All Comments on 'On The Other Hand'

Sorry, but I really can't sympathize with Theresa's need for Charley to refuse to go on trips as part of his job. And if he fails to refuse to go when it conflicts with family plans, then he doesn't have any cojones? I could understand it if he were gone 12 or 15 days per month, but simply being out of town for 3 days per month is not much. They don't even have kids. Theresa is being unreasonable.

I'm sure if she were to travel 3 days a month to keep her job, Charley would not say anything about it. And then Theresa used his travel and her "spoiled brat" attitude to deny Charley sex, even deny him their marital bed, just before his trip. Despite her supposed forgiveness, I would have trouble smiling and simply letting bygones be bygones. I would question her actual love for me. I would also resent her controlling attitude.

I think Charley still loves his wife and feels guilty about being gone. He is also frightened of her anger not to mention her older brother (Juan). But it seems as if he is the one making the concessions most of the time. It makes for a very stressful marriage. Maybe Theresa and Charles just need to split up, or at the least, get some counseling. Thanks for writing.

It was sort of one sided. And the ending was rather blah. He had some serious issues with her and they were not addressed. Nor did she seem to pick up that he was thinking the marriage was over. I gave the story an excellent rating, but the ending seem way too rushed.

wimpiness throughout. Didn't stand up to boss, wife, in-laws, or the idiot at the wife's party. There are alot of guys out there like this, story made sense because he didn't do any 180's in personality - he started a wimp and stayed that way all the way thru.

It did a moral to the story. Trust and communication are the backbone of any marriage.......

What the hell is it with these men? "Excuse me but I'm Theresa's husband. We need to work it out so I'm here with her." Both Charley and Bill of WWWM are juveniles or wimps or both. Bill's hanging in the shadows at the awards banquet was just a little worse than Charley not IDing himself and taking his rightful place at his wife's side. Late? Who gives a shit.

Otherwise, nice story.

There is a balance in things, if he had bigger cojones they would have split all ready. The initial stages of the relationship were delicately close to the edge. It was quite an enjoyable happy ending.

One small detail was that if Ralph had not included the adjective in dinner companion then things would have really been burnt.. A continuity problem comes up with Theresa asking him why he thought she was on a date and then later saying that Ralph was all shook up because he told her husband that he was with her... Either she was very manipulative or the author goofed...

Thanks for the read.

I would have preferred the use of grow some balls but after checking Webster's dictionary, in the context of this story cojones is probably an ok choice. Cojones is used as slang in our culture but it is the spanish word for testicles.

So the next question would be, is Sarah Palin a closet Mexican?

Dam good story. I really enjoyed it.

Woodman, I really enjoyed your story. I feel it was realistic and very well thought out. Every story doesn't have to have the rough and tumbled guy. For some people this is the way they are and it shows real world character. Keep up the great work

Only wish it was longer....good story, good job, thanks!

It was a good story, Woodmanone. I appreciate your efforts here. You are one of the authors that I look for on the new list. I also appreciate your comments on other authors' stories. Keep up the good work!

A nice read. I enjoy your work.

Find out where the two main characters work because if they work there i don't want to use those businesses. You make your characters to dumb and ruin a very simple story, i hate to see their children.

Does a man care more about his family or his job? That is what some of these stories boil down to. The man in this story could see alternatives, he chose his wife. There are usually alternatives, they might not be easy, but you still have a choice. Good one.

Come on now, just dump on the hubby while the misses gets a pass? Treat your characters with some of the same equality you profess a requirement for your dream-like marriages. Spend abit on her growing awareness of her role in fucking things up, and how close she's pushed a good man towards the door. Yeah, cajones are an easy fix, at any job, especially when the hubby has what less than 0.01% of the working male population has ---- a headhunter w/ a "Golden Parachute." Pull the storyline back into the realm of reality to make it less farcicle and abit more credible. Works for the characters too. And the meddling in-laws really piss me off, like 99% really feel its their place to stick their nose into the marriage, especially when it conflicts w/ one of the story's precepts --- Dad taught daughter to stand on her own feet. His boot should be up her ass, not the hubby's. Don't give him a complete pass, but try, try, try for abit more realism... like some of your western yarns.

Story is excellent: I nice package, a loving couple, and the correct ending. Thank you for all your stories. You are one of the gifted writers.

wow this is crap. He marries a Bitch that SHRIEKS at him and treats him like shit because he saved her from being hit by an abusive ex Boyfriend ?

wait it bets worse

FACT wife says she is going to her Office evening function without him.... because HE has to work.?

FACT husband tried to call her how many times? and she NEVER responded back.

Is a very good story most enjoyable

Do think it is about time the he put his family ahead of his job

I have been there and almost screwed up my marriage by putting my job need ahead of my wifes needs never again thank you again for posting this wonderful story

I like these little slice of life stories. I think all the people here trying to place blame in this case just shows how true to life they are. People in marriages make mistakes, both husbands and wives. The trick is, if you are in love and want the marriage to work, deal with your own hurt feelings and understand that while your spouse is not perfect nobody esle is eithere, and then get to work to make the relationship better.

