Posted by verne on December 8, 2005, at 19:20:00
In reply to Re: War » Gabbix2, posted by zeugma on December 8, 2005, at 17:36:46
I didn't know that Einstein abused his wife. Was he German or Swiss?
When I was in my early twenties I lived and worked all over Germany, sometimes living with families for months at a time. (great way to learn German) It was real culture shock.
For example: Noone in the family sits down to eat until the father sits down. When the father is through eating, everyone is through eating.
The wife must constantly attend to her husband's meal, anticipating his every need. Once I saw him scold her for not realizing he wanted another piece of toast, although he hadn't indicated he wanted any. She was supposed to know.
Most of the time, this played out in silence with stern looks. Ideally the man doesn't want to say anything to the wife and the whole thing runs like clockwork. If he has to actually say something, she has failed badly.
I remember how they would freak out when I instinctively cleared my own table and offered to help with the dishes. If I so much as took my cup into the kitchen I had broken the rules.
Most of them thought I was gay or a mental case. I'm not gay but I probably had more gay friends than straight friends when I was younger and still socializing. And I guess I am a mental case so they weren't far off.
Sorry about the rambling.
Verne
poster:verne
thread:586858
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/poli/20051121/msgs/587057.html