More about growing old. One of my friends, a Widower, and very active for any age, let alone his age. He is seventy six, plays tennis twice a week, and does both Square Dancing and Ballroom Dancing. He cuts a fine figure, ramrod straight, and would still fit in his old Uniform.
He has been single for a while, almost two decades. And he swore when he lost his Bride to Breast cancer ..he would never get married again. A little over a year ago he met (we shall call her: Margaret) a woman who not only could keep up with him, but was just as careful with her money. Owned her own home, no debts, and a pretty solid IRA. Just like him. '
And she loves to dance, and is ranked in Tennis in her age group. They enjoy each other's company. Things were going well...until:
Her) "I think we should get married."
Him) "Nope. Been there, done that. Loved her with all my heart. But I enjoy my freedom."
And so it became a sticking point. Eventually, he had second thoughts. Maybe he just was becoming an old curmudgeon. So they decided to rent an AirBnB- in the Mountains near their homes.
He figured if they lived together for a month, and in a place that they both liked anyway...he could handle being married again.
So they were very excited about this new adventure. They got there in the Afternoon...unpacked, and went out for a bite to eat.
Three days later ...it went South. Way South. By the late Afternoon on the fourth day , he left in a huff. She went home the next day. They didn't talk for a few weeks.
He called me to tell me what happened.
And you would not believe what a big role, toilet paper rolls have in a relationship.
My friend poops...a lot. Always has. Three bowl movements a day, not usual for him. He had all the tests run, nothing wrong with him, just a busy bowel. He has had that scheduled since he was a kid.
He never really thought about it.
She, apparently poops every once in a while. She brought one roll of toilet paper to last the month. He brought one of those giant 24 packs from Costco...with another backup pack.
She didn't say anything ...at first.
But the third day they were there.. she went to use the bathroom, and the roll of toilet paper was already used up. She took the empty roll and confronted him.
"Is something wrong with you? What kind of person uses up a roll of toilet paper in just a day or so? Do you need to see a Doctor?"
He said they argued about it, and when she found the second roll almost empty the morning of the Fourth day together...she lit into him.
He told me he just looked at her and said:
"I am not going to put up with this. Yelled at because I don't use toilet paper like you do? So what? I have a dozen rolls with me. And you aren't there when I use it anyway."
He said it got heated, and she listed a whole litany of things she had been quietly "putting up with" without telling him. And that is when he left.
I asked him how he felt about it all, now that he had cooled down.
And this is what he said:
"Kevin, marriage is full of compromises. So many that most folks don't notice them anymore. I loved my first wife for 38 years, she earned the right to have compromises. I barely know this woman ...and I will be darned if I am going to learn how to compromise ...again. "

They are talking again, but he now carries a roll of toilet paper in his glove box, and if she gets on him about anything, he pulls out the roll of toilet paper and sets it on the dash. It either makes them both laugh, or they take a break from each other for a while.
Who knew the role of toilet paper.