I'm in trouble AGAIN. I don't hide my feelings very well when the Unabomber is bugging me. Yet, I love this man and I wish him nothing but health and happiness.
The mother-in-law and I have great conversations. We run the gamut from family doings to current events. The father-in-law is only willing to discuss five things: health issues, food, baseball, WWII and the weather. Otherwise, he is a lump taking up space in my kitchen, waiting to be served.
When I've tried to engage him, "Are you excited about seeing your grandchildren?" or "Are you looking forward to your upcoming trip,?" I received the same response: "Whatever my honey wants." The journalist in me rears up and (like a dog with a bone) I attempt to dig a little deeper. He goes into Hangdog mode and she shoots me a look with daggers. It means Leave Him Alone! So, I leave him alone and then I get accused of ignoring him.
I understand not wishing to express an opinion. I've been in many situations where I am uncomfortable with where the conversation is headed and I choose to remain silent. I'm very up-front about it. He simply does not have an opinion on anything. It gives me the willies.
The one time I was able to have a discussion with him about this, he said their marriage meant they were the same person. One thought. One opinion. Talk about the willies! One of my favorite things about the husband is different opinions and being able to say, "Explain how you came to that conclusion." I like how his brain works. I like learning from him. I like the tilt of his head when I convince him of my argument or when he whacks me and says, "That's just stupid and you're wrong." In some homes, that's disrespectful. In other homes, that's foreplay.
