The Forbidden Phrase
I used the forbidden phrase with my woman the other day. I didn't want to. I had never said this to her before. But I got to be honest, any other combination of words wouldn't have sent the right message. This I know is something men are aware is trouble to say to their lady, but I'd been pushed to the edge and I just did it. I told a few of my friends about what I had told my wife and they were very supportive. Each came up and slapped me on the back and shook my hand like I was going away. What I said to my wife was that "She was not allowed" to take any items from our son that he wanted us to store for him. Yep, I spoke those three words to her: "You're Not Allowed". Sure I could have said, "I'd prefer you not, or "Could you cease & desist", that sounds like Law and Order ish. I also could have used "Banned" or "Prohibited". But truthfully, "You're Not Allowed" really drew a line in the sand. My son likes to dump his junk off on my wife, who can't say no to him and when she brings it home, it becomes my problem. I have to unload it from her car and figure out where to put it. A while back he had a couple extra bags of garbage and his box from a couch he had delivered. Sure my wife brings it home for me to take care of. A couple of weeks ago he didn't need his mini-dishwasher any longer so he asked my wife if he could put it in her car and we could take care of it for him. I thought oh how wonderful this is. Then when I'm moving it, and it weighed a ton, I discovered he hadn't unloaded the dishes from it. A gift that just keeps giving. Yes, my son hands it off to my wife, she takes it and then it becomes my problem. Not anymore. Because I told my wife "She's not allowed". As of right now, things at home are smooth sailing. The You're Not Allowed phrase is certainly going over much better than a couple of months ago when I had a difference of opinion with my lady and said; "That's something your mother would do."
