LJ Idol: Week 14: Failure to Communicate
“Damn you, Steve.”
“What did I do this time?”
“Nothing.”
“Then why are you damning me?”
“Because you're a jerk”
“And why am I jerk? What did I do wrong?"
“I said nothing. Didn’t you hear me the first time?”
“Fine then…”
I picked up the newspaper and started reading the front page. Looks like more budget cuts to the local schools, that is just terrible…
“I just don’t understand…”
I looked up from the front page to glance at my beautiful wife.
“Understand what, sweetie?”
“Nothing”
“Then why would you even say anything if there is nothing wrong?”
“God, you are driving me crazy!” Christine slammed her coffee cup down on the table
“Would you like me to leave you alone?”
“Oh, you would like that, wouldn’t you?”
I decided that was not a question I should answer. There was no right answer and it was better to just say nothing at all.
I went back to my newspaper and flipped to the sports section to see how the high school football team did this week.
Christine got up to get milk from the refrigerator. She made sure to slam the door and say something under her breath that sounded like she was swearing at me again.
“Sweetie, if you just tell me what is wrong, maybe I can make it up to you?”
“Nothing is wrong.”
“Okay…if you say so.“
She poured some milk into her coffee and sat back down.
I flipped to the entertainment section and realized several good movies were coming out that I wanted to see.
“So what do you want to do this weekend, honey?”
She pretended to be picking at her fingernail polish
“Honey?”
She didn’t even look at me
“Christine?”
“Shut up”
“OK, I’m sorry…”
“I said SHUT UP”
I decided it might be a good idea to shut up and not apologize again. I went back to the paper and read about some elderly couple celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. I hope that will be us someday.
“Steve?” Her voice held less anger this time
“Yes, Chrissy?
“I know…”
I couldn’t have taken a drink of my coffee at a worse time because I ended up coughing it back up and all over my newspaper. She couldn't know about THAT, now could she?
“I know what you are hiding…”
I just looked at her, puzzled and wondering what she knew…it could be any number of things. I shouldn't worry too much about what she knows. She couldn't have found out.
“Why didn’t you just tell me?”
“I don’t know…” but she cut me off before I could finish
“I love you…I could have handled it. I wish you had trusted me enough to tell me”
“I’m sorry?” I worried she would hear the uncertainty in my voice. I wasn’t sure what I was sorry about, but knew I better be sorry.
“I know you are honey, and I forgive you” She reached for my hand and gave it a soft kiss before she got up from the table with a smile to refill our coffee cups.
“What did I do this time?”
“Nothing.”
“Then why are you damning me?”
“Because you're a jerk”
“And why am I jerk? What did I do wrong?"
“I said nothing. Didn’t you hear me the first time?”
“Fine then…”
I picked up the newspaper and started reading the front page. Looks like more budget cuts to the local schools, that is just terrible…
“I just don’t understand…”
I looked up from the front page to glance at my beautiful wife.
“Understand what, sweetie?”
“Nothing”
“Then why would you even say anything if there is nothing wrong?”
“God, you are driving me crazy!” Christine slammed her coffee cup down on the table
“Would you like me to leave you alone?”
“Oh, you would like that, wouldn’t you?”
I decided that was not a question I should answer. There was no right answer and it was better to just say nothing at all.
I went back to my newspaper and flipped to the sports section to see how the high school football team did this week.
Christine got up to get milk from the refrigerator. She made sure to slam the door and say something under her breath that sounded like she was swearing at me again.
“Sweetie, if you just tell me what is wrong, maybe I can make it up to you?”
“Nothing is wrong.”
“Okay…if you say so.“
She poured some milk into her coffee and sat back down.
I flipped to the entertainment section and realized several good movies were coming out that I wanted to see.
“So what do you want to do this weekend, honey?”
She pretended to be picking at her fingernail polish
“Honey?”
She didn’t even look at me
“Christine?”
“Shut up”
“OK, I’m sorry…”
“I said SHUT UP”
I decided it might be a good idea to shut up and not apologize again. I went back to the paper and read about some elderly couple celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. I hope that will be us someday.
“Steve?” Her voice held less anger this time
“Yes, Chrissy?
“I know…”
I couldn’t have taken a drink of my coffee at a worse time because I ended up coughing it back up and all over my newspaper. She couldn't know about THAT, now could she?
“I know what you are hiding…”
I just looked at her, puzzled and wondering what she knew…it could be any number of things. I shouldn't worry too much about what she knows. She couldn't have found out.
“Why didn’t you just tell me?”
“I don’t know…” but she cut me off before I could finish
“I love you…I could have handled it. I wish you had trusted me enough to tell me”
“I’m sorry?” I worried she would hear the uncertainty in my voice. I wasn’t sure what I was sorry about, but knew I better be sorry.
“I know you are honey, and I forgive you” She reached for my hand and gave it a soft kiss before she got up from the table with a smile to refill our coffee cups.