The People We Hate List

As life wends its way along, we meet people we like, people who make little impression at all, and people we HATE. I am often surprised to find that while there are poeple almost everyone agrees are "likability disabled", there is lots of individual variance, too. People I can't stand are less irritating to others and vice versa.

The problem is that we often can't react overtly to these people. Sometimes we don't dare (it's your boss, for example); sometimes it isn't a good idea (teachers should refrain from personal vendettas against even the nastiest of students); and it just isn't good policy to alienate them (you never know when they'll enter your life again). So what do you do?

I suggest writing them a letter, telling them what idiots they are, how difficult it is to work with them, and how much you'd like to punch them in the face. As soon as it's done, destroy it. It's only for you, no matter how well you've captured the essence of your target. Though no one sees it but you, putting your frustration into words is very cathartic, and you may find that once it's done, you can go on with a lower blood pressure. The mere act of getting those insults out is enough.

There may even be side benefits. As a mystery writer, I'll admit that people who've irritated me in daily life spark all sorts of plots. Although the characters in my novels always take on a life of their own, they often spring from the shadow of somebody I once knew and disliked. Someone who deserves a fictional comeuppance.