"....there ain't nothing so powerful as the odor of mendacity..." -- Big Daddy in "Cat On A Hot Tin Roof"

 There are thousands of quotes about mendacity from Marcus Aurelius to Bertrand Russell and beyond. But the writer most closely with it is Tennessee Williams and his character Big Daddy, played by Burl Ives in "Cat On A Hot Tin Roof."

 The story line is easy enough to look up and the movie simple to find, so I won't go into it here. I'll only say it's a play/movie everyone over the age of 12 should see.

 Mendacity is defined as a tendency to lie or at least not tell the truth for fear of offending someone. After all, we don't want to be seen as rude, especially by a boss or someone else well-connected. They might be able to help us down the line, so we either just keep our mouth shut or we actively support them in hopes of being noted and duly rewarded. It's basically being a kiss-up and, while I'll only rarely get political in here, a hallmark of the current administration.

 My generation was particularly affected by this. Our parents came through a Depression and a world war, neither of which were conducive to wasting time on being polite. You had shit to do and you did it and if it stepped on toes, everyone else was doing the same thing. You pleased a commanding officer or employer because it was the most efficient thing to do and everything/one could move on.

 Then we Boomers started coming along and, like any decent parents, our folks wanted us to have a gentler, easier life. Incomes were up, suburbs became a thing and we were taught "children should be seen and not heard" for fear of rocking the proverbial boat.

  There is a point to this monologue.

 While my time in the hospital and now in rehab are helping me deal (very well) with the physical, fully half the reason I'm here is mental -- trying to find the best ways of dealing with a domestic situation that hasn't changed since I left two weeks ago. While I have a psychologist, I can't leave and see him while I'm in here. And no, I don't do this kinda thing virtually. I have been wanting to see the promised one here, but repeated requests at all levels led to nothing. You have to take a stand, so I did.

 Summoning all my therapists, the doctor and my case manager, I explained I'd been lied to and was not at all getting the help I told would be available. I told them it had to end and right now.

 The problem was solved in less than an hour. Two of my therapists pulled me aside to say they'd never seen a patient advocate for themselves like that. They said patients are usually too intimidated to challenge while undergoing care, for fear of receiving subpar care or being ignored.

 Homie don't play dat.

 My point is to never back down. Fortunately most of the folks I hang with aren't the kind who do. But sometimes we all need a little kick in the ass to remind us.

"...the only one who can make you feel inferior is you..." -- Eleanor Roosevelt