You Say Potato...

As a married man, I have certainly done some things or made some statements over the years which have caused my wife to confront my views or criticize my behavior (and vice versa, of course.) After all, no two people can live together for over a decade without disagreeing on some topic or another, or slipping into some annoying habitual behavior one time too many for the other person’s taste.

However, this morning, my wife recalled one particular incident that ranks up there in the pantheon of “silly arguments” that a married couple may have. A few years back, at dinner time, our meal included baked potatoes, and I was asked if I wouldn’t mind cutting the potatoes in half for each of us – which I gladly did. Seeing her plate, my wife was appalled…

“What did you do to the potato?”

“I cut it in half.”

“No you didn’t.”

“Yes, I did.”

And here was the crux of the problem… I had cut the spud in half, into two semi-circles, where I find it easier to scoop out the potato from the inside protection of the skin. She had intended for me to cut it lengthwise, where it is far easier to distribute the butter along the greatest surface area. Both ways are technically “half” but she claimed she had never seen anyone cut their potato that way.

An impromptu survey of some friends ensued, and to our surprise, it seemed to break down along gender lines. Most guys went for the coconut-style cut, whereas gals generally went for the double-canoe.

So, what do you think? Does this gender breakdown still hold true today?

How do you cut a potato in half?