Some things just aren’t worth trying to explain to our other halves.
We had access to an office suite with two online computers at the apartment complex where we started our stay in the United States. It was a small room so quite difficult to tune out other people’s conversations. I was surfing mindlessly when I overheard the following conversation between a young woman and her other half:
“When we finish here we need to go to Office Depot or Staples or somewhere so I can buy a pink notebook and some pink pens.”
“Why?”
“So I can start planning my sister’s wedding.”
“You need a special notebook for that?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I just do.”
“Why?”
“They’ll help me with my planning.”
“How?”
“I don’t know.”
“I don’t get it.”
It was still amicable at that point but he clearly was showing no signs of comprehension of her needs and she was at a loss to explain. I couldn’t stand it any longer so butted in, “It’s a girl thing. You’re not meant to understand.” Startled to be interrupted, they both turned to me then laughed fortunately instead of telling me to mind my own business.
“Ah, I get it now,” he grinned. “So while you go to the store,” he said to her, “I’ll stay at home and drink beer.”
“Yes, and that’s a guy thing,” I laughed and we all went back to our computers.
Jimmy and I demonstrated this same relationship yin and yang when buying cushions for our new apartment from a heap marked 75% off.
“Why do you want them?”
“The sofa doesn’t look right without them.”
“It looks fine to me and they just get in the way.”
“This isn’t your area of expertise. Go and look at some wine while I choose them,” but he was afraid to leave me alone with a pile of wildly discounted cushions. “I’ll have two rust-colored ones and one gold one.”
“Why do you need three?”
I didn’t bother to try to explain that two cushions wouldn’t look right, that sometimes an odd number is better, that the rust cushions would link to the pattern on the gold cushion and the gold color would link to the sofa. He’s a man and cushions are just redundant. For redundant the thesaurus suggests uncalled-for. Jimmy would agree.
“They’re only five dollars.” I mean really, how much more explanation do you need? So he resigned himself to doing his man thing, checked the cushions for flaws and then carried them out of the shop.
They disintegrated within weeks but himself had the good grace not to pursue the cushion issue further.
But I say cushions are versatile and attractive additions to any home. Wouldn’t you agree?
Which Way Now 101 