The first shot's been fired. They asked for a "favor". They asked me to see the same psychiatrist from over 20 years ago because they don't understand me. They condescendingly asked for a "favor". I reciprocated in kind. I took the three-pronged grappling hooks I had by my side and raked them into their sides. They won't be asking for any more "favors" any time soon.

Really, I was kinder than that, but not by much. Looking them straight in the eye (not reciprocated), I explained if they wanted to understand me, they needed to go see a Chinese-speaking shrink and ask what was wrong with them that they don't understand me. Their not understanding me is not about me, and throwing money at a white psychiatrist to make up words about me to make them feel better is not a solution, and not a waste of time I was about to concede to.

To understand me, they had to look into themselves and see beyond their narrowly-defined worldview, one where not everything is about making money and spending money.

That was effectively the end of the discussion. I attacked their precious money and all they could do was blither about how money is good and sometimes you need money. I made one or two half-hearted efforts to get them back on track, pointing out how now they were completely off the topic, but it was no use. They couldn't see the difference.

They let it go.

I won, and we both lost.