Greazy Will

I opened one door and was surprised to find a bedroom where six or seven pairs of women's shoes were scattered all over the floor.

I asked Phil who they belonged to, and he nearly turned pink.

Will you stop snooping around where you don't belong, he snapped.

I think it was the first time I ever saw Phil lose his temper.

Okay, honey, I said, I'm sorry.

He must have noticed the hurt look in my eyes because he softened his tone immediately.

Those are my sister Shirley's shoes, he explained.

She stays here sometimes when she's in New York.

Your sister Shirley, yeah.

Bro, getting mad was the distraction to come up with the excuse, right?

He was like, what are you looking around for?

Oh yeah, sister shoes.

Those are my sister shoes.

If I'd have thought of that before, I wouldn't have gotten mad first.

If I'd have thought of sister shoes immediately, I wouldn't have gotten mad.

Come on.

So, you know, he's abrupt, defensive, you know, aggressive.

This is a pattern that would kind of define the relationship, you know?

Curiosity would be met with intimidation, and reality would be replaced with Phil's version of truth.

Right, sure.