All Comments on 'The Driving Issue'

Feel better? You showed all those uppity women, for sure.

An issue lots of people face. At least you didn't put in the question of him always driving and her always taking care of the child in the car seat. You've never LIVED until you've had that argument. The story was okay, but it had an unfinished air about it.

Well written unlikeable characters with no plot or point.

Unfortunately, neither Bryan, Becky, nor the author know what feminism is or says, just this right-wing caricature of it.

This crazy cunt.

Divorce her now. Before you have any more kids. Actually wait until she is gainfully employed first to cut down on alimony.

She'll never be happy. Ever. Better to suck it up now than live with this crazy shit for a dozen years or more.

This is a very realistic marriage discussion Which shows a rapidly deteriorating marriage because the wife is mentally unstable.

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The inability of women to think critically or rationally the way when it comes to things like this is a real problem. The husband has more than met the wife's desire for equality and partnership in the marriage and she still is angry and bitter and nasty and frustrated.

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Let's assume that the Wife's perspective is a valid one. If you really think there are 2 different versions of equality but she cannot explain to her husband what she means by 2 different versions.... then there's no chance of the husband meeting her half way to save the marriage.

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Even worse is that The daughter in this story is already 3 years old. 3rd grade is only a few more years away and yet the wife is extremely angry that she's staying home taken care of the daughter.

Uncomfortable story to read and try to absorb. I hope there might be a follow up so the point can be understood.

Thanks

They have an unhappy marriage because he's tolerating her having tantrums like a child. Every time anything related to feminism comes up, you need to mock that deranged nonsense for the hypocritical bullshit it is.

Feminism is about female domination, not equality, and it's super toxic to any marriage.

Infuriating. This couple is a short trip away from a divorce because of a man hating bitch.

Accurately reflects the pettiness of so many arguments in a marriage. And sorry ladies, there are too many women who have been corrupted by the feminist vision of "women can do it all." Women rush back to work while their children are still infants or toddlers and barely make any additional net income because the cost of quality childcare is so high. Women want a career and children? Fine but you likely will need to put the career on hold for a few years if you have children.

This is a travesty of a marriage. How the hell did these two ever get together? With her kind of self-indulgent thinking, she is a cheater-in-training. If I were he, it would be counseling, and if not, straight to divorce. It’s too bad that there’s a child involved.

This is what married life is like for many/most of us. It takes a while (if ever for some couples who cannot work it out) to grow WITH each other. It is not hopeless, but will take courage and more from them both.

Many times people, either men or women, talk about being equal just for their own benefit. To better themselfs! and the subject doesn't matter, gender, race, religion or .... name it. In general these people don't want to give you the pleasure, or give you the benefit and are to my opinion, not to happy or secure about themselfs. In nature it is very simple, men and women are different and have different skills. Use it to make life easier and share as much as possible. And yes it goes both ways, so if she bitches about being equal, suggest she can clean the cars or the rain gutters and you will do the laundry, .....

Well written, but sad. This poor guy should divorce. His wife is an irrational bitch who is not going to improve. If you write a sequel, it might be interesting to know what her parents think.

I like this author’s previous stories a lot, but this one seems to present a caricature to make a vague sociological-political point - something like an Ayn Rand novel. I wasn’t entertained. But I appreciate and continue to look forward to your stories.

"But that doesn't mean I have to sit in the passenger seat." - The back seat is also a passenger seat, and there's nothing stopping her from sitting there when he drivse.

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"Tara sat playing with the toys her grandparents kept specially for her."- Who else would they be for? Do they have other grandchildren? Why wouldn't the play with the same toys if close in age?

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"Becky's parents used to hate leaving their daughter alone with him." - Huh? They're married, they're alone all the time.

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"Why didn't you come in?" - He DID come in. Oh, after she wondered why he didn't recognize her second kind of "fuck off."

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"I'm sorry," - Why the fuck is he apologizing?

