Today’s Word: Traduce


It was a slip, as most indiscretions are. Tyler's promise broke upon the rocks of his friends' ears, like a tiny wooden vessel shredded against a stony cleft. As soon as the words left his gullet, words that traduced his own wife before mixed company, his ears began to burn and his stomach grew tight. He hadn't meant to say it. He hadn't opened his mouth with the intention of calling his wife a nag; she wasn't a nag. But the guys were being guys, speaking about their wives as if they had no feelings for them; as if these very women didn't make their lives complete. And maybe, for a few of them, that was true. Maybe their wives were nagging, self-righteous, bossy, women with no sense of purpose beyond ruling their husbands. But not Meagan. Meagan was his sweetheart, his reason for working this thankless job when all other reasons had ceased to matter. She was the mother of his children, and his dearest friend.

When he came through the door with a dozen roses and a copy of her favorite movie on DVD, Meagan was taken aback. Real tears came to her eyes and she wouldn't stop hugging him. Even when told her why, told her that he had called her a nag for the stupid reason of peer pressure, she only shrugged and accepted his apology with grace.

"How can you forgive me so easily, when I promised I'd never disparage you before anyone?" asked Tyler.

"Because that's what best friends do," said Meagan.