名稱：agree to Disagree
內(nèi)容簡介：
Dear Arizona,
　 My brothers disagree about everything, and they're always trying to get me to take a side. Even though they're the ones arguing, I'm the one who gets stressed out. What should I do?
　 — Craving Calm in Colorado

Dear Craving Calm,
　 I know exactly what you mean! It's stressful being around people who argue all the time, and it's even more stressful when those people put you in the middle of their arguments.

I know exactly what you mean! It’s stressful being around people who argue all the time, and it’s even more stressful when those people put you in the middle of their arguments.

Two of my all-time favorite people on the planet—Ollie, my neighbor and best guy friend since we were babies, and Mareya Becker, my all-around fabulous friend—happen to be extremely opinionated. It’s great that they stand up for their beliefs. What’s not so great is the way they act when their opinions are completely opposite!

The worst time was about a month ago. Mareya and Ollie each tried so hard to pull me over to their side that I thought I was going to rip in half!

The three of us were having a perfectly fine time kicking around a soccer ball when Mareya said, “Hey, have you guys heard the new Flying Pandas song?”

“Don’t remind me,” said Ollie, groaning. “That thing’s on the radio 24/7!”

“I know. I can’t get enough of it! Those lyrics are incredibly catchy.” Mareya passed the ball and started singing. “‘I found you on a Sunday—now that was one day I won’t forget. I lost you on a Tuesday— well, talk about a bluesday I won’t forgeh-eheh- eh-et!’”

Ollie covered his ears and cried, “Please stop! I beg of you. If I hear that song one more time, I’m going to scream!”

“You must be tone-deaf or something,” said Mareya. “That’s the only possible explanation for not loving that song.”

“Or,” said Ollie, “maybe you’re tone-deaf. That’s the only explanation I can think of for even being able to listen to that song!”

“You agree that it’s a great song—right, Arizona?” said Mareya.

“No, she agrees with me,” said Ollie. “Don’t you, Arizona?”

“Anyone with ears would like that song,” said Mareya. “Right, Arizona?”

“Anyone with a brain would dislike that song,” said Ollie. “Right, Arizona?”

“Right!” I said.

“Who’s right?” asked Mareya. “Ollie or me?”

“You are,” I said. “No, I mean you are. I mean, you both are!”

Ollie shook his head. “We can’t both be right.”

“Make up your mind,” said Mareya. “Which one of us do you agree with?”

Right then was the exact moment I was talking about earlier. You know, the moment when I felt like I was going to rip in half.

And right then was when I realized how I was actually feeling, instead of how everybody else wanted me to feel.

“You want to know what I really think?” I said. “I think it’s uncool of you both to try to make me take sides like this! I think you should just agree to disagree. And from now on, if you want to have arguments, please leave me out of them. That is what I think!”

Nobody said anything for a while. I mean, there was this incredibly weird silence for just about forever! Until finally, Mareya said, “You know, you’re right, Arizona. I’m really sorry I put you in the middle like that.”

“I am, too,” said Ollie. “I didn’t mean to wreck your day.”

Mareya smiled and gave Ollie a little tap on the shoulder.

“What about wrecking my day?” she joked.

“What about that Flying Pandas song wrecking my entire week?” Ollie laughed.

As you can see, dear Craving Calm, I wasn’t kidding when I said I could relate to your problem. Ollie and Mareya still disagree a lot of the time, but now they’re pretty good about leaving me out of their arguments.

Maybe you could ask your brothers to stop trying to get you to take sides. And if they won’t quit, just politely excuse yourself, then walk away!

Ciao for now,

Arizona