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"Oh, being nice to me is a chore, is it?!'" - It is when you make it so hard.

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She's a flaming bitch, then wonders why he isn't more agreeable.

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Petered out at the end. Nothing was really resolved.

Headed for divorce

Damn, FTC!

You must be the most influential writer on this website.

Don't believe it? I just read a bunch of the comments left by your readers.

I noticed that just about every famous philosopher, psychologist, and general pundit in existence today has apparently read your story, and felt compelled to expound upon its' meaning.

If that's not influential, then I don't know what is (which is distinctly possible).

^

I didn't like this story much, myself.

Why? Too realistic, maybe ("in the near future").

Show us on this doll where feminists touched you

Apart from that, you really have good stories. For a redpiller at least

Or how to write something that says you've never been laid without actually saying you've never been laid.

I read this as a story about a spouse that isn't happy, but can't put her finger on why? It's a common problem and she tends to blame her mate for what is an internal struggle of her own. It's very realistic.

Good story but felt I was left on a ledge.

A good friend of mine is married to this woman. AKA feminist, AKA liberal. They are on the verge of divorce, just waiting for the kids to go. This ‘strong independent woman’ has no idea how dependent she is. I think she is about to find out.

My wife (of 30 yrs) and I will compare our relationship to theirs constantly. When we are in the car I drive, she has never complained, instead she says “wow, I never noticed that before, when I’m with you in the car I get to actually look around”. I open doors for her not because she cant, but because I want to for her. 80 percent of the time we each do the traditional gender roles chores.

I think the story is spot on to the feminist idea of ‘equality and fairness’. She wants him to “keep her company “ while she drives but dozes off when he does. There was no “I’m sorry I dozed off, you could have woke me up”. He did what any husband would do, he let her sleep and sucked it up and drove the car. She is not so concerned with her having more happiness, but with him having less.

I believe there was once a great British politician that pointed out that the opposition was ok with the poor being poorer as long as it kept the rich from getting richer.

Thank god we have brooks post editing again and pointing out the obvious things the author was intending to highlight.

Well thought out here.

Feminism is a pox on humanity generally.

Men and women are different.

Get over it.

When the differences are acknowledged and allowed for then harmony is achieved.

Not having achieved perfect harmony myself.

But 40 years with a woman who says that "I do"

Is forever and ever "amen".

Gives one a little insight .

If the woman in the story doesn't get over herself and her feminism the she, him and her child won't be happy.

Sad but true.

"What is that?" said Moron. <<< no. 'asked' Moron.

Anyone married to this shrew would have divorced her, or if sufficiently perceptive not married her in the first place.

Feels unfinished.

My wife went through a spell just like this and bitched bout everything. I got to a point where I really didn't care and just did what I did regardless of the bitching. Finally I did get to the point where I made a chart of everything that got done and had a column with my name and hers on top and I would check off a box when someone did something. If something new came up I added a line. After two weeks when she bitched about laundry or something I forget now I took out the poster board size list and taped it to the wall in the kitchen in clear view and showed her I was up to to one on her so it was her turn. She was PISSED! For the next week or two if it was her turn to so anything I did not do it and if she had her attitude it was not done so dished piled up, pantry emptied, laundry didn't get done. She bitched and I said it was her turn.

She eventually got the point and calmed down. Lasted a month or so and then I had total outage list again. 20 years later she never messed up again and I guess it was due to when she complained to friends and family they all told her how truly one sided their relationship was and she was actually lucky.

Thanks FTC! Another good one! Also thanks to SBrooks for being a little b*tch again w/ his idiotic drive by commentary. Especially when he doesn’t allow commentary on his on horrible crap. Please go away SB. Again, what a little b*tch. Keep up the interesting, thought provoking stories FTC!

This "author" is terrified of women. It's hilariously pathetic. Don't you worry your pretty little head Freddie dear. I'm sure your army of fellow incel redpillers will protect you when those scary women jump out from a dark corner and say "boo!"

