I have been giving you an insight into my ways and wiles as I detail to you the things that I say and the moves that I make. I have, largely, refrained from offering you any advice as to how you might combat my machinations. Part of that arises from my high-handed view (not my words I hasten to add) that there is nothing you can do to try to nullify what I do. In part it is also because I am saving the wisdom of how to tackle me for a later time. In the meanwhile let me give you an example of how fighting back gets you nowhere.
I have told you how rolling out the silent treatment is one of my most effective tactics. it requires very little effort from me, is devastating in its impact and has you subjected to my manipulation very easily. I would deploy the silent treatment with Kate but she decided to counter it. Of course, she did not do so immediately. She was not that clever. No, instead it took her a period of time before she realised how I was using the silent treatment to make her feel guilty and exert control over her. She fell into the trap of repeatedly asking what was wrong and then engaging in self-analysis and ultimately humiliating self-blame. I am not sure where it came from but she suddenly changed tack. I suspect it was a new friend she had made who had something of the hippy about her and enjoyed helping people heal and so on. I always knew when she had been in the house as there was a new crystal on the sideboard (which I would throw away) and the smell of some odd fragrance which she had been spraying around. Anyway, this person’s involvement certainly marked a change in Kate’s own behaviour. I would say nothing and give her a cold glare. Rather than ask what was the matter, she would smile and say,
“I don’t know what is wrong with you but I know I am alright so I am going to leave you be until you decide to come out of your silent sulking.”
I was taken aback by this but decided that she would not be able to keep this up. Her desire to help and care would soon overwhelm her resolve. I gave her a week of silence and I was surprised that she had the audacity to mirror what I was doing. Not one telephone call, text or personal appearance. Then after a week a message arrived on my mobile phone.
‘I love you and care about you. I am here for when you want to speak again. In the meanwhile I will remain busy with my other interests.’
I was intrigued. Could she keep it up? I gave it another week and so did she. We had now passed the longest silence previously (11 days in the case of Kate if you were wondering).
Another week went by and whilst I was content to maintain this silence I was become annoyed and irritated by her ability to duplicate it. She was not giving me any attention. It clearly was no longer working. I decided to change approach and instead went out that night and picked up a girl in a local bar. She was called Stephanie. I applied a Relationship Broadcast and posted several pictures of her and me on Facebook and twitter. I knew Kate would be watching my feed and posts even though she was not in contact with me.
The following morning Kate was at my door knocking on it and asking to see me and giving me the attention I needed and deserved. I knew I would get to her in the end.
You may work out one way of tackling my behaviour but I have a vast armoury at my disposal.
I always win.