The Uncle Who Asked Twice

At every family meal, Uncle Paul asked his niece Cora when she would have children. She usually laughed and changed the subject. He assumed she enjoyed the familiar joke. In fact, she had begun avoiding meals because she was tired of preparing an answer she did not want to give.

Before the next lunch, Cora called him. She said she wanted to see him, but did not want questions about having children. Paul immediately asked why. Cora explained that her reasons were private and that she was not asking him to understand every detail, only to stop asking.

Paul was quiet for a moment. Then he said he had thought the questions showed interest in her life. Cora suggested asking about the people she already spent time with, the books she read or the places she hoped to visit. There were many parts of her life available for conversation.

At lunch, Paul nearly began his usual question, then stopped himself. Instead, he asked about her walking holiday. Cora told him about getting lost beside a lake, and he described a similar mistake from his youth. Their conversation lasted through dessert. As she left, he thanked her for calling before the meal. She was glad she had given him a boundary rather than another excuse for staying away.