A husband and wife had one of those arguments that seemed to start over nothing and somehow turned into a full-scale marital crisis.
Within minutes, voices were raised, doors were slammed, and both of them were bringing up things that had happened years earlier.
Finally, the husband had enough.
He crossed his arms, sat down on the sofa, and stopped talking completely.
His wife stared at him.
“Fine,” she said. “If that’s how you want to play it…”
He remained silent.
That only made her more determined.
She stood in front of him and announced,
“I will count to 10. If you don’t start talking to me by then, I am going to my mother’s house!”
The husband looked straight ahead.
She began.
“One…”
Nothing.
“Two… three… four…”
Still silence.
“Five… six… seven…”
The husband stayed completely quiet, although he was beginning to look slightly hopeful.
“Eight…”
Then she stopped.
The room went silent.
A few seconds passed.
The husband frowned.
Then another few seconds.
Finally, unable to take it anymore, the impatient husband said,
“Why did you stop? Complete the count and go!”
His wife immediately smiled.
“See, you surrendered and started talking to me. Otherwise, I would have left! Now, I forgive you!”