What's the longest grudge you've held with your partner?
An old story about a Japanese husband who didn't speak to his wife for two decades prompted Carol Ofori and the team to ask KZN about their longest grudge with their other halves.
It sounds like a tall tale, but it's true. Their silence wasn’t due to distance or indifference, but anger. A grudge that grew so big, it swallowed two decades of conversation.
Marriage isn’t easy. It comes with challenges that test patience, pride, and perseverance. Some couples learn quickly how to navigate those moments; others take the long road. Either way, it’s a journey that shapes you.
This old story serves as a powerful reminder that holding a grudge and giving your partner the silent treatment is not just unproductive. It’s a heartbreaking waste of time.
Communication is the cornerstone of any successful marriage, but let’s be honest, it’s not always easy to talk when you’re upset about something your partner did (or didn’t do).
The silent treatment is more common in relationships than we like to admit. What starts as a small disagreement can quickly snowball into something much bigger.
For this Japanese couple, it turned into 20 years of silence.
Otou Katayama took the silent treatment to an extreme, choosing not to speak a single word to his wife for two decades.
Their son, Yoshiki, eventually turned to Hokkaido Television out of concern. His father was approaching retirement, and Yoshiki feared that without intervention, his parents might end up divorcing.
Yoshiki and his siblings struggled to understand why their father remained so distant. But they were happy when their parents agreed to appear on the TV show together.
Surprisingly, after 20 years of silence, it was Otou who finally broke the ice. Oddity Central reports that Otou said to his wife, Yumi, “Somehow, it’s been a while since we talked.”
As their emotional children began to tear up, Otou shared the reason behind his decades-long silence.
“You were so concerned about the kids,” he says. “I was kind of … jealous. I was sulking about it. There’s no going back now, I guess.”
Though filled with regret, he also expressed deep gratitude to Yumi for staying by his side despite 20 years of silence.
This story is a powerful reminder of how something seemingly small can snowball into something life-altering when we avoid honest communication.
Moved by his story, Carol and the team posed this question to listeners: "What’s the longest grudge you’ve ever held against your partner or spouse?"
HOW TO LISTEN TO EAST COAST RADIO
- Listen to East Coast Radio on the FM (frequency modulation) spectrum between 94 and 95 FM on your radio.
- Listen live to ECR by clicking here or download the ECR App (iOS/Android).
- Listen to East Coast Radio on the DStv audio bouquet, channel 836.
- Switch to the audio bouquet on your Openview decoder and browse to channel 606.
- Listen to us on Amazon Alexa.
Follow us on social media:
Image courtesy of iStock