Aliyawanders

These past weeks I’ve learnt something new: excessive thank yous.

Here’s what happened. I was showered with thank yous — excessively so. At first, I was baffled, because I wasn’t doing anything for free, you see. I was simply doing my part, and apparently, that was “approved” by her.

But the moment I veered away from her expectations, things shifted.

The friendliness stopped.
The gratefulness stopped.
And in their place came:
• Snide remarks disguised as jokes
• Contempt, barely hidden
• A sense of entitlement, plain as day

What I realised was this: those excessive thank yous weren’t genuine. They were a tool, a subtle way to make me feel guilty if I ever chose to go another way. And when I refused to conform, the mask slipped — and the real attitude surfaced.