Interesting. Bryan, if she is this unhinged after a short time in the marriage, then it will only get worse. Time to walk away and just focus on your daughter's happiness. Becky will never be happy as long as she keeps drinking the Feminist Kool Aid.

They should have worked through this kind of stuff before they had a child. I’m not saying this marriage can’t be saved but they have some work to do.

I find it tedious when authors feel so oppressed by feminism that they have to distort it in order to score points.

Becky's issue is not about equality its about control. No matter how much Bryan acquiesces to Beck's demands she'll never be satisfied. In fact, she'll resent him even more than she does now because he won't call her on her bullshit. Instead he thinks he keeping the peace in the family by refusing to argue with her. She doesn't respect him because he wont stand up to her and refuses to argue with her. Come on Bryan, just say no.

'Well,' he said. 'We're home.'

/

So?

Their quibbles haven't been solved yet.

More chapters?

More likely the husband will file for divorce.

Those kinds of quibbles are so taxing to a man's patience.

Separation is far more peaceful.

I'm so sad for the child.

The title for this story should have been "The Bitch From Hell". Bryan needs to ditch this crazy bitch child or no child. He's in for nothing but a life of misery if he doesn't.

I read this story and truthfully, when I was finished, the only thing that came to mind was that old song that Peggy Lee sang ... Is That All There Is?

While in some ways this is a realistic slice of how arguments in a marriage pan out, the back and forth ways of pushing each other's buttons, the often stupid things that blow up, the problem isn't feminism per se, it is two ppl that don't know how to communicate or express what is really the issue. She is prob feeling overwhelmed at being a SAHM ,and there are negative connotations to that these days, the problem is she has taken some of that to heart. The husband meanwhile is rightfully vexed at what the wife is pulling, but also doesn't see that there is something deeper there. One of the big problems is he attributes the problem to outside forces rather than maybe she is expressing something deeper in a silly way.

And he played into her game, when he says 'well,do you think being a solo provider is fun', he is in a sense telling her that he is the brave one sacrificing, going to work every day while she (implied) gets the fun of staying home and raising the kid, it is dismissing her. They are talking at one another, not to. There is a lot of unexpressed emotion here and it comes out sideways. When he lets her drive and sits in the back he is acting like a child and sends a message of FU.

Definitely a troubled marriage. Now the big question, why leave it where it ended? What is the point,it is a sketch of a story, not the story

Reminds me of a riddle I once heard: Why can't Helen Keller drive a car? ..... because she's a female. Ok, ok, I'm a sexist pig, and even Vandemonium wouldn't use this sexist joke.

As to the story, I love the realism, love the verbal sparring between the 2; but the story builds up to finale, a conclusion, and the conclusion is what?? 'Hey honey, we're home'. HATE it when 'writers block' happens at the worst time.

Only a man who has been married more than thirty years could have written this. It takes that long to have that depth of understanding of the female brain!

I liked it, but I'm not sure why. 4 stars, the Bear approves. I think it's because it's too close to real life. Sometimes you just can't win. Isn't that the definition of compromise? And I want to drive, but I want it to be stress-free, and a walk in the park. 90 minutes on a highway, even in England?? COME ON!! It's what dads and guys do. Maybe I'm old-fashioned, but I'm also 73 years old. Sorry, I'm letting my feelings and morals show. Is there hope for my children and grandchildren's generations?? CHRIST, I hope so.

The BEAR

Oh so real!

Did you study our family? Or our friends? or our neighbours? Or our colleagues?

May be it is a European thing, but I tried and could not find a loving couple where your fine description did not fit.

You did well!

* She looks over my shoulder and inhales deeply *

I think ”Freedom of speech. oh so valuable. And oh, so expensive.”

It feels unfinished

Wow this is a great story, simple because it's wound up all the feminists on here who see it as belittling them, ha ha.

Where is the ending?

