Conversation with My Wife (30)
Everybody understands I show our best sides, right? Everybody? C’mon, just nod like you’re agreeing with me.
I show all the Conversation… posts with Deb, sometimes before I post, sometimes after. I like sharing the comments people leave (except the trolls, of course, but there really haven’t been many of those) because they are from the heart and the moment. Even (especially?) ones on threads that didn’t even start with one of my posts (looking at your wonderful comment, Clay Rivers !).
But sometimes my wife worries. I don’t know if this is a south central PA thing (where she grew up) or an inherited trait (her late mother is the one I’m thinking of), but Deb sometimes frets that things are going TOO well.
DEB: “Honey, are people getting the wrong idea from us?”
ME: <not sure if this is based on my posts, my general comments to people in public spaces, or some behavior of which I was previously unaware but which I am now about to learn> “Probably. Almost certainly. Did you have something specific in mind?”
DEB: “We always get along so well in your Medium series.”
ME: “We get along well in real life.” <I thought we did. Maybe I haven’t been paying attention.> “Don’t we?”
DEB: “Of course!” <phew!> “But what about people reading about us who might think marriage is easy?”
ME: “I’m your third husband, you’re wife #2 for me. I don’t think anyone would just assume that everything has been puppies and rainbows for us.”
DEB: “I just worry that some people might be sad thinking that we have a fantastic marriage, but they don’t have anyone.”
ME: “Other people on Medium have great marriages they write about, Debster.” <shout outs to Rocket Worley, Meg, JB, Rachel Darnall, Classical Sass, Mike Thorn, Karen DeBonis, and I apologize in advance to bunches of people I’m sure I missed> “And we went through years where we didn’t have anyone” <anyone who wasn’t awful> “and we got through it. Each of us even decided that we’d be okay on our own, if no one came along. Anyway, thank you for marrying me!”
DEB: “Thank you for asking me, Jackster!”
ME: “What would you have done after we started dating if I hadn’t asked you? Would you have asked me?”
DEB: “No, I would have just decided you didn’t think I was worth it, or you didn’t want to take a chance on a two-time loser, and I would have enjoyed our friendship.”
ME: “Then I’m glad I asked you, because you are so worth it.”
DEB: “As are you, honey.”
And it just got mushier after this so I’m going to fade to black and move along…
