Relationship Talk

Do you ever hear - or partake of - conversations like this one?

In our local hobby chat room, Al said, "Lost cable about 45 minutes ago. What do I do now? And yes, she paid the bill. Not that I didn't ask. That's why I am out in the garage now. Because I asked. If I would [have] kept my mouth shut we could [have] gone to bed early.  Stupid, stupid me.  Maybe I can schmooze my way back in there."

Bob replied, "That's why I made sure to buy a comfy couch when I got married. I figured if I'm going to [be] spending some time on it...."

Al (some minutes later): "Cable is back. I'm thinking the couch has my name on it."

Sometimes I am JUST SO GLAD to be able to relate to my wife Jill as a human being, and not as if she were some randomly-temperamental alien life form!  I think this is an element of the Manbox, that from an early age we boys were taught that the "opposite sex" (i.e., the farther end of the gender spectrum) must be treated as an adversary.  At least some of the time.