The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-08-28
Shop Talk
Despair OF
Many Vices
BY MARTHA LEE.

You no doubt have heard the
one about the fellow in the cir
Gus, whose job 1t was to feed the
animals, spending his vacation IN
the ZOO. And the automobile me-
chanic who has an afternoon OH
and spends it in his garage fixing
his own car.
It's bad enough to be one OF these
fellows, who simply can't tear
themselves away from their work
even in their lighter moments. But
worse, oh, ten times worse, is it to
be a wife who must suffer martyr
dom unknown since the days OF the
rack and thumb screws.
I always have been one to hold
that q, wife should evince interest
in her husbands business affairs.
When he shows an inclination to
let her in on some Of his daily
trials and tribulations at the Of
fee, she should listen and as pa
tiently and intelligently as he does
when she relates the way Junior
has acted all day and how the baby
almost broke a tooth trying to bite
a chunk out Of the stove leg and
how Mrs. Whoozis had the nerve
to come over and borrow another
CUP of sugar after the way she has
acted.
Wife Has Some Rights
The incidents leading up to his
finding that important letter in the
rs instead of the as, where it be-
longed, may not be the most inter-
esting as he believes it to be, but
at least it is as interesting IS the
affair with Mrs. Whoozis. That's
part Of being married.
But that does not mean he should
have a monopoly upon the CONVEX
sation and that he should be allowed
to dwell hour after hour on every
little thing concerning his work. A
wife has some rights. And one OF
them is to be allowed a choice, at
least once in a while, as to what she
must listen for several hours an
evening.
Dear Martha Lee: I have a problem
for you. What cure is there for man
who will talk nothing but shop? I eat
nv meals to the tune of shop, hear shop
all the rest Of the evening and even when
I am trying to read. Any conversation
I get must be shop. If I try to switch
him over to another subject. I get
grunt or silence.
We are strangers here. The only &C
ouaintances we have are men from his
IN
call, I would like to keep the CONVERSE
ton interesting for the other wives and
nlyself. but what do you think we talk?
Why. shop. And shop as the topic goes
strong during the entire visit.
Too Much "shop"
I realize it is necessity to work. but
7 don't feel It imperative to talk about 1t
the rest Of the waking hours. There isn't
a chance to get word in edgewise. All
I can do is to sit and listen. And when
the evening is over, feel like dud.
I have asked him as a special favor
to forget 1t for one evening, but that's
never happened yet. Don't think I am
not interested in his work. I am. But
I'm sick unto death of hearing about
it ALL the time. Is there any way l
can break him Of this habit?
I suppose you will tell me it is all right
for him to talk about his work. And 1t
probably is for those who do not have
to hear It all the time. Be a Solomon and
tell me g part cure that will work. /
could stand it part time.
HOPEFUL.
II he has a sense of humor you
might suggest that he talk shop
several evenings a week, and de-
mand a penalty if he breaks that
compromise If he hasn't sense
Of hunor, don't try that.
Beat Him to 1t
I have yet to see woman VINO
can not out-talk a man when she
sets her mind to it. Why not get
the conversation started before ne
has a chanceP Give him your shop
talk for several evenings and he VIII
soon see that even the most patient
spouse may tire Of hearing nothing
else.
And there always is walk to be
taken or a book to read. When
your callers come, why not take
the women guests into another
room, where you can discuss the
things women like to discuss, with
out interfering in the. conversation
Of the men.
AS for breaking the habit, you
will have to be your own Solomon IN
that case.