We’ve been having issues with possessive pronouns lately. Forty-five years of marriage and we’re still carving out our turf.
A green light on the refrigerator door indicates it is time to order a new water filter. The reminder has been glowing green for more than a week, yet I successfully managed to ignore it. I file the little green light under the category of “nagging.”
Yesterday, my husband says, “Have you ordered a replacement for your water filter for the ‘fridge yet?”
Did you catch that? “Your” water filter.
Why does the water filter belong to me? I didn’t birth it or potty train it. I’ve never even unboxed one, let alone removed an old one or installed a new one.
I am the one who orders the hard-to-find rascals, so I suppose that “technically” makes them mine. I unruffle my feathers.
On the other hand, he buys the furnace filters, so that makes them “his.” I love sharing.
I began thinking about other things he might think are “mine.” The kitchen comes to mind. I’ll take that. The kitchen is “mine,” but the garbage disposal is “his,”—as in, “Your garbage disposal is acting up again.”
The lawnmower has never been “yours,” or “mine” or even “ours.” It’s always been “the” mower. I would like to take this opportunity to officially make it “his.”
Glad that one is settled. He can thank me later.
The garden is “mine” most of the time, but sometimes it is “ours.” The gutters are “his.” So is the roof.
“How is your roof today?”
The leaf blower and small power tools are “ours.” We both use them, though I am usually the one who knows where to find them.
I have no desire to make the chainsaw “mine” or even “ours.” No contest, he can have it. I hereby yield the chainsaw.
We used to have “his car” and “her car,” otherwise known as “your car” and “my car,” until he retired. “His” car became “the” car because it is newer and gets better mileage. Whew. A definite article saves the day.
We share a bathroom, but it is “the” bathroom, not “yours” or “mine.” Neither one of us wants exclusive rights because we both know that to own it is to clean it.
We share “the” hairbrush (mainly because I have three other ones in another drawer), but it is “my” blow dryer. What hair he has left can air dry.
I am eyeing the washer and dryer and realize they have never, ever in the history of us been assigned a possessive pronoun.
He’s a smart man. He wouldn’t dare.