European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 19, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                7 7tribulations of Post a pairings. To w a. By Lois Romano Washington Post he entire relationship came Down to a choose Grater. Bill and Becky Curry wore married barely six months when they found their dream House which mean it was Lime to sacrifice some of their personal belongings for the common Good. A 33-year-old flight attendant when she married Becky had already set up a household she adored. Her Antiques and overstuffed faded chairs were her friends. Same with Bill a Pep co executive who at 38 was that rare fellow who actually knew his Way around a cuisinart and could t Wail to get his own Spatula out of storage. Those first few Days of wrangling Over whose frying pan would stay and whose mixing bowls would go were not heir Besl. Still they plodded along determined to preserve their image of themselves As a Happy couple. Around Day 3, however the pretence crumbled Over two Flimsy Metal cheese graters. His was new. Shiny quadrangular and could grate cheese four different ways. His Mother had one just like it. There was no other Way. Hers was Flat and practical and would store easily. She had picked it up at an antique shop and it was like an old sweater. How Many different ways did you need to shred Cheddar anyway he yelled she cried. He stormed she threatened. Finally simply worn Down she tossed out her Grater. She s never shredded a piece of choose since. They be been married six years. Ii never occurred to them to keep both graters. That just was t an option this was a win lose Issue Becky Curry says today. I was really dumbfounded that a Kitchen implement would even matter to him. But he was feeling pushed aside i Learned not to assume  now whenever to strongly disagree we recollect he Day of the cheese Grater Bill says. That s when we know it s time to Compromise. Or avoid  this is not a Story about dating or breaking up. It s about commitment about making a decision that you will be part of a couple even though the love of your life would rather read fiction alone than parly with your friends. It s about being in love but wondering How you la Ever get through the holidays because she insists on buying an artificial Christmas tree and All your Holida memories Are tied up in the smell of Pine. It s about Little things with big meanings personal tastes and styles that Are so deeply ingrained in your personality that a times Solitude is More appealing than Compromise. This is about becoming a couple when you re not a kid anymore. A choose Grater is just a thing which happened to represent much much More says Isaiah Zimmerman a Washington psychologist who specializes in couple Battle to c whose life ii is a. Commit or truly belie benefits o becom any age. 1 everyone Way Loco and Media 30 and b climb say for one that much Are and w Accord Center for census b marriage i years f and from. Number is Urban pro and we confident you just old Journa As much you la try c skiing Jusi you might on the discard i expect Lii More rec opposite i them Elva their own the big disrupted by see Mir neatness. Christmas Don t care can raise Zimmermon it do leaves his one 34 with the s driven to i prompt i comprecht the clock. In her n reliable in committee that if she relations have to re simply so now we tells him t the Suchec go to the and meet the first a her up at leaves. She u another v she did unhooking because Middle. To Page 14 the stars and stripes tuesday is