I work with married couples registering for much needed wedded items to fill their first matrimonial homes at a major department store. When I first got the job, people were telling me that brides are the worst in the world to work with; then I started to encounter one too many dreaded, verbally abusive, arrogant, asshole grooms-to-be.
Just two days ago I had what seemed like a lovely couple register with me. Then came the tour of the home store when the bride-to-be asked a question about flatwear (forks & spoons). I didn't think it was stupid, but it obviously pissed the groom-to-be off so much that he called her a "fucking idiot" and told her to "use her fucking brain for once". At that moment, my body tensed up and I got flushed with rage. If she is so fucking stupid why the hell is he marrying her?
I, surprisingly, shut my mouth and kept on talking like I didn't hear a word, but when I looked back to the bride-to-be she was crying. I'm not sure if she was crying because of what he said to her (since I'm sure he spoke to her like that on the regular) or if she was embarrassed. I asked her if she was okay and if she wanted me to give her some tissue, she said no and told me to continue. So I did. I'm not going to feel sorry for someone who stays in that kind of a situation.
So why am I posting this? Because I'm angry. I'm angry that majority of the women I deal with would rather be married to an asshole than have self-respect. Is being married that important that you would allow yourself to be disrespected and abused verbally, mentally, or physically?
Which brings me to a bride who had just gotten married and wanted to purchase the remaining items on her registry. I began helping her complete the registry, when her husband showed up and completely took over and told her what she should buy, how she should purchase them, and where they should go. I normally appreciate when a man takes charge (it's what I look for in a partner), but not in a way that is so over-bearing and abrasive that it's a complete turn off. The only men that I know who participate in such behavior are insecure men out to prove a point, and I absolutely hate insecure men.
So anyway, to make a long story short, it came time to change the address on the registry, because like most couples they had now moved into their matrimonial homes and vacated their former pads. The bride wanted to change the address to the Chicago address instead of leaving the former Peoria address as the shipping address although she was still receiving mail and wedding gifts at that location. The groom, said no! because the whole process was taking a long time and he wanted to go home (why didn't he just go home in the first place? We were doing just fine before he showed up!). They started to go back and forth even after I told them that I could easily change the address on the registry. He yelled, "No!" And kicked her as hard as he could in the shin. After that she agreed that whatever he said was best.
After dealing with some of these people, I am so turned off by the mere mention of marriage. It's situations like this that tarnish the once beautiful notion of two people spending the rest of their lives together. If this is what marriage is, then I don't want it. I rather be alone than someone's dog.
