I’m 52 years old and have been married for 27 years. Yes, I am going through menopause. I wasn’t expecting special treatment, but I certainly wasn’t expecting my **OWN HUSBAND** to turn it into a running joke. It started innocently enough, or so I thought. Little “jokes” that he thought were hilarious. He would say things like, “Careful, don’t trigger a hot flash!” or “She forgot again — blame the hormones,” and even the classic, “Menopause brain strikes!” He would laugh as if it made his comments acceptable. Initially, these remarks were confined to the privacy of our home, but soon they began to creep into our social life, during dinners, BBQs, and when we had friends over.
I learned to **SMILE** while shrinking inside, a familiar feeling for many women. If you know, you know. I tried to ignore it, hoping it would pass. I thought maybe if I didn’t react, he would eventually stop. But he didn’t. It only seemed to embolden him. The jokes became more frequent, more pointed, and more public.
Then came **THE DINNER**. My husband, desperate to secure a promotion he’d been chasing for over a YEAR, invited his boss over for dinner. He emphasized the importance of the evening, telling me more than once, “Be on your best behavior,” “Try to look nice,” and, perhaps most insultingly, “PLEASE don’t get emotional.”
I cooked, set the table, and put on a dress, doing everything I could to ensure the evening went smoothly. However, from the moment his boss arrived, my husband went into full **SHOWMAN MODE**. He was loud, overly charming, constantly talking over me, correcting me, and interrupting as if I were nothing more than a piece of furniture.
At one point during the dinner, I stood up to adjust the thermostat. It was then that he chuckled and casually announced, “Sorry about that. She’s going through THE CHANGE. Menopause. Temperature issues.” I wanted the floor to OPEN UP and swallow me whole. His boss simply WATCHED. The rest of the night was a blur. I cleared plates, skipped dessert, and listened to my husband brag and boast as if I weren’t even there. After his boss left, my husband was GLOWING with pride. “See?” he said. “NAILED IT. Promotion’s finally happening.”
The next morning, my phone rang. It was an unknown number. Hesitantly, I answered. “Hi,” a man said calmly. “This is David. From last night.” My stomach DROPPED. “I’m calling you privately,” he continued. “Your husband shouldn’t know.” I sat down, bracing myself. “It’s none of my business,” he said, “But the way he treated you… that was UNACCEPTABLE.” I was speechless. Then, he said, real quiet: “He’s been FIRED for creating a hostile work environment, and I’d like to take you on a date.
