Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Us, in a Nutshell


1980, Summer

He gazed at her from his spot on the corner, from under the eaves of a small five and dime store. She noticed and looked back at him from where she stood under the bus stop sign. The number 13 bus arrived.
“Why are we always the last ones to leave?” he said.
“I don’t know,” she said.
“Sit with me?” he said.
“Sure,” she said.
“What’s your name?” he said.
“I have a boyfriend,” she said.
“I see,” he said.
“I have a car we can use. I’ll pick you up tomorrow,” she said.
“I need a rug and a couch for my apartment,” he said.
“I’ll help you pick them out,” she said.
The next night he bought a second-hand red Persian rug and a furry, rust-colored loveseat. They went out to a bar.
“I’ll have a pina colada,” he said.
“Bring me a 7 and 7,” she said.
“Thanks for driving me to the store,” he said.
“I’d go to bed with you tonight,” she said.
But he had a friend crashing at his apartment. “ Maybe tomorrow?” he said.
She did not care that she had a boyfriend. She slept with him the next day and began to fall in love.
Years 1-4
“I don’t know how or when, but I’d like to marry you,” he said.
“Okay,” she said. And they were married.
They made love on the red Persian rug.
“I’m pregnant,” she said.
“Let’s name him after my dad,” he said.
1985, Winter
The baby was born. She cried.
“Why did this happen?” she said.
“It will be okay. He’ll be happy. We’ll make sure of it,” he said.
“I love him so much,” she said.
They had a cat named Desdemona who got sick and died two months after he bought it for her. It broke her heart. She taught school while he worked for a company near the bus stop sign where they had met.
Years 5-8
They bought their first house. She missed her family, now three hours away.
“I want more children,” she said.
“Fine,” he said. But she couldn’t have children unless she had an operation.
“I’m fine with just the one,” he said.
“I want more children,” she said.
Years 9-12
Years passed. She had the operation, even though he was scared she would die and leave him alone. Thirteen months later, the next baby boy came. Three years after that, their baby girl. They were miracle babies.
“I love them so much,” she said.
“They’re beautiful,” he said.
Years 13-30
More years went by. They had two dogs named Sammi and Jojo, a mean cat named Toughie, and various hamsters and blue Betta fish. They had moved again. She still missed her family, so far away. They muddled through, always coming together when necessary, always returning to love even when their children gave them headaches, even when they didn’t like each other very much.
 “The kids are almost grown,” she said.
“Yes. But here they still are,” he said.
“Perhaps that’s a good thing,” she said.
“Perhaps,” he said.
They got older. Their muscles ached. They slowed down. She had bad knees. He lost most of his hair.
“Wanna fool around?” he said.
“The kids are still awake,” she said.
“Maybe tomorrow?” he said.
“I would have gone to bed with you the first night,” she said.
“I know,” he said. 
“I love you the same,” she said.
“I love you the same, too,” he said.
 
The End (at least, for now)…
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 




1 comment:

  1. Don't tell Mom or Dad about the lovemaking before the wedding. Maybe you should make "G" rated version just for them. Just sayin'...

    ReplyDelete