MARRIAGE COUNSELING

David and Barbara Werner have been married for nearly fifteen years. They have two children, Gary, aged eleven, and Debbie, who is nine. During the last couple of years David and Barbara haven’t been very happy. They argue all the time. Barbara’s sister advised them to go to a marriage counselor. A marriage counselor helps marriage couples to talk about their problems and to solve them, if possible. Sometimes they meet the counselor separately, and other times they are together for the session. This is David and Barbara’s third session with Dr. Joyce Sisters, the counselor.

Barbara’s Interview
Oh, come in, Barbara. Have a seat. Didn’t David come?
Yes, he’s waiting outside. He didn’t want to come here this week, but...well, I persuaded him to come.
I see. How have things been going?
Oh, about the same. We still seem to have fights all the time.
What do you fight about?
What don’t we fight about? Oh, everything. You see, he’s so inconsiderate...
Go on.
Well, I’ll give you an example. You know, when the children started school, I wanted to go back to work again. So I got a job. Well, anyway, by the time I’ve picked Gary and Debbie up at school, I only get home about half an hour before David.
Yes?
Well, when he gets home, he expects me to run around and get dinner on the table. He never does anything in the house.
Hmm.
And last Friday! He invited three of his friends to come over for a drink. He didn’t tell me to expect them, and I’d had a long hard day. I don’t think that’s right, do you?
Barbara, I’m not here to pass judgement. I’m here to listen.
I’m sorry. And he’s so messy. He’s worse than the kids. I always have to remind him to pick up his clothes. He just throws them on the floor. After all, I’m not his maid. I think that’s part of the trouble. You see, l make more money than he does.

David’s Interview
David! I’m so glad you could come.
Hello, Dr. Sisters. Well, I’ll be honest. Barbara had to force me to come, really.
Does it embarrass you to talk about your problems?
Sure, it does. But I guess we need to talk to somebody.
Barbara feels that you... well, that you resent her job.
I don’ t know. I’d like her to stay home, but she’s very smart. So really, I encouraged her to go back to work. With the kids in school, she needs something to do. And I suppose we need the money.
How do you share the housework?
I try to help. I always help her with the dishes, and I help Gary and Debbie to do their homework while she makes dinner. But she doesn’t think that’s enough. What do you think?
I’m not here to give an opinion, David.
I think we are both too tired, that’s all. In the evenings we’re both too tired to talk. And Barbara...
She never allows me to suggest anything about the house or about the kids. We always have the same arguments. She has her own opinions and that’s it. Last night we had an other fight. She’s forbidden the kids to ride their bikes to school.
Why?
She thinks they’re too young to ride in the traffic. But I think they should. She always complains about picking them up at school. But they can’t be tied to their mother’s apron strings all their lives, can they?

married
session
persuade
inconsiderate     considerate
run around
expect
messy
worse
remind
maid
embarrass
encourage
allow
forbidden
tie タｲ v)結ぶ、縛る
apron エｲﾌﾟﾚﾝ n)エプロン
string ｽﾄリﾝｸﾞ n)ひも、頼り
be tied to A's apron strings 男が母親や妻の言いなりになっている。頭があがらない