The straw that broke the camel’s back

THE straw that breaks the camel’s back is literally the last straw for some people — that one thing that makes them say, ‘this is not worth it’. For many people it comes when problems are heaped high, and then they snap when they can no longer bear the pressure. For others, one boo-boo is enough for them to throw the towel in.

Sometimes it’s what our partners expect from us, sometimes it’s what they or others close to them do, and sometimes it’s something they ask — a request so scandalous that you’re forced to seek an out.

What was something your partner asked you to do that made you say heck no, I’m over this?

Sue, 30:

He got too excited when I purchased a toy, like I’d bought it for him and it was the best gift ever. I was surprised, because when I was getting it I rehearsed how I would break the news to him, because he’s usually very uptight when it comes to those things. But homeboy squealed like a pig at the country fair, and gushed about how many things we could do with the bullet. Then, while I stood there shocked, he said he was going to take a shower so we could experiment right away. That was it for me. Sure, I’m open to anything, but that was just weird.

Liseth, 23:

He said his babymother was given notice from her house, and asked if she and their child could come live with us for a while until she sorted herself out. Not only had this woman been a thorn in my side for our whole relationship, she constantly made trouble, and didn’t respect me as a caregiver when her child would visit. Worse, he had been the one to move into my apartment and he wasn’t working so this wasn’t exactly our home, and it was a one bedroom, so I don’t even know where we would fit everyone. I just told him to rent a place for the three of them, and I’d be happy by my lonesome where I was at.

Mikey, 37:

First she asked if her younger sister could move in with us while she finished her studies, and I said OK. I was footing all the bills, but I didn’t mind because I was into this girl a lot. Then she asked if her brother could also come for a while, as he had committed a “small crime” in the country and wanted to cool out for a while. When I said no, she maliced me for a month. The final straw was when she said her sister’s last semester fees were due, and she insisted that I pay it, so her sister wouldn’t be tied down with student loan debt. So not only was I running a hotel, I was expected to be a bank too. I told her it was best that she and her sister leave, for my mental health.

Pablo, 31:

It was cute at first — she said she couldn’t reach her back in the shower and asked me to scrub it, and to remove the blackheads there. I complied, and got to work one night, with all my tools. I was horrified because this woman had months and months of dirt on her back from what I saw, but I managed to clean it all off. The next week she came with the same story about the blackheads on her face, and then she wanted me to clean her ears, and her belly button. I told her that those kinds of things didn’t make her attractive to me, but every week it was something else. Last straw was when she said she felt like she had ingrown hairs down there, and handed me a flashlight to search for them. I made some excuse that I had to leave, and blocked her number after that.

Mel, 35:

He claimed he was an artist, even though he was living off my couch and eating my food and wasn’t working, but I digress. His ‘art’ meant that he was always taking photos of me, and that was kind of cute, until he wanted more. He said I shouldn’t be shy, and I did allow him to do some risqué shots, but by then I was really tired of the bum behaviour and the fake artist vibe. I knew I had to lose him when he suggested that we create an OnlyFans and put our bedroom activities on the Internet as a side hustle. It wasn’t even so much the suggestion you know. But he said ‘side hustle’, like he had a full-time job!