Wow!! A lot of liberal feminazi commenters support the psycho Becky. She's a straight out bitch that gets off on being a nagging hag. Probably pretty much like you commenters. Bryan needs to kick her ass to the curb and move on with his life without the liberal sideshow daily.

Good story. Realistic. Feels unfinished but that appears to be what you want.

Old story - couple goes to Rabbi, wife complaining about their crowded house, small with a bunch of kids. Rabbi tells them to move a goat into the house. Couple returns later practically out of their minds. Rabbi tells them to remove the goat. House seems wonderful at that point.

How she feels is how she feels. She doesn't really know what's wrong. I have used an equivalent of the goat method (more subtly) in the past and it works well. Also blatantly exaggerating the extent of my (imagined) sins to such a ridiculous degree that she cracks up. If possible working hard to understand the real cause of the irritation and why it was transferred into some imagined slight. Then addressing the real cause.

Just a reminder, if a tree falls in the forest and there is no one around to see it - is it still the husbands fault ? Of course it is.

more LW mysogyny!!

"From this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until parted by death."

First thing this guy needs to do is cancel his cable subscription so she stops watching indoctrination TV like "The View" and "Oprah" where they program women about their "entitlements". There is no such thing as equality in a marriage. It is a partnership and a division of labor where each partner performs a suited role to the best of their abilities. Each sacrifices for the other to provide for the union of marriage, to create a family, and provide a loving space for their family unit. This wife has a sickness, probably a form of depression and is sorely in need of psychological treatment. At her current form, she is toxic to the marriage and to the upbringing of the daughter. The husband should be documenting all of these outbursts of her and then presenting her with separation orders. She can either seek treatment where she can resume being his wife or exit the union most likely with a restraining order and supervised visits. And for those that point to the "until parted by death" that I put in there, the woman he married is dead and the animated corpse is inhabited by a screeching banshee.

Dear womenz, no need to get your knickers in a twist. It's only a story, no feminists were harmed in the writing process. Tis rather amusing and closer to the truth than many like to admit.

We’ll, you did something right; both sides of feminist issues find fault with it.

Well written example is simple issues exposing deep problems in a relationship.

This is much better than the score would indicate. Well done.

lol just had a thought is that why this world is overpopulated bc ppl have kids to stay in a relationship. this is going to turn into an empty nester cheating wife story lol

Why is this story published on Literotica in the Loving Wives category, it doesn't fit here despite being well written and confusing.

It’s easy to chuckle at Bryan’s effortless toying with Becky’s provocations. But ultimately I feel sorry for her. I think she’s crippled by a sense of inferiority that dooms her to a perpetual struggle for the upper hand. And I think Bryan senses that, is even sympathetic to it, yet can’t resist counterpunching.

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I think that’s the case with a lot of modern women unsuccessfully juggling multiple roles. Though I find myself firmly on the male side of the feminist battle lines, forty years of marriage compels me to straddle the line every once in a while, especially for someone I love.

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An absolutely sublime illustration of spousal interaction. Thank you.

Tnicoll nailed it, except I’d say maybe 20 years would suffice. The whole equality thing is sometimes just as difficult for the ladies as it is for the guys I like to think of myself as chivalrous but not chauvinistic. Some ladies see no difference in the two, it saddens me.

Wife seemed too manic, and he was too laid back. Also you ended this very poorly. I can only hope there is a 2nd chapter.

Not much to like in the story. She's a harpy. He tolerates it. Happens in a lot of long term marriages. Guys tend to put up with a lot of crap wives dump on them. Welcome to life.

That being said, it doesn't mean I have to like reading a story about real life. So I rated the story three stars. Didn't love it; didn't hate it. Just didn't care much for it.

This couple could use some marital counseling!

4

This is great. A realistic dive into human relations.

What an incredibly well-written and insightful story, FtC!! This is the Money $hot: 'Whoever came up with the idea that women were unpredictable had never been married to one.' Let me know where to send my money for the bronze plaque when you have 'em made!!

