Episode 16 -The Academy Award Goes To…

The Executor, The Dust Buster and The Master of Disguise

You know what they say: behind every narcissist with a gun is a sister holding a feather duster and a spreadsheet.

Enter: the Oscar-winning sister. The executor. The one who graciously gave me one day off a week while I cared for our father full-time. A round of applause for the bare minimum.

Every Saturday, she’d show up like clockwork – cleaning, organizing, always ‘helping’. Little did I know, I wasn’t watching a helpful sibling… I was watching a magician perform her best disappearing act: sentimental objects, family heirlooms, personal pieces… Poof! Gone. Not stolen – pre-selected!

Cleared out with a conscience as polished as the silverware.

And here’s the kicker: at the time, I didn’t even care about the stuff. Because when you’re wiping your father’s face, tending to his needs and watching someone you actually care about slowly fade away… trinkets don’t matter.

What does matter is the sneaky, strategic, spreadsheet-coded maneuvering happening right under your exhausted, trusting nose.

Was she helping? Or just casing the joint with a Swiffer in hand?

It’s funny how some people can play the role of ‘selfless caretaker’ so well -while low-key setting the stage for their own convenience and control. Another narcissist? Or just a really efficient opportunist with a good costume department?

Either way, she’s not just Bully’s sister – she’s his accomplice. The calm to his chaos. The smile to his bang.

Lesson of the Day:
Beware the family member who only shows up once a week with a mop and moral superiority. Sometimes, the person who looks like they’re cleaning house… actually is.