Narcissists Can Never Give A Compliment Without Adding a Dig At the End

This morning I was trying to get some work done on the computer. My mother shuffled over and said "I'm going to write a short story. Give me an opening line."

I know I shouldn't have done it, but I said "Go away."

She shuffled away saying (for me to hear) "I'm going to write about an old witch with curlers in her hair." (I had curlers in my hair at the time.)

I didn't respond.

Two hours later I had made her a  nice lunch and cleaned the kitchen. She even said (TWICE!) that I was a good daughter. Then, as I was leaving the room she said "I bet you wouldn't be very flattered if you read the short story I wrote this morning."

I said, "Well, what do you suppose I write about?" Implying that I might have written about her once or twice, but I don't think she got it because she said, "I was writing about you."

I just walked away.

But I'm mad. Disgusted. Annoyed. And wondering why I bother. I bust my ass to help her and cook for her so she has the energy and strength (and time) to write mean stories about me? And then tell me about it?

I think it's the urge to tell me about it that I find most annoying.

The irrefutable evidence (on her plate, no less) was that I was a good daughter who had worked hard to try to make life better for her mother. She even said so, but she just couldn't let it be 100% true, so she got in that last little jab (well, not really little either).

Wait...now that I think back on it, I also made a snarky comment about my brother's wife. Now my mother doesn't like her either, but my brother is the golden boy, so I wonder if that influenced her need to lash out at me? Probably not. The urge to smack me down is so strong for her, the real wonder is that it doesn't happen more often.

I'm sure she congratulates herself on her kindness in not slamming me even more.