Saturday 4 November 2006

Nine-oh.

Celebrating ninety days of marriage, because we would do that.

A small handwritten book of over a dozen short stories, all clocking in at around one page in length, an episodic pseudo-comic novel in which the brave hero of our stories is a man named Jake, who travels the world in search of adventure and excitement, encountering risk and danger with every choice he makes, yet always emerging with fortitude, victorious and intact! Complete with pictures from his real life travels that coordinate with those of his character. Because everyone needs a heroic alter ego.

Jacob loved it. He loved it. He took it to work with him. He called his father to tell him about it before he left.

A resplendent vintage pearl necklace. Knots in between, in a glorious glowing pink hue that managed to match her ring to perfection. With exactly ninety pearls. He called it 'opera length' and told her that someday he would take her to the opera, whenever they found themselves in a city that had an opera. In the meantime she could wear it to the movie theatre.

I didn't believe him in my surprise. And we counted the pearls together. He said he maybe has counted all the pearls in every good antique store in the city and that he possibly needs glasses now or a vacation but that I just might possibly be worth the effort. I'm simply astonished by Jacob's perseverance, taken aback by his commitment to my happiness.

I don't think I could ever actually deserve what I've been given, but Jacob told me one more smile from me would make him run out and buy me Jupiter. Or maybe even possibly the sun.

We laughed hard and kissed even harder, with a promise that tonight when he gets home we'll have ninety minutes of slow dancing in the darkened dining room after the children have gone to sleep.

Another kiss left him running behind, and late for work.

When I closed the front door behind him I pinched myself so hard that this time I left a mark.

    Tell me did the wind sweep you off your feet
    Did you finally get the chance to dance along the light of day
    And head back to the milky way
    And tell me, did Venus blow your mind
    Was it everything you wanted to find
    And did you miss me while you were looking for yourself out there