I'm 55 and I feel like a real asshole lately. Just... short with everyone. My wife, my kids. The grandkids come over and I just want to tell them to shut the hell up. Not that I do, I'm not a monster. But the thought's there. My son asked if I was okay the other day and I just snapped at him, told him to mind his own business. The fuck's wrong with me? I used to be, I dunno, steadier. Never a saint but I wasn't like this. Is it just "grumpy old man" syndrome? Is that what happens? My old man passed a few months back. He was sick for a while, like a good three years, and I was doing most of the heavy lifting with Mom. Doctor's appointments, running him around, fixing shit at their place. It was a lot. And honestly, when he finally went, there was this… relief. I felt bad even thinking it. But it was just over. Now, there's nothing. Just this big empty space where all that running around used to be. And I thought I'd be fine, you know? More time for me, for the family. But I’m just pissed off instead. Used to wake up, know what I had to do. Now I just wake up and I'm irritated before my feet even hit the floor. The guys at work, they just laugh it off, "rough night, pal?" They don't know shit. I'm worried I'm gonna push everyone away, but I don't know how to stop. It's like I'm stuck being a jerk.