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You captured multiple levels of understanding, conflict, tension and reality and rolled it in a big old flour tortilla of fine storytelling. The plot was simple but powerful.

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As always, excellent!!! 5++++/5!!

Sorry that was written from the view of a simple minded misogynist who's got his fragile panties in a wad. And the comments clearly reinforce the correct view of many readers, some of us have.

This is a pretty good START to a story… you’ve established a disconnect between the spouses I.e. 2 different definitions for the same word (equal); different sources of who decides the rules governing their relationship (them vs feminist groups). Now comes the resolution. Do they diverge until the 2 are no longer 1, or do they reconcile and learn to share the same ideas and vocabulary.

It reads like a window into the dysfunction of their marriage. No resolution, which weakens the plot, but I guess that was the goal? Intriguing, but not enjoyable. In fact, painful. I hope they get divorced before they have any more children. Thanks for the effort.

The use of "Sexism" is just a bit of rhetorical bullying designed to suppress the fact that men and women are not equal and that feminism is preposterous, toxic, culture destroying, horseshit. I'd divorce the bitch in second. Who would live with such narcissistic nonsense?

After reading the comments, it seems that Just_Words is the only one who gets it.

How do you take a story about nothing and put more into it than stories about something? Another interesting story but I can't say why. Maybe because it makes me wonder why I feel the way I do about the way the characters feel.

Ahh,… that eternal argument where “two people share a common goal and one party gets angry when they constantly move the goalposts and resent the other party for not fulfilling expectations” trope.

Yeah, they can't communicate, and both behave like dicks. So probably going to end up hating each other down the road.

Nope there is no way to even stay even with a woman like that. Cut your lost and devorice the dumb bitch. Let her work an 8 hour job and try to keep the kid room up much less the whole house. Life is way to short to put up with all that bullshit. Pull the band aid off and move on. Find a woman who wants the be ture equal partners and not this play crap the first wife is playing at.

Liberals are never happy unless they have total control, even then, no self reflection, just disrespect and their continual search for "wrongs" to right. Want what you have!

Great story about the marriage dynamic. Hopefully its not a one off. Its been my experience from things Ive seen that its a fairly accurate portrayal of 2 people who arent quite understanding one another. It shows the value of being able properly communicate your feelings amd expectations in such a manner that your significant other can understand them. Great story

And just think, the child is only one year old. The poor guy has at least another seventeen plus years of her feminist,harpy crap to put up with. That's if he keeps his pecker in his pants, and does not impregnate her again. LP

This is the real problem. Becky doesn't know what she wants and what will make her feel satisfied with her life.

If Becky ever figures herself out, then the couple can determine if there's a workable balance that will keep their family together. There may be, there may not be. But as long as Becky continues not quite knowing why, any effort Bryan makes toward finding that balance with her will be futile, and he has just made the decision to give up trying.

Not sure where we went on that adventure, but it was well told - 4*

Everyone that is saying how real life this is may want to take a good hard look at yourself and your spouse. Either that or I live in a alternative world because my wife and I never act like these two.

A perfect picture of a sad and petulant person. I have found that most people who need to reinforce their independence are trying to avoid any constructive improvement. They lack the ability to see value in any accomplishment. They tend to disrespect anyone who disagrees with them. They usually do not do anything exceptional and thus belittle anyone who looks to define aspects of life when having a discussion. She is pitiful at best.

Yeah, they're getting divorced if they don't both grow up. She's being a bitchy but does have a point and he's being dismissive and asshole. Neither can communicate.

Too bad for Tara.

I always drive. I always open and close the passenger door for my wife. 47 years.

Great characters. You really got us into them, warts and all. And there were some damn big warts.

Nice job of writing. Five for skill nothing for all but the baby

Has to be one of the more mismatched couples in the loving wives category I've seen in a long time. I don't see how one of them won't eventually snap and call it quits or one day either of them will be tempted into breaking their marriage wows one way or the other without some serious intervention by the grandparents or a couples counselor.

