The Humiliation

The Humiliation

"Micheal?" he could hear his name being called aggressively he came out of his reverie of thoughts.

"Coming" he answered somewhat under his breath.

"You better answer like the servant you are," Mrs Anderson said in a mocking tone as she began to laugh profusely.

Michael on the other hand knew this was going to be a long conversation.

"Yes Ma'am" he manages to compose himself trying to make sure that he wounded convincing.

Micheal Carter s was fondly called "Mike" by his friends or probably the mom's existent friends he had because well he was mainly a servant to his wife and her mother who considered him nothing but trash.

Mike was a gentle and kind-hearted soul, always eager to help others, but life had not been fair to him. He married Elizabeth, a woman who seemed sweet at first, but gradually revealed her true colours after they go married.

Her mother, Mrs Anderson, was no better, often fueling Elizabeth's disdain for Mike. And they both enjoyed making ridicule him and making sure he felt dehumanized and less of himself every time.

His house became a place where he served his wife's friends and still received more ridicule to which she fueled and never tried to stop her friends.

They both belittled him, they treated him like a mere servant and deemed him "good for nothing." since to them he brought nothing to the table.

He was considered a nuisance and somewhat a burden to Elizabeth but Mike stood steadfast hoping his Elizabeth will one day return.

Which led to this insult of the moment.

"Remember we have guests coming over soon and I hope you know you've got to be on your good behaviour if not..." she didn't complete her sentence but it was enough for Micheal to know she wasn't bluffimg and her to receive a lifetime of insults and mockery if he didn't behave.

"Yes moth..." he dared to respond and quickly but his tongue as he had been warned severally about refreshing to her as her son-in-law cause he was bad luck and she couldn't associate herself with him by relation.

"It is Ma'am to you, you shall address me the same way every maid at home addresses me never you call me mother, I can never be a mother to a poverty-stricken man like you and I warned my daughter against you but...," she said holding her head as though she had a migraine.

"But...but she will not listen now you walk around disgracing us," she said as she walked up the stairs leaving a sad and pained young man who was trying his best to be accepted into the family he loved.

From above the stair, he heard Mrs Anderson speak once again---

"Don't just stand there get to work and make sure you are dressed smartly for the duty you were born to do" she said and disappeared above the staircase whilst Mike took a walk outside to begin his arrangement.

That Saturday afternoon, Mrs Anderson hosted a lavish kitty party at her elegant mansion, inviting all the elite ladies from the neighbourhood. Mike knew that these gatherings were a perfect stage for his wife and mother-in-law to humiliate him further as he would be treated as a steward even though they had maids in the house to do all the housework.

As usual, he was asked to serve the wine, not as a gracious host but rather as an invisible servant.

Clad in a neatly ironed black suit, Mike carried a silver tray with crystal wine glasses filled with a fine selection of wines. He approached the chattering group of ladies, all dressed impeccably in their designer outfits and adorned with expensive jewellery screaming class. Elizabeth and Mrs Anderson stood there, wearing their condescending smiles, ready to put on a show of his incompetence as they waited on him to do something dumb from being too anxious or simply just dumb.

As Mike offered the wine to the guests, he overheard hushed whispers and stifled giggles. The women glanced at him, whispering behind their hands, making it obvious that they were talking about him. His heart sank, but he knew he had to bear this humiliation for the sake of maintaining some semblance of peace in his already tumultuous life.

Elizabeth, with a wicked gleam in her eye, decided to publicly mock Mike as she spoke up looking directly at Mike who had just finished serving the last of the women.

"Ladies, meet my darling husband, the self-proclaimed king of all things trivial," she said with a sarcastic tone, causing the ladies to titter.

Mrs Anderson chimed in, "Oh, yes, he's so good at making a mess of everything he touches. It's quite impressive."

She added whilst they burst into big laughter and made sure he was feeling more uncomfortable than he had originally felt.

Mike felt his face flush with embarrassment, but he tried to remain composed. Deep down, he yearned for respect and love from his wife, but it seemed like an unattainable dream.

Amidst the laughter and derision, one woman, Mrs Smith, noticed the pain in Mike's eyes. Unlike the others, she had always found Mike to be a polite and genuine person. Sensing his distress, she decided to intervene.

"Come now, Elizabeth, let's not be too harsh. Everyone has their strengths."

But Elizabeth was not one to back down and she was a little mad when Mrs Smith made this remark. of Mike having a strength that she almost broke the glass of wine she held in hand.

"Strengths? Oh, please! His only strength seems to be his talent for disappointment," she retorted, causing another wave of laughter among the ladies. She was enjoying the moment and as per the request, Mike was supposed to stand there til he was asked to go back to the kitchen or whatever he was doing.

Mrs Smith frowned at Elizabeth's cruelty, now feeling sympathy for Mike. She decided to shift the focus away from him, suggesting a game to distract the group. As the women moved on, Mike discreetly wiped away a tear that had escaped his eye. He felt like an outsider in his own home, rejected and unwanted with no respect directed his way.

At that moment, a flicker of determination sparked within Mike. He resolved to change his life, to rise from this servitude and prove his worth not just to them but to himself. With newfound resolve, he picked himself up, determined to face the challenges that lay ahead.

And so, this 'Ladies' gathering' marked the beginning of Mike's journey to reclaim his identity and find the strength to stand up against the torment he endured daily.

In the Anderson household, it was such a norm to be ridiculed and made fun of to which Mrs Smith and the other workers observed Mike's plight with sympathy. They recognized his struggle for self-worth and dignity and hoped that he would find success. They empathized with his desire for respect from his wife, Elizabeth. Little did they know, a surprising transformation awaited Mike as he embarked on a tumultuous path of self-discovery.

Excusing himself, Mike left the women gathering and moved back to the Kitchen where the other workers stood looking at him with pity.

But he was not ready for anyone's pity or self-pity at the moment, all he wanted was to discover his self-worth and to make sure that he was given the respect he deserved.

He walked out of the Kitchen to the backyard garden he needed air and some time to himself to think about everything.

As Mike delved deeper into his journey of self-discovery, he began to think of uncovering the hidden strengths and talents he never knew he possessed.

His determination and resilience shone through, and he knew this was going to be motivating to the household workers who were to witness his growth.

He made sure to mark out that Mrs Smith was the only lady who cheered him on, silently rooting for his triumph over adversity.

With each step forward, Mike's confidence began to blossom. He realized that his worth was not defined by others but by his actions and beliefs.

This newfound self-assurance radiated from him, catching the attention of those around him. That is the maids with which he was made to sit as the ladies of the house had merry in ridiculing him.

Mike took a walk out of the house as he heard his wife's laughter emanate through the entire room he needed this time alone to think and make something of himself he couldn't possibly continue living in servitude as though he was not a man.

Just as the man decided to take sit in the garden for more reflection-

"Where is that good for nothing son in law of mine? Micheal?" he heard his mother-in-law Mrs Anderson call and that was his cue for more of their mockery through the night.