Even after enduring it for so long, I still find it sting every time I’m treated this way and yet, I still help them. What in heck is wrong with me?

I feel like I might have over-reacted a tiny bit last weekend when my uncle called me out of the blue needing me to help his son sign up for health insurance.

His son – my cousin – is currently in China spending time with his wife and in my opinion, not returning to the U.S. any time soon. So why does he need insurance? There was also the problem of I don’t know the password to his health insurance marketplace account.

I kept telling my uncle I never helped my cousin sign up for insurance. He opened the account last year, not me. Next thing I knew, mom was defending her brother, saying I must had forgotten. As always, I’m left standing alone behind enemy lines, outnumbered. “Try.” They both urged as if I could summon the password out of thin air, like I’ve suddenly developed the skill of hacking.

“I don’t know the password.” I half-shouted.

Mom clicked her tongue – a sign I’m going to get a scolding after – and I suddenly became enraged. “I didn’t open his account. If I did, I would’ve written it down in the list of shit I’m forced to remember.”

“What about Forget Password?” Mom pointed out and I, in turn, answered that the password will be sent to my cousin’s gmail which he can’t open because Google isn’t allowed in China. Mom argued that my cousin has a VPN and he’d be able to access his gmail. I highly doubt VPNs works in China these days as the Great Firewall is ever more strengthened these days and still getting stronger day by day like a growing beast.

I was right. He couldn’t get past the firewall, not even with a VPN, to access his gmail.

My uncle then decided to head home to call his son to ask for the password. I resumed my work in the backyard – raking dead grass and exposing the soil to prepare to apply lawn soil for the winter so I can plant groundcover in the spring. Not 10 minutes later, mom poked her head out the door. “How long are you going to be done?”

She didn’t wait for my reply before slamming the door shut. What’s the point, I thought and continued except not a minute later, I decided to check what she wanted when I saw my uncle has returned. He showed me his phone screen. It’s got a list of security question on it – the security questions to my cousin’s insurance account.

He also got me the password to his gmail account except logging into gmail is a lot more complicated these days with the two-factor authentication. Fortunately I found a way to pass the authentication. Once getting into his gmail account, I went to the health insurance website and requested a password reset. I clicked on the password reset and next thing I knew, it took me to the page with the same security questions as what’s showing on my uncle’s phone.

“Try to guess the answers.” My uncle urged.

I put in 3 random answers, which didn’t work. I wouldn’t know where to start. “I don’t know the answers to these.”

“Would you put in some effort?” Mom nudged.

“I don’t know the answers to these.” I said firmly. “I didn’t set up the account. I didn’t set up these answers.”

After several tries, the account was locked. Whatever, at least now I know this is truly done, for now. My uncle finally went home and I could at last return to my garden chores except the sky started to rain. I have never been more angry my whole life.

You see what I have to deal with? Everyone look at me like I’m invisible until they want something.

Did I get to apply the lawn soil on my lawn?

Nope, not with the rain suddenly started coming down that day. Hopefully I’ll get to apply this weekend.