Fred M, you mention the perplexities of human nature- mostly typified by women who don't take one's word for something. But men do the same thing.

I was at a music party where one man said, I like just about any kind of music. There are only two songs I don't like, songs that I just can't stand: The Lion Sleeps Tonight and something, something (I've forgotten). Another musician said, Hey, that's a good song- let's sing Lion Sleeps Tonight. And they did. Then dang! if they didn't sing the other one too.

The first man and I looked at each other stupefied then burst out laughing. I have no idea if the group had simply not heard the caveat of the first man or what. Maybe we can just put it down to the perversity of the human bean.

A cousin of mine told me of when he was a shy 16-year-old hired out as a farm hand. The first time he was offered sweet peas at dinner, he tried to tell the farmwife that he didn't care for peas. It came out wrong evidently, for after that she made sure that whatever else she was serving, my cousin got his side dish of peas.