Sherri asked her husband.
I’ll let you read her post to fully appreciate what happened next. She did, however, throw down the gauntlet. She challenged the rest of us ( well, “Only the brave and transparent”) to do the same. I thought it might be nice to have a little male perspective on this. So as my wife and I relaxed on a lazy Wednesday night, I asked her those same questions. I also prayed that things would not descend into the sort of downward spiral that Sherri experienced.
Here goes:
What is my favorite comfort food?
What my wife said: ice cream.
What I hoped she’d say: banana pudding, complete with real bananas and Nilla Wafers. It’s an anytime food. I’ve even had it for breakfast (don’t make that face. It has fruit in it). But ice cream was a close second.
If money were no object, where would I like to go on vacation?
What my wife said: Key West, Florida.
What I hoped she’d say: I was leaning toward Yankee Stadium and thought I had my first “A-ha!” moment, but she was right. It’s hard to pass up a place where three quarters of the population stops what they’re doing every evening to walk down to the pier watch the sunset.
How do I feel about housework?
What my wife said: “Are you serious?”
What I hoped she’d say: “Are you serious?”
What is my least favorite household chore?
What my wife said: taking out the trash.
What I hoped she’d say: the same. Just because I always seem to have to do that when it’s dinner time for the neighborhood bears.
What brings me the most joy?
What my wife said: my family.
What I hoped she’d say: her. Guess I have to work on that one, huh?
I have a Saturday night with no commitments. How do I spend it?
What my wife said: Popcorn and a movie.
What I hoped she’d say: Popcorn and an old movie. There’s a difference, and it’s a big one. She really should know that by now.
What is my greatest gift?
What my wife said: writing.
What I hoped she’d say: that I can fall asleep anytime, anywhere. But I was happy with her answer.
What is my greatest talent?
What my wife said: seeing the big picture.
What I hoped she’d say: seeing the details. Lack of communication, anyone?
What do I enjoy the most?
What my wife said: television.
What I hoped she’d say: it doesn’t matter. Because television? Out of all the things I enjoy in life, she thinks television tops the list?
“I watch educational stuff,” I answered. “The History Channel, Discovery—”
“—baseball,” she interrupted, “football, basketball,—”
“—the Science Channel, National Geographic, —”
“–24, NCIS, The Andy Griffith Show…”
It went that way for a while, but then I cut the conversation short. Partly because I was tired of convincing her I was right. Mostly because it was time for Lost to come on.
What is my greatest fear?
What my wife said: not fulfilling your dreams.
What I hoped she’d say: the same. Because that meant she didn’t remember what my biggest fear really was: clowns.
What is my biggest pet peeve about other people?
What I hoped she’d say: arrogance. Because really, is any other human trait more annoying than that?
What is my favorite book of the Bible?
What my wife said: the Psalms.
What I hoped she’d say: the same.
What do I hate most about my body?
What my wife said: “I don’t know, nothing I guess.”
What I hoped she’d say: “You’re a guy. You people don’t care how you look.”
What do you think is your best feature?
What my wife said: my personality (now I understand how you felt, Sherri).
What I hoped she’d say: anything other than that.
What is my most annoying habit?
What my wife said: nothing, at first. Which was a good sign since I thought that meant she was really trying hard but couldn’t come up with anything. But then I realized she could also be wading through all the options and couldn’t decide on just one. She finally settled on the fact that all the clocks in the house are set five minutes fast.
Really? That’s it? My most annoying habit is the fact that I don’t want to be late for anything? That I’m punctual? I’ll take it.
What I hoped she’d say: You’ll never know.
