Ben by Daniel Shelton for August 06, 2024

Ben’s in the dog house. Move over, Max.

Looks like flowers AND Candy

Then we’re going to have this same problem every time. Communicate.

That’s pretty bad when even the dog is upset with you. He is man’s best friend after all.

I agree with Ben. He can’t read minds.

NEVER ask a woman what you did wrong. She doesn’t have all day to list them.

Start with a general abject apology, with a little groveling. Then recite the Man’s Prayer: “I’m a man, but I can change, if I have to, I guess.”

I went through this same game twice with my ex. I then went about my day and that really made her mad. She came storming up and said, “You need to apologize!!” I told her, “I did, twice. I’m done playing this game.”

A parallel is when she’s disappointed you didn’t get her the gift she wanted, but which she refused to tell you what she wanted. “If you truly loved me you would know what I wanted.”

Ditch her, Ben…

That argument with your wife that you won? Isn’t over yet.

Well Ben, enjoy a little while of silence.

Load up the car and go camping for a week. Don’t tell the wife. When you get back and she asks where you have been, say, “If you don’t know, I’m not going to tell you.”

One of the Dick VanDyke episodes I watched last night, on MeTV, was like this. Rob and Laura were in the car, on their way home from dinner with friends. Laura was suddenly angry about something Rob did, but felt he should know what it was without her telling him. The only clue she gave him was that it could prevent their son from ever being able to go to college. If you are one of those people sensitive to “spoilers” — even involving shows from the early 60s, then STOP READING NOW. ______________________________Rob then reviewed everything he said or did at dinner, but Laura just got more and more angry. it turns out that she believed Rob is a compulsive “check grabber,” to the extent that he might blow through Richie‘s college fund. Happy ending — Rob agreed to stop grabbing checks, and he proved it the next time they went out.

Enjoy the peace and quiet

My ex – AKA The Late and Unlamented – used to do this to me. I finally told him he was just making things up, trying to get me to apologize, and I wasn’t playing that game. just went about my business the rest of the day, speaking to him as if nothing was wrong. He finally gave up. Never did tell me what was wrong.

Cool! 2 days of peace and quiet!

“You know what, if I don’t know, and you won’t tell me, the nothing is wrong, and I’m going back to doing what I was doing.”

“You’re wasting your time playing this game. I don’t know the rules, so I’m not playing.”

If she doesn’t tell me, it means I didn’t do anything wrong. Carry on with your day, Ben!

It is EXTREMELY rare that he has anything to apologize for – me, on the other hand…