A Major Personality Clash

I knew from prior experience that there would be conflict. This is now my third time living with him. The first time ironically was due to my mother and I not getting along. This episode ended after a few months because I simply couldn't take it anymore. The second time occured because an opportunity to go into business with my dad came about. This lasted little over a month before I exploded in a rage and simply put ,wanted to "get the hell out". My rage had followed me back to my mother's and caused some very forceful arguments to happen. It was a bad situation. Now I'm here once again to help my dad move to Tennessee. THIS is the only purpose for my being here. I am in a small amount of debt and I could no longer afford the rent where I had been living for over a year and a half. It was far more important to me to help my dad clear out a number of buildings full of his personal belongings and move to Tennessee so he could get moving with his business, then to find myself a job and work just to get by and keep a good credit score. Dad offered free rent and food and in exchange for helping him he would pay down my debt.

Within 2 weeks of moving I was told to look for a credit card balance transfer offer. This was not what I had in mind, but I went ahead and found one. I remain in debt, and the amount I am being given to pay it down is far less than I could make working full time. But I'm not here too pay down debt. I'm here to help my father.

I wished to visit a friend of mine who lives an hour away from my new home. I planned on spending the night. My father was bothered that it would delay our progress. It seems helping him for 6 hours or more a day, every day, isn't enough. But I'm not here to have a social life. I'm here to help my father.

My mother needs me to be around Halloween weekend to drive her, my stepfather, and my half-sister to the airport because they don't want to leave the car parked there. I am also to take care of a dog and cat, as well as keep an eye on things. I knew telling my dad this would lead to some sort of issue. He cut me off to say "I don't understand why they can't take a friken taxi" in an annoyed manner. "It doesn't matter, I'm going." I said. I'm here to do as he says at all times. If he tells me to jump, I musn't ask "how high" because I should already know the answer to that. I'm here to help my father.

Today he tells me that I need to change my f__ing attitude. It's the same thing every time and he's sick of it. I tell him to keep working and quit talking to me because it slows him down. He tells me to "shut up". I tell him if he really needs to have the last word - another "shut up" - then by all means I want him too and - another "shut up" - I hope it makes him happy. I'm told to leave. I say no. He says he'll make me. I say I'm not leaving because I'm here to help him. I say, "Please stop talking to me and do what you were doing and I'll do what I was doing". He asks me if I want to leave for good. I say "too bad, I'm here to help you." My attempts to end the argument are continued evidence of my bad attitude. But really, I'm not here to have a "good attitude". I'm here to help my father.

In reality I'm here because I must be a glutton for punishment. My dad and I will never get along. I'm a very patient man. I can easily admit I'm wrong. If it is for the greater good I have no problem being told what to do. I'm very easy to get along with. The only thing he and I share is being stubborn. Stubborn in who we are and how we live our lives, and we are very different people.

I've fought with my father more than anyone else in my life. My mother takes second place. My sister takes third, but we were too immature for those to be considered real fights. I love my dad. I want the best for him. He loves me and wants the best for me.

I just can't stand him.