hi frito! long time no see! wow, that sounds like the kind of "humor" I grew up with, my brother was five years older than me and we watched comedians on the Ed Sullivan Show always insulting people. So he would insult me and I would insult him back. But a boyfriend in high school told me it wasn't nice. He came from a much better educated family than I did. And my current T finally had the nerve and the caring and the insight to teach me that such remarks are hurtful and aren't done between people who truly care about each other. It's funny, but they're not comedians on a stage, they're a family at home. My feeling is, such a remark should be followed immediately by a hug! like the oxygen tank joke. but many as you quoted here, like a-hole, should not be said at all.

You wrote an excellent analysis of their relationship!