Wow. If I had a dollar for every time I've said those words to my bf, I'd be a very rich woman.
Something about the way I occasionally say something... and I haven't cracked the code yet, just sets him off. And yes, anger is his first, second, and third response.
I don't feel like he's saying I'm stupid, because he knows I'm not. Just like cac just verified that he knows you're smart.
I think the key may be in his comment about not being a mind reader. When you say something using certain words and he takes you literally and it turns out you meant something different, it makes HIM feel stupid ("I'm not a mind reader!") and the reaction is defensiveness and anger.
But here's the part I don't understand: he can't just cut me some slack. So I used an imprecise word. And NO-- not a word as imprecise as "crash" when I meant "park"... geez!
I'm a professional writer, for pete's sake. I know how to express myself. I have to be careful what I say when I'm at work speaking for my clients. WHY should I have to be so friggin careful at home when I'm dealing with a man who supposedly loves me? Why can't he cut me some slack?
If I had the emotional energy, I'd conduct an experiment where I tested two scenarios, one where I use an imprecise word and it makes ME look stupid, and the other where I use an imprecise word and it makes HIM (in his eyes, not mine) look stupid. Then see which one make him angry. But I'm rapidly getting to the point where I don't give a rat's a$$ anymore.
