Anything is a figure of speech when it comes to him. Though I really don’t think he realizes what a grating personality he has. I think he just sees people as things to be conquered, but not maliciously. Like the old phrase, “If you can’t dazzle them with your footwork, then baffle them with your BS.”
There must be some good things about him or she wouldn’t have stayed. I didn’t know him well when I went to visit (they’ve known each other since the mid-90s) but he seemed genuinely surprised by the scope of my knowledge. Often.
As long as they want to stay together, then fine. I think she stays because she doesn’t want to be alone. She keeps forgetting that that’s my life. Being alone, that is.
There’s something to be said for being alone. I get an hour or so per day ...
Birds are awake here.