Yesterday was my 16th wedding anniversary. Yesterday, I wanted to strangle my husband. Ok, hold on, don’t send for “the Po Po” just yet (and for those of you who don’t speak 10 year old – “the Police”). Contrary to what you might be thinking, it is not because he had not gotten me a gift (which he hadn’t) or card (again, nope) but because he promised a favor.
You see, my husband is one of those good guys. Therefore when our elderly neighbor asked my husband to drive her 2 hours to the airport to meet and pick up her adult son and then drive them the 2 hours back, he, of course, agreed. However, at the moment of acquiescing, he did not realize two things. One, the day in question was our anniversary and two, he would be called to one of those can’t-miss-on-penalty-of-death type meetings.
So, I guess you are thinking I was ready to commit husband strangulation because he forgot our anniversary. But, the truth is, I forgot too. No, what got my undies all in a bundle was the fact that now, in light of the meeting, his saintly gesture to our neighbor now fell to me to execute and well, I am just not that saintly. Nonetheless, execute I did!
Really, I am not as big a twirp as I sound. At the time agreed, I met my neighbor with a smile, assured her it was no big deal when she thanked me on the outset of our trip and declared me over-the-top neighborly (ha, if she only knew).
At first, we played telephone on the long drive to the airport,
“Did you have dinner?”
“Who did you say was thinner?”
“No, I asked, DID YOU HAVE DINNER?”
“Oh, I am not much of a singer.”
Then, we opted for silence.
We arrived right on schedule… 40 min before the flight arrived.
We parked and waited at the gate for arrival.
With my neighbors son in tow, we slowly walked to baggage claim, waited, and then slowly back to the parked car. I paused for them at the crosswalk while a pair of turtles hurried past (ok, she has an excuse – at 90 you are allowed to walk any speed you want and I guess he was just tired).
On the 2 hour eternity ride home, we played more telephone. But after my best sorority-girl conversation starters fell like a drunk man off a roof, we rode in awkward silence. That is until out of nowhere, like we were about to be in a 10 car pile up, my elderly neighbor’s son shouted “THERE IT IS” pointing out our approaching exit (like I didn’t know that since I had been counting the mile markers for about the last 35 miles).
Finally, we arrived back. I wished them a good visit and went home.
When I arrived at my house, I was ready to tell my husband all about my eventful “good deed” – the pain, the suffering, the agonizing silence, the rousing games of telephone. But, no one was home. My husband still at his meeting, kids still at their assigned places. Then, on the table, I saw this:
What is it they say, no good deed goes unpunished? That may be true, but it wasn’t all bad. Flowers, presents, and a happy elderly neighbor… yeah, I suppose I came out alright, possibly even ahead.
Looking for the Sweet Spot 