It's scarily accurate to the kind of bickering I've seen in couples that fell apart within a few years if not months.

It just seems unfinished, like the server is about to walk up to the man...

Good story overall, but it seemed a little unfinished.

As other commenters have observed, it's unfinished. But the truth is, it will never be finished as long as these two combatants are still together. They will continue to go at it tooth & nail until death parts them. Divorce won't do anything about the equality issue because she does not want to be equal to her husband. She wants to be superior to her husband in all things. The courts will make her superior by beating down the husband, as all courts are wont to do by impoverishing the husband. LP

Well-written story but I have to admit they seemed like a horribly matched couple and for the sake of his sanity and ever else I'd be looking to divorce her so that she can find happiness under her own control. My Ex was like that - had to be in control and after 10 years I gave her that complete control when I divorced her. Never happier.

Wow, a completely different dynamic than "When Brian met Becky". Same couple, now.far from the love at first sight stage, closer to.divorce at next light, it seems.

Fuck that was painful!! My god, the bickering!!

The story itself was very interesting, but the best thing about it is the comments. You have managed to create a story where the readers see anything they want in it, touching whichever hot button the reader happens to have. Pure genius. George Anderson created a story where a multitude of readers wanted to change the outcome and you have created a story where nothing happened and the readers want it to be different.

Wow you write very well ! The last thing I needed to have in my life was another argument with the wife , we’ve been going at it most of the day , yet I intensely read every word you wrote ! I think I’ll try some variation on the ‘big, easy smile with the next lull in my own argument , can’t hurt , or can it ?

Do I know this couple? You capture the essence of this kind of "pointless" argument so well. They will either let their love overcome it, that will require honesty and peace-making on both sides, or they will slowly but surely fall apart as their love is corroded. Thank you for such a believable snapshot of a marriage under stress.

Funny how you can pick out the "women studies" brainwashed females ( I refuse to call them women). Feminism today is a hate cult. It used to be something respectful and necessary.

Very well written look at what men have to deal with these days. no wonder men don't want to marry anymore.

Mikoda, pull yourself together, you're being a drip.

Run away. Run FAR away. She's bat-crap crazy and nothing he says or does is going to save him from a lifetime of anger, stress and pain. He should divorce her and when he gets visitation make sure that he trades his daughter back and forth at his in-laws so he never has to see his ex-wife. Have it written in the divorce agreement that way. NOTHING is worth putting up with that type of behavior. Why did he get married in the first place?

I personally would have run away from a woman like this IRL. But thank you for writing this scenario pointing out how cancerous feminism is. Truly funny and scary in equal measure.

Crap like this can also point out larger flaws in the marriage - 'equality' can be any point of argument for people who have larger problems.

Regardless, she's many gallons short of a full tank.

No resolution to the status of their inequities.

Stay with a feminist cunt like that? Not in this lifetime. I don't have time for the mentally ill.

There never really is any satisfactory reason revealed for a) why Bryan is such a dick about driving and b) why he seems obsessed with pushing Becky's buttons about so many other issues. He manages simultaneously to come across as a thoughtful, intelligent man and someone with the emotional maturity of a fourteen year old. Still, I've seen for myself many marriages where the participants seem to have nothing better to do than pick each other to pieces so I guess it's a realistic story at least.

It is truly remarkable how ignorant and resistant some humans are to the use of allegory. Ignorant comes from "ignore" and you can't ignore something unless you know that it is there. The ones that obdurately insist upon making each word have only the meaning that THEY are aware of are no-hopers in an arid world, leaving no tracks on barren ground.

Anony: better a drip than a snivel!

I understand that the couple love each other and the sniping is a part of the relationship; however, I know people in relationships like this and it’s fairly draining to be around them.

Good writing, but I give up, not interesting to me. Read about the bedside lamps and part way thru this one. I would have divorced her before the baby or even the wedding if she behaved this way. What a self-centered Bitch.