Why husbands need to listen to wives

We were terribly late with paying a recurring monthly bill. Hubby said that since we had faithfully paid up before, he would talk to the person in charge, and they would be gracious enough to give us time to settle it.

“The few times I have interacted with that guy, there is no way he will be lenient.”

“He will. There’s no problem, ” Hubby said. I rolled my eyes and repeated.

“He’s not the gracious type. In fact, the more you beg him for time, the harder he will say no. A bank will be kinder even with millions owed them.”

Three hours later, after numerous phone conversations, which led to their in-person meeting, the man still said no and the essential service remained disconnected.

“I will take from the children’s fees and pay half the amount. He should reconnect us.”

I also added some money but warned Hubby that we would still not be reconnected.

“We only have five thousand left. He should now authorise reconnection as I will clear the rest tomorrow.”

“He will still say no, especially since you are now turning beggarly,” I said, to which Hubby snorted, paid up and called the man.

He stuck to his guns. No service.

“How did you know?” Hubby said, looking beat.

“A woman knows.”

I gave him this same response one time when we lost a parcel while at a private function.

A woman knows

“Remember the lady with the blue coat? She is the one that picked it.” I had not seen her pick it, but something told me that she had. Hubby had snorted and asked me how I knew this. After nudging him, he agreed to accompany me and a security guard as I – straight-faced- asked the said woman for the parcel. She produced it with a nervous laugh and a, “I am sorry, I thought it was Jane’s.”

“How did you know?”

“A woman knows.”

I think I know why the Bible says that he who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favour from the Lord. (Proverbs 18:22). See, a woman uses her sixth sense, something that is most often alien to a man. We do not read minds, but we can tell what is in your mind. In addition, we read body language and know how to put two and three together.

I have heard some men say that a woman can smell money. I know when Hubby has been paid long before he lets me know. His body language screams money. He walks in looking extra handsome after a haircut, often with a shopping bag that includes all those things that the children love but he refers to as ‘junk,’ I smell money on him.

There are times that I have said no to an investment plan because my instincts screamed no. At the same time, logic demonstrated the viability of the venture. When he has chosen to disregard my input, he has come back, licking his wounds. How many wives in 2019 said no to start a business even when they did not have a plausible reason for their hesitancy? And how many a husband went ahead, ignored their wife, and threw all their decades of savings to a sure venture, only for 2020 and Covid-19 to happen?

It is like Mother Nature knew we would be physically vulnerable and compensated this with an acute power of intuition, usually described as inexplicable. Every woman knows that feeling when, for no reason at all, her senses, nay, and every cell in her body screams, “Get away! Run!” Shortly after, an explosion or some freak accident happens, and she cannot help but wonder what just transpired. I have said this before: we should have more females in the national security intelligence services than males.

Better than hypnotisers

On the downside, we have been known to be better manipulators than professional hypnotisers. A woman knows just the right amount of pressure to massage a man’s ego. A few men have tried to master this when they see your monster of a car and a bloated wallet by calling you kiongos, Boss and mheshimiwa, but they have nothing on a woman, even as young as a 21-year-old when she wants her way with you.

We are ninjas who will fake a giggle as is appropriate for the moment. With this supernatural power in his wife, Hubby should never plan without my input. But no, he will argue even with my intuition.

Karimi is a wife who believes in marriage. [email protected]