Also, I don't see why harryinva is saying she lied about anything. His two facts don't seem to add up to that at all. In fact they both seem to support the fact that she has a bad temper, which she admits to and is promising to work on. This is a good story about realistic characters who are far from perfect, but seem to be in love. Well done.

I always read your stories no matter what category you put them under. Even as a 67 year old man who likes the categories of Loving Wives and Group I also like Romance. I like it well enough I read romance novels like by Mary Balough. As always, Woodmanone, you hit it on the head writing this story. Feels like reality enough for the reader to identify with the characters. Then the plot is such that one can imagine something like that in one's own life. Then after well written plot events all is well. I feel better, almost teary eyed and my whole day feels happier. Thank you.

Good story about communication or not in a relationship. Nicely written. I was enthralled and gave a 5.

Very good story, but haven't we met this bartender, his wife and the cook, Chief Quinn, before in a longer story?

An answer to the comment by anonymous which started "Hey Woody"

The bartender Jake, his wife Juanita, and Chief Quinn were the main characters in a story entitled "You Could've Heard a Pin Drop Ch. 2

If you liked this story you will like that one, I think. You should read part one and then ch. 2

everything was his fault? being top dog doesnt mean shit, but because this is fictional, its all good. if something didnt go her way, she blows her top. i mean come on, where where was the backbone from when he first met theresa? this is the kind of shit i hate about this site, theres always stories where everything is the guys fault and everyone wants him to get his head outta his ass. theresa never apologized by the way. i like your work, but next time, could you make a bit more realistic? maybe have your characters stop blaming one fucking person?

A good example of some of the drastic situations that occurs in the life of couples.

But, what happened here also signifies that these situations can be handled well when the spouses remain loyal to their partners.

Their marriage could have been ended if either one have cheated on another. But, they remain faithful even though the conditions were odd.

This is the true significance of love and respect for your partner.

And in the end, I don't think that the story was partial in case of loyalties. Both the characters should have been blamed if their marriage have ended.

Because, both were somehow inconsiderate in some matters.

The wife for not considering her husband's dilemma as well as husband for not giving sufficient time to his wife.

So, people don't be too harsh on either of them.

Really good story.

Thanks & keep it up.

W.S.

Love the stories you write don't change your style no matter what the so called critics say. Probably because they couldn't write for shit themselves they have to criticize others who do

Lack of proper communication is the source of much marital discord. WOODMANONE. This story clearly gave a good lesson in the peril of inadequate communication and its companion, lack of patience, which together spell an effective bomb to crater a marriage. Thanks Woodmanone! Dan.

Theresa Riley; Irish father and Mexican mother

Juanita Riley; Irish father and Mexican mother (waitress at Connors Pub and Grill)

Related ?

I would have liked to know how his job situation played out. Other than that, the story was fine and I enjoyed reading about the wife's fiery temper, because it reminds me of my wife ;)

Nice connections with Jake, Juanita and the Chief.

Thanks.

C

Some couples never get past using the C word - they just fail and become singles - angry singles.

Communication is more than just saying hi each night!!!

Speak well think first but speak well.

I don't know why but I got frustrated with the two of them. I think it was because both seemed a bit immature and childish.

It reads like an 9th grader's romance. Some people need to grow up Before they get married.

The story was good but I would like to see some narrative at the end about how Theresa and Charley went home and celebrated their reconnecting. It doesn't need to be explicit detail about how they made love, but I would like to see more than Theresa's statement about Charley celebrating with her.

This was an enjoyable story to read but what is it doing on this website? I was hoping he was going to go to the party, find his wife on a real date and then have the story progress from there. Watch his wife's seduction.

She basically said, who told you I had a date? And proceeded to tell hubby “Roger was scared”. Acting like it was no big deal. Maybe it was not a date, but why get hubby’s version before offering hers? Only so she could make her story match.

And the the skank in the bar. If wifey saw the skank with her man, she then sat and watched for how long as he spilled his guts to jake, Anita, and Chief and described his wife in detail!!!!! Why would she wait? He turned the skank down, which is more than she did at the banquet, but sits and waits and listens????? Not what I would call open and honest.

Wait for the sequel. I hope he has a good lawyer.

Terrific story!

Irish temper, Black inferior... idiots are the cause of racism AUTHOR!

Many little things don't add up here. Just as an example, Charley achieved or cemented his standing with his boss because he solved SEVERE problems, some of them while travelling. But in the end it's converted into him being sent around to solve TINY problems and so on.

Knowing the requirements of his job, why would any halfway intelligent person make promises like hubby does in this tale, and which wife worth being married to would expect him to make those promises, knowing about his job? They really behave like teenagers in crappy TV shows.

Theresa was mad, refused contact with her husband and another guy says he is her dinner date. All this poor guy has to refute that is the word of his outrageously tempered wife. Unfortunately for this poor guy he will get beat up by her brothers if he leaves her so he has to take her fooling around. .

Nice one! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Two wholely unlikeable people.

Good story with an important lesson: marriage is something that needs to grow and improve as the partners learn more about each other, learn to adjust and compromise as each becomes a better person and a better life partner.

I once read a very good book: Communication, Key to Your Marriage, and fully agree. If you are willing to read with understanding and gain wisdom, This is a MUST READ story.

The Hoary Cleric.