Thirty years of married life have taught me the virtues of the bitten tongue, a lesson I am sometimes grateful for.

Today, for example, we had to shop for inexpensive runners to replace the kitchen throws because the old ones were sort of muddy in hue and the wrong shades for the new counters which are sort of dark gray.

So BBW and I go trawling around Home Depot and she zeroes in a matching pair with dark borders and bright colored centers in a set of squares. I am dubious--I think they are too dark-toned and will pull down the tone of the room. But I demur only once and keep my mouth shut thereafter. When we get them home and she rolls them out, she sighs "Oh--they ARE dark, aren't they??". Tar baby say nuffin'. Again, I bite my tongue and don't say "Well, you shoulda lissened to me...".

But we decide to open them up and lay them in place since we have them, and she vows she will take them straight back if they are bad.

Well, something happens when they get into position, and their assertive bright centers suddenly harmonize with the counters and they create a bright center in an otherwise quiet room, color-wise, and brighten the place up quite nicely.

All I said to her was, "I'm glad I kept my mouth shut!".   Twice. And offered thanks for a well-bit tongue.


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