- What are you thinking about?
- Do you love me?
- Do I look fat?
- Do you think she is prettier than me?
- What would you do if I died?
Here is the problem: If the man answers incorrectly (i.e., tells the truth),
every single one is absolutely guaranteed to explode into a major argument.
As a public service, I analyze each question and provide the possible answers.
#1: What are you thinking about?
The best answer to this is:
“I’m sorry if I’ve been pensive, dear. I was just reflecting on what a warm, wonderful, thoughtful, caring, intelligent woman you are, and how lucky I am to have met you.”
This response obviously bears no resemblance to the true answer, which is, most likely, one of the following:
- Baseball
- Football
- How fat you are
- How much prettier she is than you
- How I would spend the insurance money if you died
(Perhaps the best classic response to this question was offered by Al Bundy, who once told Peg: “If I wanted you to know what I was thinking, I would be talking to you!”)
#2: Do you love me?
The proper response is: “YES!”
If you feel a more detailed answer is in order:”Yes, dear.”
Inappropriate responses include:
- Yah, sure, you betcha.
- Would it make you feel better if I said “yes”?
- That depends on exactly what you mean by love.
- Does it matter?
- Who, me?
#3: Do I look fat?
The correct answer is an emphatic:”Of course not!”
Among the incorrect answers are:
- Compared to what?
- I wouldn’t call you fat, but you’re not exactly thin.
- A little extra weight looks good on you.
- I’ve seen fatter.
- Could you repeat the question? I was just thinking about how I would spend the insurance money if you died.
#4: Do you think she’s prettier than me?
Once again, the proper response is an emphatic:”Of course not!”
Incorrect responses include:
- Yes, but you have a better personality.
- Not prettier, but definitely thinner.
- Not as pretty as you, when you were her age.
- It depends on how you define pretty.
- Could you repeat the question? I was just thinking about how I would spend the insurance money if you died.
#5: What would you do if I died?
This is the all-time, no-win question.
(The real answer, of course, is “Buy a Corvette.”)
There is no good answer.
No matter how you answer, be prepared for at least an hour of follow-up questions,
usually along the these lines:
- Woman: Would you get married again?
- Man: Definitely not!
- Woman: Why not? Don’t you like being married?
- Man: Of course I do.
- Woman: Then why wouldn’t you remarry?
- Man: Okay, I’d get married again.
- Woman: You would? (with a hurtful look on her face)
- Man: Yes, I would.
- Woman: (After a long pause) Would you sleep with her in our bed?
- Man: Where else would we sleep?
- Woman: Would you put away my pictures, and replace them with pictures of her?
- Man: That would seem like the proper thing to do.
- Woman: And would you let her use my golf clubs?
- Man: She can’t use them; she’s left-handed.