OOTS #1162 - The Discussion Thread

[Keltest]

I'm with you so far.


But not to this point. That's not in the quote, and it's not evident from Ivan's behavior. He cared about what he projected, believed, his wife might want, probably based on his image of women generally. He demonstrably did not listen to what she actually wanted.

I get that unfounded cynicism is kind of your thing, but the joke stops working if Ivan is actually capable of hurting Hilgya, even accidentally. This is one of those times when the thing that looks, acts and quacks like a duck is a duck.