Free What a Fool Believes by Carmen Green

guy was a disgrace to men everywhere.
    â€œIt’s time for a break.” Pebbles put her purse on her arm and waddled toward the door, women trailing her. “We might have to call it an early night if this is all you’ve got to say.”
    Fred stood in front of the class, visibly shaking. “I’ve devised a set of rules, per se, things I’ve found have helped me when I feel myself getting angry. Anger is a healthy emotion, but it can also be a fool’s worst enemy.” He grinned, although it came off looking like he’d been kicked in the spleen. “I call them Fred’s Rules for Fools.”
    Nobody in the room moved. Fred’s leg shook as if he were a potty-training toddler. He laughed and it sounded like a whimper. “Okay.” He spoke in a voice much too high for a man with an Adam’s apple. “They’re pasted inside the front cover of your journals, but we’ll review them weekly. The first rule is, when in a disagreement with a person, stick to the subject and never repeat yourself.”
    Byron felt sorry for Fred. He was going to get beat up by a bunch of women because he was as lame as his rules. Rules for Fools.
    Use “I feel,” rather than accuse. Walk away. Acknowledge when you’re wrong. Don’t make idle threats. Forgive those that have wronged you . Take responsibility for your anger. Don’t instigate . Channel your anger by working out/exercising to the point of exhaustion. Focus on breathing techniques—in through nose and out through nose. When you’re really concentrating, nothing can make you angry. You are responsible for your emotions. Guard them intensely, and use them wisely.
    Pebbles moved like a sumo wrestler to Fred’s desk. “How are you ever going to get your point across if you can’t reference what happened in the past? Especially if you know he’s done something back then that you can use in your argument now.”
    â€œCan you ever recall a time when, in an argument, you changed the other person’s mind by saying something over and over again?” asked Fred.
    â€œNo, but—”
    â€œThat’s it then.” Fred nodded conclusively, as if he’d won the debate team trophy. “Let’s move on to class expectations.”
    â€œBut I wasn’t finished,” Pebbles said loudly.
    â€œWhat new item do you want to bring to the discussion, Ms. Pebbles?” He sounded defeated. Emotionally, she was beating his ass with his trophy.
    â€œNew? We’re still on the old. How is not repeating myself going to stop my husband from bringing other women in my house?”
    â€œI don’t know,” said Fred.
    The class glared at Fred.
    â€œWhat?” mumbled Roxy, who sat at the table ahead of Byron. “No, I didn’t pay good money to hear you say you don’t know something. I know I’d better get better answers than that. If you think I’m mad now, see me when you’ve wasted my time and my hard-earned cash.”
    â€œYou may have to accept that the infidelity happened and forgive him. Rule number six,” Fred told Pebbles. “Otherwise, I-I don’t know.”
    â€œYou repeated yourself,” Ginger told him gently.
    â€œI know.” Fred looked like he was getting fried on the sidewalk, under a magnifying glass.
    â€œThat’s okay because it was another person asking the question. So technically, you’re not repeating yourself to Ms. Pebbles if you answered someone else.” Then Ginger gave the class the smile of an angel.
    Byron watched the byplay and wondered if this class was for the mentally ill or if he was just unlucky.
    â€œI promise this works. If you use this technique, you will find disagreements shorter and less painful.”
    â€œNot at my house,” Pebbles grunted. “We can go at it for hours.”
    A chorus of agreement supported her. “Fred, I don’t think you know