Its one of the great paradoxes – “I haven’t got anything to wear”, to which the attendant 2nd party says “But what about those wardrobes full of clothes?”. Which we all know is a foolish response.
Today we will extend that with “There is nothing to eat”, to which the reply “But what about the fridge full of fresh vegetables, fruit and cheeses, the freezer full of ready meals and the pantry cupboard with enough dried food to feed a family of five for a month” is also judged superfluous.
They should take us chaps* round the back of the bike sheds at school and let us know the real meaning of these phrases. We wouldn’t then spend our formative relationship years in a constant state of confusion and ear bashing, not to mention the associated wallet emptying that we have to go through to teach us a lesson. Or maybe, as Jonathon Delacour says very well in this piece, we only learn by negative reinforcement. I will let you know when I get back from the supermarket.
*Not trying to be sexist here, but I couldn’t help myself. There go my feminist credentials.