Episode 67 – The Curious Case of the Vanishing Saturdays…

(Spoiler: They vanished right into Bully’s wallet.)

In the final stretch of Dad’s life, things were raw. Everything hurt, everything mattered, and somehow, everything still had to get done.

We’d been running a 13-day shift pattern (not my decision!). Let that sink in: thirteen days straight. I had one day off, just enough time to eat, breathe, and wonder if this was what burnout looked like in real time. But we all had to do our part – that’s what was said, anyway. ‘We all need to pull together.’ Funny how that motto had a tendency to dissolve when it hit Bully’s inbox.

For years, Fanny did Saturdays. She was the dependable weekend fixture – until, suddenly, she wasn’t. Citing health issues, she declared she was stepping back from Saturdays entirely. We would all do one! Understandable. Health comes first.

Except… plot twist.

Guess who never picked up a single Saturday shift?

You got it. His Royal Bullyness.

Instead of stepping up, Bully paid Fanny to cover his Saturdays. That’s right – Fanny’s health issues mysteriously cleared up just enough to accept paid Saturdays. Not for free, mind you – only when Bully needed covering. A miraculous recovery whenever money changed hands. I suppose she had a very specific medical condition:
‘Selective Weekend Fatigue (Relieved by Cash Only).’

Meanwhile, I was still on the 13-day carousel, dragging myself through every shift, trying to honor Dad and hold the line. I fought it – I did. I sent emails. I made my case. Silence. Nothing. Then, reactive-abuse emails in the inbox.

That’s the thing about dealing with a Bully – he doesn’t need to follow the rules. He is the rule. The rest of us are expected (by that I mean me!) to stretch ourselves to snapping point, while he glides through the chaos with a paid assistant and a disappearing act worthy of Houdini.

The final months of Dad’s life should have been sacred, supported, shared. Instead, they became a masterclass in quiet exploitation and passive-aggressive delegation.

So here’s to the Saturdays that vanished.
To the money that spoke louder than fairness.
To the fight that was never met with a reply.
And to the lesson:

In a house with a Bully, logic gets evicted first.