Word: Simpatico

simpatico

/sɪmˈpɑ tɪˌkoʊ, -ˈpæt ɪ-/

adjective

1. congenial or like-minded; likable:

I find our new neighbor simpatico in every respect.

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              Ted muttered and grumbled as he settled into the too heavy covers.  He pulled and tugged at the sheets, but they refused to cooperate with him.

                “Oh for pete’s sake, Ted, what’s wrong?” Asked his wife, Jill.

                “Nothing.  It’s these sheets is all.  They just won’t settle right.”

                “It’s not the sheets.  You’ve been grumpy all afternoon.  What happened.”

                “Nothing.” Ted insisted again.  Jill looked at him in the way only she could.  That look had power over him.  It was better than any truth serum could ever be.  Ted grumbled, but relented.  “I met Liz’s new boyfriend today.” he said sullenly.

                “Oh, is that all?” Jill said.  She climbed into bed next to her husband.  “Why is that making you so upset?”

                “It’s just...I was so ready to hate him, you know?  I mean, how dare he even think of touching our baby girl?  But he’s just so…so…likeable.” He shuddered as he said that last word.  It was like poison to his very being as a father.

                “Well, isn’t that a good thing?  That Liz found a nice boy should make you happy, right?”

                Ted huffed.  “You don’t understand.  You’re a mother.  I’m a father.  It’s an entirely different relationship.”

                “So tell me.”

                “I just.  I wanted to strangle him for daring to even think about touching my baby girl.  But then he opened his mouth.  He was polite and charming and witty and, and nice.”

                “So you’re getting upset because you don’t have a reason to hate our daughter’s boyfriend?”

                “Exactly!”

                “Doesn’t seem very fair, does it?  I mean, why are you even trying to hate this boy?  If you just met him at a school event or something, you wouldn’t have any problem with him, would you?”

                “Well, no, but I didn’t meet him at a school event, did I?  I met him when Liz introduced him to me.  As her boyfriend.  I mean, why does she even have a boyfriend?  She’s only fifteen. She shouldn’t be dating.”

                “You don’t remember much about being a teenager, do you?”

                “Not really.  But she’s too young.”

                “She doesn’t think so.  And neither do any fifteen year olds.  Look, Ted, you’re just going to have to get over it.  Just thank god that the boy Liz wants to be with is so good.  It could’ve been worse.  At least she isn’t dating some bully or punk or something.”

                “I guess that’s true.” Ted admitted. 

                “What’s this boy’s name anyway?”

                “Josh.”  Ted thought about the last name.  Did he get a last name?  He could not be sure, but he thought he did.  “Josh Tanner, I think?”

                “Tanner…Tanner…” Jill thought, mulling the name through her mind.  “Oh I think I know who you’re talking about.  Really, he is a fine boy.  I know his mother from PTA meetings.  It’s a good family.  Liz will be just fine with him.”

                “I just don’t like it, is all.”

                “I know you don’t.  But that’s not going to change the fact that she’ll keep dating him.  The sooner you come to terms with that, the better you’ll feel.  And if it’s any consolation, high school relationships rarely last passed college.”  Jill almost left it at that.  “Then she’ll be able to date lots of other boys.”

                “What!?” 

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I can't say I have much experience with dads like this.  My dad never seemed to have a problem with my sister's boyfriends at any rate.  Of course, he did threaten them with a plastic butcher knife, but that was about it.  Of course, my sister was never one to bring home loads of guys, so there was that.