I Was Thinking... Company’s Coming

Those two words can create diametrically opposite reactions in most homes. Recently we got a call from a high school friend of mine that now lives in Texas. He called to let us know that they were on the way to the Twin Cities for a wedding and if it would be okay for them to stop for a visit.
Of course, I told him, that would be great. We hadn’t seen him and his wife for a couple years. When I told my wife, she wasn’t quite as enthusiastic as I’d been. The next thing she asked was when they would be stopping. When I told her the next day at about noon, she did not look happy.
It wasn’t that she didn’t like this couple, it was something else altogether. Her next comment was, “we need to clean,” but I didn’t get it.
When I looked around our house, I wondered, “clean, clean what?” To me things looked pretty good. I would have to put away my two pair of shoes by the back door and maybe take out the garbage and recycling but everything else looked okay.
However, my wife did not concur with my assessment. Her initial shock was now nearing panic.
“We need to clean the bathroom and vacuum and dust and do the dining room and kitchen floors and the windows should be washed. And what am I going to serve them for lunch? I have to go to the store.”
Obviously our two perspectives of “clean” did not coincide.
Growing up in a small rural community, it wasn’t uncommon for people to just “drop in.” This was especially true on Sunday afternoons. In the 1950s and 1960s, stores were closed on Sundays since it was supposed to be a day of rest. My parents thought that it was a perfect time for a Sunday drive and a chance to visit friends or relatives.
However, the announcement of a Sunday drive was never met with the same enthusiasm for the children of the family. But nonetheless we went and often stopped for unannounced visits. But times change.
Today, just dropping in without calling first is considered a major faux pas in many circles. While we have some close friends where we could do that, others may not be so hospitable. In fact, at one time we were turned away because they weren’t ready for company. But getting ready definitely has different connotations for men and women.
One fall when I announced I had invited some guys over to watch a football game, my wife kicked into hostess mode. “When are you going to clean? What are you going to serve? When are they going to get here? How long are they going to stay?”
My answers were: they’ll get here sometime before the game, leave when it is over, and I bought some beer, pop, pizza and chips and the house looks fine.”
The look of disgust on her face told me somehow, I hadn’t “prepared” for the company properly. She needed more details than I’d provided.
“Well, how are you going to serve the food?” I told her I thought I’d throw the chips in that big bowl we had, put the beer and pop in the cooler with ice, and have paper plates and paper towels for the pizza. Why she walked away shaking her head, I don’t know.
It isn’t that all men are slobs, it is just somethings aren’t as important to us as it is to our spouses. When shopping for curtains, bedspreads, or bathroom towels, most men really don’t care what you select and have no idea why it takes so long to decide. We also don’t know why we have extra pillows on couches and beds, or why we have towels in the bathroom we are never allowed to use. Now if you are talking about tires we want for the truck, which lure is better for walleyes, or a new power tool, that’s a different matter. I will admit, before our guest from Texas arrived, I did mow the lawn.
Did You Ever Wonder? — Is reading while you’re going to the bathroom considered multi-tasking?