My friend Adam is practically unbearable. You talk to him, discuss some common topics, and everything seems fine, until it comes to personal achievements. He is always the best fryer, the highest earner, the most accurate goal-scorer.
He grew up an only child, but they were as poor as church mice, so his parents often had to work part-time jobs that weren’t the most promising. His father was a longshoreman, and he used to mow lawns at our school. Some kids in fifth grade laughed at Adam for that reason, and it hurt him so much, apparently, that once he achieved something and stopped depending on his parents, he doesn’t let his nose down.
He’s above everyone else, he’s better than everyone else, and he expects praise from his friends. Out of all of us thirty-somethings, he’s the only one who still throws birthday parties. All classy and expensive to impress everyone. He tries for his wife and kids, but it pales in comparison to the way he shows off himself to his friends. Every meeting is just bragging. And what is remarkable is that if you dare to brag about something in return, it spoils Adam’s mood, and next year he may not invite that person, or simply stop talking to him.
When I got a car that was better than his, in some respects, and more expensive, Adam barely spoke to me for a month. To establish communication again, my wife prompted me to praise his car, saying that in fact it was better, and here we are friends again.
I do not know how the family gets along with him, but I communicate with him more because sometimes you need his help – he is a foreman at the construction site, can help or workers, or repair plan, or information about new buildings to give. But it’s very hard to communicate with him. You have to find such boastful, narcissistic and jealous people…
