A bit off topic but this reminds me slightly of my wife. But not about talking too much. We’ve been married 17 years and I know her as one of the strongest people I know. She doesn’t hide her emotions but there is one things that has always made her cry, and for years I thought it was kind of heartwarming. It’s when she sees or hears of anything not being fair, or if someone is unfairly treated. Like, if I’m telling her a story about a customer, coworker, or some random gripe, if it’s someone “picking on me” she will cry. It’ll be a small thing, like “Tom puts this extra work on me at the last minute, can you believe it?” She will get teary-eyed, “You don’t deserve that, I don’t like people picking on you...”. I’ll kinda laugh and tell her it’s not that big of a deal. But nearly any other time in a sad situation, she gets sad but rarely cries over little things. She’s my no drama mama, lol.
Then one day we were visiting her mom in the small town where my wife grew up. She was pointing out different landmarks, telling stories. This is where they would ride horses to to get snow cones, there is where her brother broke his arm. Then she said, “That’s where ‘Tammy’ made her get off the bus and walk home. It didn’t register but she got a little quiet until we got to her mom’s house. It was about 2 miles away. When we arrived I said, “Wait, your friend Tammy made you get off and walk that whole way?” She began to cry right there in her mom’s driveway. Not hard but trying not to cry and laughing at her perceived silliness. I said, no... hang on. What happened. She didn’t want to talk so we went inside.
Later that night when we were in her old bedroom about to sleep, she told me about how when she was in 7th grade, she & a several of her friends were coming home and Tammy, the leader of the group suddenly said my wife had to get off at the next stop. All the other girls (I think 3-4 others) laughed and made her get off. The bus driver did not do anything. And when the bus drove away they mocked her from the back windows. I picture her standing alone 2 miles from her house and all her “friends” laughing. Alone.
This stuff stays with you.