Vladimir, a resident of Berlin, has an unusual strategy for bringing peace to his marriage. He uses an old air raid siren to stun his wife into submission. ‘She never lets me get a word in,’ he told the police. ‘So I crank up the siren and let it rip for a few minutes. It works every time. She shuts up.’
But despite Vladimir’s protestations the police confiscated his siren. As for his wife, she said, ‘My husband is a stubborn mule, so I have to get loud.’
It reminds me of that verse from the Old Testament that says: ‘It’s better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife.’ But I think the best advice comes from another verse that says: ‘Life is short, and you love your wife, so enjoy being with her. This is the best thing you can do as you struggle through life on this earth.’