A seriously stubborn man hasn’t said a word to his wife for more than two decades because he was in a strop and didn’t want to back down.
That’s some determination…
The Mirror reports that Japanese dad-of-three, Otou bizarrely shunned his wife for 20 years because he was ‘jealous’ of the attention she’d given to his kids….
What’s even stranger still is that Otou continued to live with his family, but never a spoke a word to his poor wife throughout most of his children’s life-times.
His wife, Katayama Yumi tried in vain to get him to speak to her, opening up conversations as normal with him, but only getting a grunt or a nod in return.
The unusual family problem was unearthed when Yoshiki, the unconventional couple’s 18-year-old, wrote into a TV show seeking advice on how to get his parents talking again.
Poor Yoshiki has no memory of his dad speaking to his mum at all.
He recalled:
My father doesn’t talk to my mother but my mother talks normally to him. It’s a one way chat.
His older sisters who are 21 and 25, also have no recollection of their parents having a ‘normal’conversation together.
Determined Otou spoke out about the reasons behind his wife’s silent treatment for so many years.
He explained:
When the kids were born my wife was very involved and busy in raising the kids. I was kind of… jealous. I was sulking about it. There’s no going back now I guess.
The TV show had a plan to fulfil Yoshiki’s request and set their parents up on a bench in the park where they’d had their first date.
It seems to be a difficult beginning, but Otou does make an effort to strike up a chat with his wife.
He said:
Somehow it’s been a while since we talked. You were so concerned about the kids.
Yumi up until now, you have endured a lot of hardship. I want you to know I’m grateful for everything.
Here’s the video of the uncomfortable encounter:
As their now adult children watched on, crying in relief, the barriers fell down around the awkward couple and they promised to be more ‘talkative’ in the future.
I couldn’t imagine holding a grudge against someone I loved and lived with for that length of time, it seems absurd.
However, it’s great the pair are talking again and perhaps they can resume some ‘normality’ into their lives…
