What Happens to the Non-Deal-Breakers?

by Pauline Jennings

Listen, if we weren’t upset about something major, I really truly, honestly believe we could actually JOKE about our small failings. Even better, when we’re happy about the foundation of the relationship, we’re willing to change those little irritants that bother one another. Teri looked like this made sense, but wasn’t willing to agree yet!

So we turned back to the list. (BTW - this guy she’s seeing is really a great guy. She does like him a lot.)

He swore (he’d probably stop if he knew it bothered her – if it slips out once in awhile, she could just CHILL, right?)
He called his mom, “Momma” (SO WHAT?)
He socks were really stained (buy him new socks)
His breath smelled (this is a really tough one, we agreed, but worth it to confront. She has to bite the bullet and tell him, no matter what happens, in the end, the guy will thank her for this)
He smoked when he drank a lot (if he drank a lot a lot, I’d be worried, but it only happened once)
He was often late (tell him to pick you up 15 minutes before you need to go, and then work on the on time thing with him)
He was a sloppy dresser (buy him clothes and/or help him dress – I love to help my husband get dressed for a gig)
He was sloppy (this could be a deal breaker, but on closer inspection he really isn’t that bad…she was just on a roll)
He laughed out loud at movies (GET OVER IT)
He answered his home phone with, “What’s up?” (see above)
He drove too fast
He told her to drive faster (she was really reaching here at the end)

After all of this we were laughing pretty hard. How absurd we can be? How stupid? Teri decided to give the guy a little slack. Maybe he’d even change some of is ways for the good of them.

I learned something, here. I did.