The relationship between teacher and supervisor can be compared to that of husband and wife. Both relationships require care, commitment, communication, respect, truthfulness, and trust. Certain characteristics must exist between the supervisor and teacher for the process to be successful and, ultimately, lead to improved instruction. This paper examines 20 such characteristics that are apparent in both the clinical supervision process and marriage. The paper also compares the stages of clinical supervision with the life of a marriage. They are the pre-observation conference, observation stage, analysis and strategy stage, post-observation conference, and post-conference analysis. One overwhelming concept discovered is that trust is the basis for all relationships, and truthfulness is the key to developing trust. Communication is the vehicle for maintaining and developing the relationship. If teachers and supervisors understood their relationship as one typical of a husband and wife, education as the "offspring" of this relationship, would profit beyond expectation. (Contains 12 references.) (Author/LH)