"WE ARE ALWAYS 50-50", he shouted from the living room.
"We are NEVER 50-50", I shouted back from the kitchen.
"But.... it has ALWAYS been 50-50 between us?" he insisted."Not really....NO!", I persisted.
"But it really HAS always been 50-50 with US....always".....he appealed.
I hobbled into the living room, my sight obscured by the load I was trying to balance.
"It never WAS...it never WILL BE"...I maintained.
..disappointment filtered his face... his gaze drifted...he was hurt.
The hurt was tangible..
..."it's not of YOUR making,
... it's GENERATIONS of moulding,
..it's the gender GAP,
.. it's ME..
..as much as it's you,
...it's the SYSTEM,
... I added hurriedly.
His gaze picked up once again and held mine..
Our eyes smiled...a knowing smile that the other won't concede..
We shared a moment..
...a moment of mutual sizing-up
...a moment of mutual disagreement
...a moment of mutual appreciation (of the other's ignorance)
...a moment of mutual respect (of the other's obstinance)
..and then..
He reclined back into his 'match of the day' on TV
And I returned to the warmth of folding fresh laundry.
