This morning my husband and I were lounging on our family room sofa...snuggled under a thick blanket, coffee still steaming hot. Our kids were in their rooms, all occupied with whatever, and so we just enjoyed a few quiet adult moments until the fun of the day really got started.
He was telling me about something going on in the neighborhood, or in the family, or at work...I don't actually remember, and frankly it's not relevant here. What IS is my response to his story.
Me: Do you know why?
Him: No.
Me: Ugh. I don't like a mystery.
(pause)
Him: YOU? NO! SURELY NOT!
(I blink slowly at him, unsure as to where this is going.)
Him (imitating me): Shhhhh! Is that a helicopter? I wonder why there is a helicopter flying over our house.
Me: (raising one eyebrow, as if to suggest, you really want to do this?)
Him (still imitating me): Whoa! There it is again! That's twice. I wonder what is going on.
(Pretends to dial phone.)
Him (talking into his hand): Hey. It's me. Is that Matt? He hasn't left for work yet?
(He nods, as if listening.)
Drag, I hate it when mornings start like that. Look, have you heard any helicopters fly over your house? They've been circling; they were flying your way. Can you see it? I wonder if it's the police or military or what.
(Stops talking and nods again, continuing to pretend to look out of a window.)
You can hear it? Really? Can you see it? Look out front; it was heading west. OH! It's turning around? Okay, I'll watch.
(brief pause)
Oh! There it is again! Something is definitely going on. No, you're right, it's the police. Hmmmmmm...I wonder...
At this point, tears are running down my face because I totally do that kind of stuff. All. the. time. If something is out of the ordinary, I try to figure out what's going on around me until I can create a narrative that satisfies me.
What's best is not that was he so spot-on in mocking some of my quirkiest behavior (which he totally was), but that I know he finds it endearing. Okay, perhaps not at the time when I force him to explore different "scenarios" with me (because, say, he is a captive in my car), but it's part of the package that is me, and he loves me.
It's nice to be totally understood, oddities and all, and unconditionally accepted.
It was a great way to start the day.
that's hilarious! we do something a little like that. we are forever making sound effects when we tell stories and if it's a particularly "good one" then the other of us will go "what was that?" so we can repeat it. cracks us up every time!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite part is when he says "drag, I hate it when mornings start that way" because we all do that to every mom friend we have. That is so so funny.
ReplyDeletegood story. i love it when my husband and i make this kind of 'connection'
ReplyDeleteI must say that it is great to be understood, but at the same time, it pisses me off a little that he knows me so well...
ReplyDeleteIthought I was the only one who did this. In our hometown it is called being a Sophie named for the little old lady who used to keep up on town business with a scanner. Now I have not bought the scanner YET, but I will get there. However, in my defense, being a sophie is good as a high school teacher. Kids can not get away with stuff with me....
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