This is Toby. The kitty my Mother abandoned…

I would have to say Fuck No! My Mother, who knows my Father sexually abused me, just told me the only time she cheated on him was when she had sex with someone else and he watched. HELLO! BOUNDARY CROSSED! I should have never been told that by her. I may be 49 and her 74 but that’s still not okay! Boundaries! Seriously, WTF! I have spent the last 15 years explaining to her what my Boundaries are. The first decade she would forget all the time, we would fight, she said she forgot, I would call bullshit on her and tell her she’s disrespecting me by not making a conscious effort. She would then admit I was right and apologize. That was not enough for me. I would remind her that she divorced my father, leaving me with him and needed to own up to that responsibility by respecting the boundaries I’m asking for now. I did forgive her long ago because I spent over 25 years of mental health therapy learning to set my boundaries, let others know what they are, and then protect them! MY MOTHER KNOWS THIS! I could give so many examples of her constantly making no effort to acknowledge that there is a world outside of the one in her head. That’s where she stays most of the time. In her bedroom, hunched down in her bed covered up(because she’s “always cold”), watching YouTube or whatever else on her tablet. I fucking scream at myself sometimes for buying her that. It was for when she was desperately ill and couldn’t get out of bed. Not WOULDN’T but COULDN’T. Biggggggggggg difference, but in her mind, no difference.

Having respect for the boundaries and respect of other people in her life is nonexistent with hers. She doesn’t care. I can say that because I have seen it with other people besides myself. She has said loudly, in the middle of a restaurant, “I can say whatever the fuck I want, everyone can just not listen.” REALLY? When you shout like that, everyone is listening. At this juncture I need you to know my Mother has full control of her facilities. No dementia, alziemers, or any other mental defect other than being physically abused by my Father for 15 years, as an adult. I was raped, beaten and mentally tortured by my Father since, oh I don’t know… BIRTH. There is absolutely no excuse for my Mother’s behavior and she needs to fucking GROW UP! I’m tired of being the only adult in our house.

I have recently been told by our primary care physician that I am no longer responsible if something happens to my Mother. I can leave her home by herself and go have a life. She is mentally and physically able to care for herself and he said I need to let go of the thought that I would be blamed if something did happen to her. Dr. M said he would vouch for me. He says I have put my life and health on hold long enough. He told me that he talked to my Mother, documented everything she said, and I am now “free to move about the cabin”. (I’m poetic and a culture reference freak, deal with it.) So… since last summer I have been focusing on me, my health, and now my writing.

Photo, Prose & Poetry
©2026 Miss Kat J Phillips
(No period after the "J")

POEM TITLE: ROTTING TIME
There's so little time,
We have to spare,
On sacrificing for others,
Especially those who do not care.
The world is their kindergarten, 
I'm the teaching bitch,
I'll smack some sense into their dense heads,
Make them wish I was preaching.
I might save you your sins,
But you deserve that not, 
You crumble all that's around you,
Even Styx doesn't leave this much  trail of rot.
Time and time,
Flipping multiple agains,
How blind you are to freedom, 
I'm choosing to not let you win.
~For my Mother

Photo, Prose & Poetry
©2026 Kat J Phillips 
(No period after the "J")