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Show The Funny JSone Dad grumbled under his breath, "that's funny." He went around the entire car, telling mom to pump the brake when he was ready, and shaking his head each time. Mom, looking off into space was only slightly concerned with dad's quizzical comments coming out from under the car. You see, my mother was in the midst of having seven children, and was, to say the least, preoccupied. As the mother of five, I now think I un- derjtand this story. To continue ... My dad final around and looking at mo started to laugh. All this time was pumping the gas pedal hard to work on the brakes kind of help! They both laughed, all tl mom blushing. This story is one . of malf communication. Not thelacki the sense of humor that my had in laughing at themsel with each other. By MARY COONS I had a friend say something to me a long time ago that has played on my mind many times. She said that constitutional amendments and burning bras aside, that men and " women need to learn to talk together. At first, after she said it, I thought, "My husband and I talk each other's ears off." Then, I thought about the many cartoons in newspapers arid magazines that involve the theme' of men and women talking to each other. But do we really hear each other, I wonder? When we're dating and thinking of marriage with someone, do we tell them that we have never made a bed in our life, and that gourmet cooking is macaroni and cheese. Ho-Ho, we sure don't! We bop along through the courtship having our sweety over to a homemade dinner that mother actually ac-tually made. Oh, we don't tell our intended that. We don't actually lie, we just, 'skirt,' the issue when he looks at us and asks if the meal is homemade, and we say, shyly, 'yes.' My favorite communication story s. between the sexes was the one. my mom and dad told. Dad loved to tell it, and mom loved to conveniently leave the room when he did. Dad asked mom to help him one day as he bled the brakes on our 1957 Chevy station wagon. He needed her to pump the brakes while he laid underneath the car and bled them (whatever that means) . He started with the left front brake. He called to mom, "pump the brake." Mom proceeded to push the pedal down vigorously. |