Psychological warfare...

Today I am remembering the US Army's 1989 invasion of Panama to depose, the then dictator, Manual Noriega.  He escaped capture, for a time, by declaring Holy Sanctuary in a church.  Because of treaty agreements, the Army could not just go in and get him. So, they attempted psychological warfare by blaring non-stop rock music at the church. He surrendered after 10 days.

I am remembering this today because I am trying to understand how Mom's constant litany of complaints and whining could wear me down so effectively and thoroughly.  This morning, from the time she finished her breakfast of 2 eggs, sausage, a buttered, jellied biscuit and a small cup of applesauce, she complained that she hadn't had anything to eat in 2 days.  She whined and complained, non-stop, for two straight hours. She griped so long that it the starvation time frame became 3 days.  I would be less than honest if I said that it didn't frustrate me.

I then made her a sandwich and served it with more applesauce, a meal that she usually devours with minimal complaining.  After approximately 20 minutes of listening to her gripe about the food and that no one ever feeds her, she finally got up and brought her lunch to me.  When I pointed out that she was hungry and that she had asked for the food, she got even nastier and said that she never asked for that and had, in fact, made it for me. The same "slop" that she refused to eat had become an offering that I should relish. 

And I lost it.  The last shred of my patience was gone.  So, I find myself sitting here thinking of a deposed dictator who lasted 10 days of non-stop, intolerable rock music blaring at him.  And I wonder... could I hire Mom out to the military to bring North Korea to its knees?