Overcome

I got home a little later than usual today. We’ve had so much rain in the past two weeks.

I arrived in my driveway. I turned off the ignition, but left the battery on.

An onlooker, could she see through the darkness and the drizzle, might have noticed a shell of a man. Business attire. Sagging shoulders. Tie untied. Shirt open to third button.

Had she known this man, she would have wondered, as she saw him walk to the door, if the pace of his step had slowed. The raindrops indistinguishable from the tears.

I entered my home, my sanctuary, and sat down by the fireplace. My wife was mixing us a couple of drinks. She noticed what that imaginary onlooker might have noticed, and asked, “Aw! Vut’s a matter? My leetle man have bad day?”

“No,” I answered. “I had the best day. I realized how much you mean to me. How much I take you for granted. How difficult I must make things for you. How I don’t tell you the things you deserve to hear. How I need to listen to you. How much you've sacrificed.” My lips quivered.

She stopped mixing my drink and rolled her eyes.

“What?” I demanded, indignantly.

“Vut…” she aped sarcastically.

“No, what?!”

“Vut…”

“I’m serious, what?! And don’t say ‘vut’!”

“Vich Book-on-Tape vere you leestening to now?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I answered guiltily.

“Da, you know vut I’m talkeeng about. You vere leestening to Book-on-Tape. You alvays say love-talk to me ven you leesten to Book-on-Tape.”

“you alvays say love-talk ven you blah-blah-blah…”

Okay, fine. I admit it. When I leesten to Books-on-Tape, I tend to get a little emotional. But this wasn’t just any book on tape, it was Mary McGarry Morris’ A Dangerous Woman. That scene where Martha Horgan compares her life to a three-legged cow and how people have always treated her horribly is just devastating! It makes me want to give a great big HUG to anyone who’s ever suffered from the cruelty of others.

Alex laughed, “Awww! Eet’s okay! I steel luv you even ven you cry like peasant girl. Vlah-ha-ha!”

Hmmph. Well, in case you stop by my house and wonder who’s who, Alex is the tall Romanian laughing with her fangs to the heavens like Bela Lugosi.

And I’m the little guy hugging himself tenderly by the fireplace.