The Perfect Victim
When our neighbor from downstairs gave us some fish her husband had bought, Claire poured scalding fish stew over my head.
If I took out the trash for a neighbor once, she would smash every piece of furniture in the house.
She said she felt insecure, that seeing other people give me things hurt her feelings. She said seeing me help other women made her jealous, and that she was just terrified of losing me.
I tolerated her insecurity in our marriage, blaming it all on the earthquake. If she had not lost her legs, maybe she would not be like that.
However, she became worse and worse.
Finally, one night, she came at me with a needle aimed at my groin. "If you can't perform anymore, you won't be