prom, how the two of you married right after high school, and how it all went to hell from there.

Bonus points if your names happen to be Brenda and Eddie.

2. That’s quite a moment.

Me,

in a horrid realization,

in the back of my 92 Camaro,

while icing that knee I blew out at the championship game senior year,

reading through the divorce papers.

1. Nothing new to talk about.

Some of the popular girls from high school still get together very frequently, and you see updates of it on facebook. I also keep in touch with some friends from high school, and I think that that’s nice. However, one of those friends of mine once ran into them during one of their get-together. He said hi and happened to be sitting not too far from them at the bar.

He said that all they did for the whole night, was talk about high school. They looked up old classmates on Facebook, laughed at them, called them names, looked at their spouses and called them names too. They still thought themselves the popular kids, as if they still had some sort of influence on all these people. Everyone has moved on, done interesting things in their life except for them. They’re just rehashing old drama and old rumors.

One of those girls had a small bit of success as a photographer in high school. She won a couple contests that were aimed at teenagers and her photos aren’t bad. Her parents turned this into a very big deal, her friends all wanted to be in her photos, and she was dead set on going to art school and getting the recognition she deserved. I don’t know if she never made it into art school or if she dropped out, but she definitely did not become a photographer. Instead, you see her launching some new startup business selling asinine live-laugh-love shit about once a year.

I know high school wasn’t golden for me!

The post 15 Things That Totally Scream “I Peaked in High School” appeared first on UberFacts.

These 15 Memes Define 2019…So Far

That’s right! We’ve reached the point in Internet saturation where memes define our times – and you can’t live through 2019 and not nod and laugh at these 15, because they’re totally on point.

15. No one has all five.

14. We’re just disappointed.

13. Act my age.

12. Today’s tea.

11. Let me in.

10. Some of y’all.

9. Waves and AirPods.

8. Fyre Festival BJ face.

7. The Pelosi (hand) clap.

6. Buff bunny small bunny.

5. Y’all scared to moan.

4. You’re weak, Sasuke.

3. Driving in…

2. Due to personal reasons.

1. I don’t recall.

 

Stay tuned for the rest of the year!

The post These 15 Memes Define 2019…So Far appeared first on UberFacts.