Interesting. Having got over that hurdle several years ago, I'm wondering, if this is the only question that works out this way. According to my own experience (as a married man), I agree with a common psychological view, which says that women talk to each other differently than men do. When a woman says that the garbage can is full, she means "please go and empty it", whereas for the man's ear it's just a statement of an obvious fact. When a man says the same, a woman would take it as a strong order to change that state, whereas the man might just have meant that he will empty the can within the next few minutes.

Your post now makes it even harder for us poor men: sometimes, 'indirections' don't work, sometimes they only work.
 

lothar --

Thanks for commenting.

I don't think it's a "gender thing" to be direct or indirect. I know many men who seem to want me to read their minds ("I'm hungry" seems to mean "make me lunch now!").

And I also know women who are very direct ("take out that trash right now, or no lunch for you!").

There's a time for hinting or playing coy -- and a marriage proposal ain't it.