For Men: A Cautionary Tale

When you live with someone for a very long time, sometimes the comfort level gets well...a little too comfortable. Easiest example of this is bodily functions. While I have no desire to do a play-by-play on this, we all know over time things that would never be considerable acceptable on a first, second or third date, become commonplace and for the most part...ignored. All of our bodies function the same way, women though seem to have more control over them...that's all I'm saying about that.

Along with the physical nature of the passage of time, there is also the ordinary conversation. Granted, there is not a man still breathing who answered the question "Do I look fat in this?" with a "Yes." Somewhere in the evolutionary process, they have learned to steer clear of that landmine.

Which brings me to three little words which were uttered yesterday by 'the other.'  I don't even remember how the conversation began as I was sitting at the computer writing yesterday's Music blog. Normally my attention to his speaking when I am writing is minimal... at best. An occasional nod or "uh huh' is usually sufficient to get through a quick conversation. If it starts to become a little cumbersome, the crazy lady appears and her voice and attitude quickly has him heading in another direction. And yes, he will read this post...another interesting conversation to be sure. But I digress.

As I sat here yesterday, he said to me "You have really nice hair"...and here it comes..."for your age." dum de dum dum. As my head spun around a full 360 degrees, I said "You really didn't say those three words did you." Then came the confused expression on his face and the protest that it was a compliment.  No, a compliment would have ended with the first half of the sentence.  What the second half did was make it a comparison...you would think after more than two decades of living in the same house...he would know better. And this is coming from a man who will hit an age milestone this year that is still unfathomable to both of us.

Anyway, as I started to scribble a few notes about what was being said, he asked if this was going to end up a blog. I gave him the look. Not only does he need to be scolded and shamed in a public forum, but it is my duty to advise my male readers there is a price to pay for getting a little too comfortable..and not doing a word-by-word analysis before you issue a 'compliment.'

In a related story, afterwards he took me clothes shopping.. a nice trade-off for a little back-handed flattery.

"Do I look fat in this?"

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