A Failure to Communicate
by Kym on May 20, 2008
Neil got in big trouble last night. And I do mean big. Not the slight-frown-and-exasperated-sigh kind. We’re talking about the darkly-scowling-and-contemplating-hurling-things-at-the-head-of-the-offending-personage sort of anger here.
He’s lucky I’d already made him a yummy dinner (chicken and veggie soup with piping hot cornbread and honey butter) before he told me. And what was the news that nearly resulted in me concussing my own husband with the all too tempting bulk of…oh…let’s say the microwave?
He told me, last night, that he’d promised our landlord we’d be out of the old house. Yesterday. He told me this at six o’clock that night. So we loaded up the kids in the car, plugged them into the portable DVD player because we’re really interactive parents like that, and went to work packing up the last dribs and drabs. You know, the bits and pieces that we’ve been living without for a month now. Yeah, no hidden treasures there. Although I did find two yams that had been tucked into the back of one of the kitchen cupboards. Mmmm…yams…
Anyway, as I was in the process of hauling boxes around, I got to feeling just the weest bit bitter. Okay, so maybe more than a wee bit. My jaw still hurts a bit from the clenching, to be honest. Neil had known for over a week that we had a deadline. Last I’d heard we needed to be out by June. So here I was, sweating like mad, huffing and puffing and whatnot, thinking rather nasty thoughts about my dear sweet husband.
And suddenly, the oddest mental picture popped up:
I’d seen this earlier that day when browsing around for blog template worthy graphics at www.deviantart.com. And it had made me grin a bit, especially since I’d recently been thinking that perhaps I ought to invite a little more silliness into my writing. But last night it hit me in a slightly more profound way. Yes, I know, profound and rubber duckies don’t exactly go together…but seriously, it was a poignant moment.
I got to thinking about how angry I was allowing myself to become over what was, essentially, just a failure to communicate. Neil hadn’t maliciously kept the information from me. He’s not a nasty, unkind, or evil man. He’s just a bit of a twit sometimes and in a way, I love him for that.
Makes me look so much more “with it” by comparison.
So yes, I think I’ll keep him. And ye olde duckie with the horns? Back off. I’m keeping things happy and yellow around here just to spite you.
22 comments
When my husband does stuff like that (what man doesn’t?) I’ve learned to just roll my eyes and bite my tongue. Men! They sure do keep life interesting. At least the job’s done now.
by Stephanie Humphreys on May 20, 2008 at 8:32 pm. #
Ugh. I was clenching my jaw for you!!!!!!!!!!! Men….
by Amber on May 20, 2008 at 8:48 pm. #
Anger, it’s highly over-rated. I kind of found that out. Glad your lesson was simpler.
by Leendaluu on May 20, 2008 at 9:03 pm. #
So before you had this epiphanous moment in which you forgave him for not communicating with you, did you communicate to him how much it bothered you? You didn’t have to throw something at hi, you didn’t have to yell, but just say ‘this is something you should have told me. And when you don’t communicate, I can’t plan ahead.’
You need to tell him when he does stuff like that – not yell, tell.
Of course, my opinion on this is probably one of the reasons he doesn’t like me.
by Thalia's Child on May 20, 2008 at 9:03 pm. #
Wow. Well, at least you don’t have to worry about it anymore, right? And I LOVE that picture! And I’m glad you’re keeping things yellow ;)
by Jaina on May 20, 2008 at 10:05 pm. #
Yeah, at least you are done!
Though you’re much more forgiving than I. It would have taken me at least 24 hours.
by JustRandi on May 20, 2008 at 10:58 pm. #
just think how much faster it was this way. ;) seriously, though, you really are a sweetheart. i would’ve been positively steamed.
ps devil duck is cracking me up.
by Nic on May 20, 2008 at 11:06 pm. #
Oh, girl that is so hard. But such is the way of life…or duck, and it only makes us stronger.
I always say that I was put on this earth to put character into others, especially my husband. :)
by Bee Repartee on May 20, 2008 at 11:40 pm. #
I think that happens to us all. Hooray for rubber duckies!
by Hillary on May 21, 2008 at 12:05 am. #
I am kind of fuming myself right now, although not at the husband. Thanks for helping me realize the anger isn’t worth it.
by An Ordinary Mom on May 21, 2008 at 12:07 am. #
The odds and ends are always the worst! At least you have it all done now, right?
BTW – where can I get one of those devil ducks… I like him :)
by Melissa on May 21, 2008 at 12:07 am. #
a horny duck. well that’s a thing i never thought i’d see on your blog. i’m going to hang it up in my bedroom.
wait, that was *too* far, wasn’t it.
by holly on May 21, 2008 at 12:21 am. #
I’m glad you didn’t hurl the microwave, those things are expensive :)
At least he helped you clean out the old house instead of going to “work” or whatever men do all day away from home.
PS I like the ducks too. Didn’t you have a duckie bathroom at one point?
by Fooferoo on May 21, 2008 at 1:42 am. #
That last of the load to move is the worst. And surprises like that are the worst. Husbands that do things like that are at their worst, and ducks in a flood are truly the worst. But 2 yams, thats the best..
by Jan on May 21, 2008 at 2:37 am. #
So funny — Devil duck!
We have a similar icon at our house. Only ours is Devil Deer. One Christmas my hubby told the kids if they didn’t go to bed the devil deer would get them. And he drew this horrific, menacing reindeer with fangs and devil horns. I framed it and gave it to him for Christmas the next year.
Well, as long as it’s not Devil Dear, I think we’re all doing great! :)
by charrette on May 21, 2008 at 2:46 am. #
what’s funny is I’m more likely to do this to Billy than he to me :)
by Abra on May 21, 2008 at 2:09 pm. #
:)
by Elaine on May 21, 2008 at 2:29 pm. #
Love the devil duck!!!
Glad you were able to let it go. Anger isn’t worth it!
by Dedee on May 21, 2008 at 5:52 pm. #
That has GOT to be a MAN thing,I swear it! Mine is the same way,grrrr.
I love your new template!
Very beautiful!
by Ms.L on May 21, 2008 at 9:18 pm. #
I actually bought a HUGE devil duck for my husband’s aunt a couple years ago. She didn’t get it.
by Memarie Lane on May 21, 2008 at 11:39 pm. #
I’m going sexist on you: It’s a guy thing.
Greg would never get why this would bum me out.
Still, I love him and you love Neil and they forgive our faults too. If we have any, heh.
I guess it’s all done with now and you can relax.
by Lisa Milton on May 22, 2008 at 2:24 am. #
This is one of those married moments where you want to stab something but know it isn’t going to do anybody any good.
so I am glad you went with the duckie attitude.
by Dapoppins on May 22, 2008 at 9:34 pm. #