The following events are based on a true story. Several true
stories, in fact…
***
They’ve been dating for a while now. Their feelings have
grown. They’re spending all of their free time together. He’s been working up
his nerve to say those three words that every woman in love desires to hear. As
he hugs her goodbye, it finally spills out...
“I love you,” he
whispers into her ear.
Overjoyed, she whispers back, “I love you, too.”
He pulls back as if struck.
“You love me… ‘too’?” He seems shocked.
“Well, yes. I do love you, too,” she replies with confusion.
“You love me… ‘too’?!” He seems angry.
“Yes…? Is it not okay that I love you, too?” Did she do
something wrong, she wonders.
“You love me… ‘too.’ Okay.” He seems hurt.
“Darling, what is it? What did I say?” She’s genuinely
concerned.
His brow furrows. “I hate it when people say, ‘I love you
TOO.’ It makes me feel like they’re only saying it because I said it. It doesn’t
feel genuine.”
Now she’s confused. “Just because I said ‘too’ doesn’t mean
it’s not how I feel. Yes, I said it in response to you, but that doesn’t mean I
don’t love you. If I didn’t love you, I wouldn’t feel ‘obligated’ to say, ‘I
love you, too’ just because you said it.”
“I just wish you’d say something else, something more
genuine.” He’s sort of cute when he pouts. Sort of.
“What would you prefer I say?” she asks.
He thinks a moment and says, “How about ‘I love you more’?
or ‘I love you back’ or just ‘I love YOU.’”
She’s really trying to understand. “That would make it feel
more genuine to you?”
“Yes. I think so. I mean, it doesn’t have to be that. Just
something else. Something other than ‘too.’”
She smiles sweetly. “Okay. I think I understand. Let’s try
it again.”
He really loves this woman. He embraces her again, kisses
her gently and says, “I love you.”
She kisses him back and says sweetly, “Thank you. I really
like you a lot.”
***
Yes, that’s right! There is a new phenomenon of
over-sensitivity sweeping through our country – and perhaps even beyond our
borders. It’s affecting couples and individuals all over the planet!
People aren’t shocked. They’re not angry. They’re not hurt. They’re…over-sensitive
about the word “too.”
So, the next time you hear someone say, “I like potato chips,”
remember – you can’t just say, “I like potato chips, too.” Because then it will
seem like you only like potato chips because they do. You have to say “I like
potato chips more.”
The alternate ending was provided and names were omitted to protect the over-sensitive.
