I was amused by this story which came out last month. Utah Jazz basketball star Andrei Kirilenko's wife stated in an interview that she let her husband have a fling with another woman one time each year. He has her permission if that groupie in Seattle is just too much for him to resist. A get out of jail free card. A yearly "woman allowance". Kirilenko is obviously a very intelligent man on top of being a pretty good basketball player. His reaction? "

In the meantime, the most amazing part of the story is Kirilenko's reaction. "Of course it was a surprise," he says, "but I'm not planning on doing anything."
This may be one of those moments akin to your wife asking you if she looks fat in that dress. It may seem like you have an option of what to say, but you really don't. There is only one way to answer that question. Maybe Andrei was thinking along those lines. I guess the test will come when that Angelina Jolie look-alike groupie girl jumps in the elevator with him at the team hotel.

The author of the article implored men to ask their wives what they thought about the whole idea and for women to put forth the notion to their husbands to guage their reaction. Some of the replies were hilarious. A couple of my favorites:

This is what I think: The day my husband is drafted into the NBA is the day that I will permit him an annual allowance of women. I will go even further than Kirilenko's wife -- I will allow him 10 women per year while he is in the NBA. (Given that he is a 36 year old, 5'8" Jewish man from Westchester, N.Y., I am willing to take the risk).

"Why you piece of #@%&$, I oughta cut your #$%&* off!" She heads for the kitchen to make good on her threat, and I'm thinking why did I get her those ultra sharp Wustof knives last year for Christmas?? I pick up my dog, Rusty, to save him from the carnage, but I soon realize we won't both make it, so I toss him like I was in a shot-put competition.

"Run Rusty, save yourself, it's too late for me … don't look back, don't ever look back!" I scream as one of my jewels gets skewered. Rusty yelps and heads for the neighbors. Smart dog, real smart dog I think as I start to black out.

She said, and I quote, "If you can go out and sleep with whomever you want, then the mailman is going to have a very interesting week."

But this got me to thinking.....this is a concept that could be spread to other areas other than extramarital hijinks. An allowance. A life mulligan. A get-out-of jail free card. When I was teaching I sometimes let kids earn a homework pass that could be redeemed for an assignment any time during the year. Of course, the kids who actually did what it took to earn them were the kids who would hardly ever use them. Maybe Andrei is like that....but I digress. Here are a few ideas for this get-out-of-jail-free card:

What if you had a pass that would allow you to tell your boss or a co-worker exactly what you think of them one time a year without recrimination? You walk into the bosses office and say, "get off your ass you lazy slob". He starts to sputter and reaches for the pink slips. You smile and hand over your card.

My kids could use a card like for the exasperating things that kids do. When Patrick has taken the DVD player and re-engineered it into a hyperfrequency modulator and I start to feel my temperature rising, he hands me the card. That arrangement would perhaps get him through the rest of April and then he'd be on his own until next year.

I wouldn't mind having a get-out-of-speeding card. The nice officer pulls you over and his pen is already starting to write out the ticket. You hand him your card and let him find someone else to fund the new city hall.

How about a foot-in-mouth card? We guys(well, some of us) have an unfortunate habit of saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. When she gives you that incredulous look and threatens to cut you off, you pull out the little card and say, "not this time honey!" The foot-in-mouth card.....don't leave home without it.

While we're at it, how about a "shut up card"? Ever been around someone who just wouldn't stop talking even though it was obvious you wanted to end the conversation? Whip that baby out and they instantly turn silent and walk away.

The possibilities are endless. Mrs. Kirilenko may have started a movement here.
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