Once upon a time, four married guys decided to go on a fishing trip together. As they cast their lines into the water, they began to discuss the sacrifices they had made to be there.

The first guy started the conversation by saying, “You have no idea what I had to do to be able to come out fishing this weekend. I had to promise my wife that I will paint every room in the house next weekend.” The other guys nodded sympathetically, understanding the struggle of negotiating with their wives.

But the second guy quickly topped his friend’s story. “That’s nothing!” he exclaimed. “I had to promise my wife that I’d build her a new deck for the pool. She’s been wanting it for ages, and this fishing trip was the only way to make it happen.”

Listening intently, the third guy chimed in with his own tale. “You both have it easy!” he proclaimed. “I had to promise my wife that I’ll remodel the entire kitchen for her. It’s going to be a big project, but I couldn’t pass up the chance to join you guys on this fishing adventure.”

As they continued to fish, they looked over at the fourth guy who had remained silent. Curiosity got the better of them, and they finally asked him, “You haven’t said anything about what you had to do to be able to come fishing this weekend. What’s the deal?”

A mischievous smile crossed the fourth guy’s face as he revealed his secret. “Well,” he began, “I just set my alarm for 5:30 am. When it went off, I shut off the clock, gave my wife a gentle nudge and said, ’ And you know what she said? ‘Wear a sweater’.”

The other guys burst into laughter, amused by his clever approach to getting away for a fishing trip. It seems that sometimes a simple and direct choice can lead to unexpected results.

And so, the four married guys continued their fishing adventure with a newfound appreciation for the diverse strategies used to spend quality time with friends. It just goes to show that a little creativity and humor can make any endeavor, even a ‘honey-do’ list negotiation, more enjoyable.