One of my buddies was widowed over a decade ago. Five years ago he met this woman I shall call: "Linda." Linda was smart, loved to travel, could dance to any music and was one of the most well read people he had ever met. She was also widowed after a thirty year marriage.
They got along really well. Travelled to other countries, did a couple of cruises together. They were good buddies - my friend told me. So one day, the subject comes up about marriage. Should they? Or shouldn't they? Both were old school, so the idea of living together ...and the complications of selling one house, or the other...well those sort of things threw a monkey wrench in their plans. They lived in different states...so one would have to move away from family and friends.

They came up with the idea of renting an AirBnB for a month. They lasted exactly four days. I asked him what went wrong. He gave me a one word answer:
"Toilet paper!"

I laughed. He did not. He wasn't kidding. So I asked what about toilet paper tore them apart.

"Kevin, when we travelled we always had separate rooms, so we both had a place to got back to that was just the way we like it. So when we got the AirBnB our first fights were over the Air Conditioning. I like it cold to sleep. She likes it much warmer. Then, it turns out, she is a morning talker. I am not. I need coffee and some quiet time before I can face my day.

So we both had to adjust to that. She is a morning walker, I am an afternoon walker. We both like evening strolls...so that was good."

"So those things happen anytime a couple moves in together. So why the toilet paper."

"I'm getting to that Kevin. So in those first four days, the AC came up, the Talking came up. The walking came up. And then it turns out, she doesn't snack. Not at all. I nibble all day long. She didn't like that. And I don't like snacking in front of someone who doesn't have a snack. So we had to wiggle around that little thing too. But then...the toilet paper thing happened."

By this time, I really wanted to know what the toilet paper thing was!

"What was the toilet paper thing? Whether it comes off the top of the roll, or the bottom? Or two ply versus one ply? Or one brand over another?"

He laughed.

"No, Kevin. It was over quantity not quality."

I was confused.

"Quantity? What?"

He grew serious again.

"Yeah. I use a lot of toilet paper. I don't know why, I just do. And I take three dumps a day usually. Been doing that my whole life. So she goes into the bathroom and I had used up the whole roll. But I put a new roll on. She saw the empty roll in the garbage pail and brought it out to show me."

"You used up a whole roll of toilet paper in four days?"

"And that led to a big fight. I was embarrassed. I don't know how much toilet paper other people use, but apparently I use way too much toilet paper. And not trying to be funny, but I made a big stink about it. So she left. "

"Wow. Are you guys still talking?"

"Yeah, but not until a few months went by. I missed her. She missed me. But we both realize we are too old to change for someone else in all the little ways. I like sleeping in the cold, being quiet in the morning, and using to much toilet paper. And she likes talking in the morning, going out for walks at sunrise, and not snacking. If I am not there , those things aren't a problem. If she isn't with me all day long, my routines are not a problem.
So we have decided to date for the rest of our lives. "

And I never really thought about that. I know how to live with my Kathy and I too use a lot of toilet paper. Kathy doesn't bring that up, because she wins the toilet paper fights!