Peta-Lisa, my ex best friend called to wish me a “Happy Birthday” last Wednesday while Victor and I were on our way to buy some fruit. She asked where and how I was and what was new in my life. I told her that I had moved out and am living with my fiancé. “Is that the one on your FaceBook.com profile?” She asked. Um, hello?! That’s what it says, who else would it be? I replied with a simple, “Yes!” She asked where I am living and that we should keep in contact.

My mother calls me the next day and asks me why I was talking to Peta-Lisa and what I had told her. My mother said that she had just received a call from Peta-Lisa’s mother and that she was being congratulated on my moving out. My mother was fed up because this woman had not called in months and now she does to “Congratulate”?

Pfft… What does my moving out have to do with Peta-Lisa’s mother?!

Peta-Lisa calls yesterday and asks if she could come over. I was busy cleaning my apartment, so I lied and told her that I wasn’t home and would only be home that afternoon. She went on about how she wanted to come over and I told her that maybe she could do so that night instead…

She comes over, has a glass of water, has a cigarette and talks… She spoke about how cute my apartment is, about her job and about other people, of course. She gossips about my old friend from primary school, about her one friend and yeah, she gossips.

“Ag, it was nice seeing you again. I’ll probably see you again sometime.” She says on her way out of my door. “Ok, bye. Keep well!” I reply, while I’m really thinking, “Good-fucking-bye!”

This morning my mother calls to ask if I am going to my cousin’s twenty-first birthday celebration. “Oh and guess who was here last night… Peta-Lisa!” I told my mother that Peta-Lisa had come over for a little bit. “Peta-Lisa?! Why did you tell her where you live? What…” My mother goes on about how I shouldn’t have had Peta-Lisa over last night and that Peta-Lisa will start gossiping about me and Victor… My mother went on and on about this until I told her I was sorry and hung up the phone.

And it sinks in…

A little after my mother’s phone call, I send Peta-Lisa the following text message:

Firstly, what does my moving out have anything to do with your mother? Secondly, what a waste of time! You are the same as you were years ago. Gossip much?

She replies to my text message several minutes later saying, “What?”

My mother is right. I don’t need Peta-Lisa in my life again. My mother seems to be right almost all the time. I then feel less smart most of those times…

And those are the times when I hate the fact that my mother’s right.