Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Years of Gold

I'll be the first to admit it--I've thrown Lady Looney under the bus a bit. Not to say she doesn't deserve it sometimes, but she really can be a sweet lady.

LL has been married to her husband for 'goin on 30 years.' He's a good 15 years older than she is, but she talks about him like he's a dapper young man, working around the house and taking good care of her. In reality, he's old and frail. Throat cancer has left him weak and unable to eat well, and I know she worries about him constantly.

She whines and complains about him and to hear her talk, you'd think that he never let her do anything and that she has no patience for him. "How do these two survive together?" I often wonder.

But her voice transforms when she calls him, high and soft and accommodating. "Hi honey," she coquettes. "Would you stop by the Safeway and get me a roast chicken? I love you!"

And he acquiesces. With the freedom of time that comes with retirement, he spends his days running her errands and taking care of their home. He worships her; he buys her presents and takes her on trips. He puts up with her tirades and handles her demanding personality with skill and grace.

I've never met the man, but I can't help but admire him.

Yesterday he called her at the office. I know it's him by the rare pleasant tone that creeps into her voice. He wonders if she'll go on a date with him tonight, out to dinner. They'll go for tacos, and he'll have his shredded on a plate and covered in enchilada sauce, just as he always does. He has something to talk to her about.

She is agitated for the rest of the day. She hates surprises, and although he assured her it was nothing bad, she is worried. His health is failing and he seldom relays doctors' reports to her. If he had something to tell her with such pomp and circumstance as tacos at Los Cabos, it could not be good news.

I completely forgot the conversation, and I had not consumed enough coffee quite yet to be coherent when she pranced in at 0650. Even had I remembered to ask, she would not have given me a chance.

"Guess what it was?" she demands in her gravely smoker's voice. "Guess what he wanted to talk to me about?"

"Um..."

"He said we can go on my Alaskan cruise!!" She's giddy with excitement, and I remember that she has been asking to go for years. She chatters on about passports and enhanced drivers licenses, and my heart melts a little bit.

He's taking his bride on a cruise.

Not actually LL and her hubby...but it probably could be!

3 comments:

Erica said...

Awww :) No matter how looney we all may be, everyone deserves to be with the love of their life and to still be so in love when you have been married for so long is a goal we would all love to achieve.

Mom said...

Kinda made the tip of my nose burn. Yeah, even them. Sweet.

Mom said...

I just read it again the this time I got tears in my eyes. You've got a way with words, girl!