There is a saying that men never change, cynical but partially true?  After fourteen years of marriage saying my partner has not changed would be false. He has changed all those traits that were bearable because they were a small part of his character now make up the majority.

Yes the Neanderthal qualities such as nose picking, crotch scratching, flatulence, boorish laughter, complete self obsession, and implicit belief in always being correct are now the norm.  With some newly acquired  gems thrown in such as toe-nail biting (has to be seen to be believed), face-pulling,  head shaking at anything he doesn’t agree with,  exaggerated gesturing,  obnoxious singing  or even  dancing (not with any remotely romantic intention) to draw attraction to what am not entirely sure.  This man could once sing an entire song in tune.

Another apparently endearing trait is me being addressed as  ‘Oye’ if more than 1 ft away .

In addition if you thought your loved one was family obsessed before , those ties just grow stronger, not with you, but with long lost third and fourth cousins, distant relatives, childhood friends and anyone from the ‘motherland’ or with the same religious affiliation.

I console myself with this thought:

“There once was a brainy baboon who always breathed down a bassoon for he said, ”It appears that in billions of years I shall certainly hit on a tune.””

-          Ezra Pound