Romance ...In the Beginning

She Said He Said August 2009 Romance…In the beginning.
Evince Magazine

She Said

When I woke up this morning I started thinking about you.

Before your ego jumps off the scale,

let me finish. I started thinking about how romantic you

use to be. I mean, you love me and I love you

and all that, but what exactly happens over time when the

romantic gestures that you made in the past

become old hat? Why can't you be romantic like you were

when we first started dating? The first time

you came to my house you brought me flowers and sent me

love notes almost daily. How long has it

been since you sent me a romantic card to tell me how

much you care? You called once or twice a day

when I lived in North Carolina. Have you forgotten an

$800 phone bill one month? You use to drive

down to Greenville on Wednesday’s at 5 pm to take me

to dinner. That was a 3 hour drive for a 2 hour

dinner and a 3 hour drive back home. What about that

internet arrangement you made with WBTM so

that my family and friends from all over the United

States could hear you propose to me on the radio?

That was beautiful and made me cry. Don't get me wrong,

I have not forgotten all the things you have

done for me over the years and the times you have

whisked me off to New York or the beach . I

appreciate those excursions and since you were going

anyway I just tagged along. (Just kidding. You

begged me to go every time). Don't even get me started

on kissing. Now, Sophie my poodle, gets

more kisses than I do, but unlike her, I don’t leave

a puddle on the floor when you kiss me!




He Said

 
I’ll give you this, when you get wound up on a subject

you go for the jugular. Let's look at this
 
so called problem that you have with our romance, or

lack of. When I came to Greenville, N.C.,
 
you were sitting on the couch, dressed to the nines,

not a hair out of place, smelling like a rose, and
 
a candlelight dinner was prepared with fresh flowers

on the table. The night was not only romantic,
 
but everlasting. You even gave me a handkerchief soaked

in the perfume you were wearing that night
 
for me to take with me on the 3 hour drive back home.

What a pleasant reminder of the evening!
 
Today when I come to your house after work, I don't have

the long drive; I don't have to call long
 
distance to tell you I am coming over. Since I see you

everyday, I just feel you know I care about
 
you without bringing flowers or sending a card. Now compared

to the first days of dating and today,
 
what do I get? I come to your door, I let myself in, the

dog barks for my attention, so I give her a kiss.
 
I holler out for you and you yell back that you are in

the basement, your hair is a wreck, you are

sweating, and  you say don't touch me or you’ll get wet.

You have on old sweat pants and t-shirt. That’s

a far cry from being all dolled up and waiting for me at

the door with open arms. You suggest I go buy

a pizza for supper since you are so caught up in your work. 

Of course you can't go to a movie tonight

because you have papers to grade or you need to paint

the kitchen.

Where in that description did you find room for me to be romantic?
 
No, I think you need to start a new revolution with your

women friends. How about the “Preservation of Keeping Romance

in My Relationship” ? You could start with greeting me
 
at the door, tea in hand, dinner on the table, dressed to

the nines, smelling like perfume
 
instead of paint thinner, and a desire to lead me to

places I have never known before.
 
What a fantasy....I'll run on down to the pizza parlor now...

Honey Darling Dear.

Stuck in a Food Rut

She Said He Said July 2009 Evince

She Said

Life is too short already and the other day

I just happen to mention that it would be nice

to go to some new restaurant. I didn't really

have anything in mind, just somewhere new for

something different.

I knew just as soon as I opened my mouth, I was

in deep trouble. I braced myself for another one of

your gifted tirades and on going conversation

about why or why not we should try another restaurant.

I have gotten use to you knowing something about

everything. I accepted those terms when we started

dating and became engaged. So I am not challenging

you per se, however I would like to state my

case openly. Steaks, country style steak, prime

rib steak, hamburger steak, pork chops, fried chicken,

creamed potatoes, mashed potatoes, green beans, peanut

butter and jelly, Hall's pastry(everyday),

hot dogs, macaroni and cheese, stewed tomatoes,

pretty much sums up your idea of perfect meals.

I, on the other hand , happen to know that there

are other foods out there waiting to be tasted.

I really don't mind fixing you anything your little

old heart desires because I love you. But how about

some Thai , Japanese, or Chinese cuisine occasionally

just to break up the monotony.? I know you do not

like to try new things and I accept that. But could

it hurt you to think outside the box and take me to

a different restaurant so that my palate could

experience good food one more time before I die.?

Is that asking too much? It's not like I am asking

you to move to another country, I just want you to

enjoy the taste of other cultures. You might find

something you have been missing out on all your life.

Then again knowing you, you might just be happy

eating peanut and jelly sandwiches till you die.


He Said

I can appreciate you asking me to expand my horizons.

I suspect that every woman in the world would

like to change her man into just what she always

wanted, or to put it in your vernacular, Help me to

become the man You always knew I could be. You know

I want to please you. That is what I live for

daily. Most everything you ask me to do, I really

try to do it for you. But FOOD. I mean you are

treading on sacred ground here. A man's home is

his castle and a man's food is pretty darn close

to his money.

I am all for change . Mostly I am for changing you.

How about you trying collard greens, or banana

pudding, or calamari, or peanut butter egg sandwiches?

When I ask you to try these scrumptious items

you turn up your nose and make that funny face as if

I had choked your dog. We are all different and

have our own needs. This week your needs seem to be

eating foreign foods, Hopefully this is a passing

fancy that will go away next time Hamrick' s has a

sale and your mind goes into another mode..like

dresses are on sale. Maybe that will take your mind

off going to foreign restaurants or an exotic

restaurant just to let me enjoy the finer taste

of life that I do not want. Please don't take this

the wrong way. I mean if your mind is really set on

going exotic food , I am willing to sacrifice my needs

to make you happy. I don't always have to have my way

even though it is nice. Besides, they would never

know if I sneeked in a Happy Meal under the table

and if I am going to do this for you, you might as

well be shopping in the collard section next week

at the grocery store. One favor begats another, I

always say.