Tacos

Most couples argue a lot, whether because someone did something stupid (like insult them without realizing it), or because they simply don't agree on how they should spend money (Do we really need food this week when there's this new game...?), the point is that couples argue. Me and my Hedgehog... not so much.

It's not that we're better than other people or anything, though, I mean, c'mon. Have you seen my Hedgehog? He's perfect. He doesn't have too much of a temper, though he does tend to throw things after he drops them, and he's jut the most adorkable nerd who ever geek'd. Sure when he does get angry he gets all tense and glare-y and looks like he might explode, but for the most part he's so full of humor and childishness that it kind of defuses the situation.

Not that I don't get angry, though, because trust me, I do. I'm overly sensitive when it comes to insults, you don't get made fun of relentlessly all through middle school and high school like I did without automatically assuming that everyone secretly hates you, and also because of that and a couple other incidents I pretty much clam up or get really bitter and sarcastic when I'm angry...

Also, sometimes, I get vindictive...

Real incident!

So yeah, I clam up and ignore him and go out of my way to spite him when I'm mad at him, and then he gets mad at me for being mean and vindictive and not telling him what's wrong with me, and eventually I get so mad I can't not talk anymore and end up yelling. Then he yells and I yell, and this happens:

And then I start to cry because I'm one of those people who cry when I'm mad, and I feel awful, and stupid, because I'm crying, and I realize I've been being an idiot and all that anger gets internalized and I end up hating myself.

Plus I look just awful crying...

Yet we have a sure fire way to diffuse anger quickly before he starts throwing things or I start crying like an idiot.

This is a taco.

See, one time me and the Hedgehog were arguing. He had said something that I had taken the wrong way, and I was punishing him for it: he'd mentioned that the dishes still weren't done... Oh yeah, I was having noooone of that...

In anger I stormed into the kitchen and started washing dishes, snapping at him as I did so. I was indignant, I was full of rage... I was feeling like he thought I was a useless waste of space, so I was gonna wash those dishes and he was gonna feel awful about it. No one was going to think Kit was a burden! So help me, by all the gods, I was gonna wash those dishes and he was gonna appreciate me for it! So there I was up to my elbows in soap and water, and he was continuing to make sarcastic remarks that I was taking the wrong way, that was making me even more angry by the minute... Finally the eejit seemed to understand the only way to make me realize that he was only joking was to say something so ridiculous that there was no way I could ever take it the wrong way.

His words hit me like a slap to the face, for a second, just a second, I stood there in shock, surprised... and then I spoke the first words that came to mind...

And that was the end of the argument, for the next five minutes we kept yelling, but it was with huge grins on our faces.

Hedgehog: Stupid taco!
Me: I have to clean up the tomatoes it leaves in the kitchen, you know! You brought it home, you should clean up after it!
Hedgehog: Hey! I've picked up its lettuce, too.
Me: Oh yeah? Well I've had to wipe up sour cream!

... I wonder what the neighbors thought...

But what made it even better was that the next day, when I was hanging out with my little sister, Hunny (Who's not really my sister and who's family only semi-took me in). While sitting in the car things got kind of silent a bit awkward, so she suggested we talk about something... When I asked what we should talk about, in a moment of confusion and desperation, she suggested talk about tacos.

And I laughed so hard I cried.