Sarah prided herself on her hard work balancing her job as a project manager and taking care of home life. Her husband, Tom, had a regular nine-to-five job as an accountant. One evening, Sarah came home to a shocking sight: a gourmet menu posted on the refrigerator, instructing her to cook extravagant meals. Furious, she confronted Tom about it.
“I thought it would be nice to have some variety in our meals,” Tom said, completely unaware of how much stress he was adding to Sarah’s already tiring days.
“Variety? I barely have time to eat, let alone prepare gourmet dishes!” Sarah snapped back. “I need help, not more work.”
Tom seemed confused and a bit defensive. “But I handle the bills, yard work, car maintenance. Isn’t that enough?”
Shaking her head, Sarah replied, “It’s not about quitting your job or responsibilities. It’s about sharing the load equally. Making gourmet meals every night is just too much.”
The argument escalated and ended with Tom storming out. However, Sarah was determined to make him understand her point of view. She came up with a plan. She hired a professional chef, Chef Martin, using Tom’s car savings to pay for it.
Come Friday evening, Tom walked into the house, captivated by the scent of delicious Beef Wellington filling the air. As he enjoyed the meal, Chef Martin stepped out from the kitchen. “Is there anything wrong with the beef, sir?” he asked.
Tom was taken aback. “Who are you?”
“This is Chef Martin,” Sarah announced. “I hired him to cook this meal so you could see how much effort it takes.”
Tom’s face turned red. “You… you did what?”
Calmly, Sarah explained her reasoning: “I wanted you to understand the amount of work that goes into preparing such meals. Hopefully, now you see what I go through.”
Realizing his mistake, Tom looked remorseful. “I’m sorry, Sarah. I really didn’t think about the kind of work it would take.”
From that moment on, they decided to plan their meals together, each of them taking a turn to cook. They aimed for simple, yet delicious meals that wouldn’t overburden either of them. The demanding menus never reappeared, and their relationship grew stronger as they learned to support each other.
