A Bad Taste In Girlfriends, Sew It Seems

(My husband and I have a few friends over for the weekend and one of them brings his girlfriend. She’s nice enough but is a bit immature. I’m sewing in my craft nook while they’re playing [Adult Card Game] closeby at the dining room table. The girlfriend says something to me, but I can’t hear her over my sewing machine and the music my husband has playing.)

Me: *stopping my machine* “What was that?”

Girlfriend: “Why aren’t you playing with us? Don’t you like this game? We’re about to start a new round after they get their drinks.”

Me: *checking the straightness of my stitches* “Because the toddler is with my parents, and I need to get this done so that I can give it to [Other Friend] before he leaves. I should have already finished this, but it’s hard to sew with a toddler trying to steal the fabric because he likes how it feels.”

(I go back to sewing, and she gets up and moves over to my table.)

Girlfriend: *loudly as she leans close* “Could you teach me?!”

Me: *shouting* “No! Sorry! I don’t teach.”

(This is a question I’ve been asked several times over, and most people take “no” for an answer. Not this girl. She taps my shoulder, and I groan in frustration as I stop sewing.)

Me: *sharply* “What?”

Girlfriend: “Why don’t you teach?”

Me: “Because I lack the patience!”

Girlfriend: “But you have a toddler.”

Me: “Yes, and I’m patient with him because he’s a toddler. I don’t have the patience to teach adults stuff because adults often don’t listen very well.”

(I give her a pointed look, hoping she’ll understand what I’m getting at, but it goes completely over her head.)

Girlfriend: “Well… Yeah, I guess… but I really want to learn to sew.”

Me: *fighting the urge to snarl at her* “Well, go over to my computer, pull up my browser, go to Google, then type, ‘how to sew,’ in the search box. I’m sure you’ll find plenty of resource blogs and at least a couple videos that can help you out.”

Girlfriend: “Yeah, but you’re right here. Right now.”

(Before I can snap at her, her boyfriend returns to the table with his drink and, noticing my expression, intervenes.)

Friend: “Hey, [Girlfriend], she said no, so stop asking. I’ll help you find tutorials later, okay? She might even help you after she finishes what she’s doing there.”

Girlfriend: “But—”

Friend: *cutting her off* “Stop it before they ask us to leave.”

(She sulked but returned to the other table to continue their game. Less than a week later, they broke up because she annoyed most of his other friends with her bratty behavior.)