Dates are not his forte
Picture it: Saturday. After a few pre-dawn hours spent writing, I get my husband off to work (yes, it's Saturday, but they're behind on a commitment they made), then set out to work on changing linens, sweeping and mopping floors, dusting furniture and ceiling fans. Then I run out on an errand and return home and resume writing after putting a load of laundry in.
The clothes are in the dryer when the phone rings. It's my brother-in-law, asking, "I hope we're still on for tonight" and saying he made reservations for 8:30. My mouth drops open. My husband told me his brother was coming to Chicago on the 25th and that we'd drive down and go out that Saturday, which should have been next week.
This isn't the first time my other half has gotten dates mixed up, but I'd always found out his mistake earlier than this. It was going on 3:30, and there I was, my hair neatly braided in cornrows (with sloppy parts) from last night, starting to feel like I could use a nap because I'd been up since 5AM, and just learning that our night out was tonight. I suggested that my brother-in-law to call his brother to determine if he needed to push back the reservation time; I wasn't sure how late he was working.
By the time my husband called me with a sheepish I-guess-I-must-have-gotten-the-dates-wrong, I already had the initial what-the-hell-am-I-going-to-do-with-my-hair problem settled (unbraid it, brush it out, and pin it up!) and had decided both of us would wear (a sports coat for him, lest we were eating somewhere that wouldn't let him in without one.) I even managed a 30-minute catnap, although my husband did all the driving. There was some confusion when we arrived at the hotel trying to find them (as I said to my brother-in-law, "You just had to stay in at the only hotel in downtown Chicago with two towers and two different lobbies!"), but we had a wonderful time, dinner at a fish and seafood restaurant and then to a blues club (my husband and I love the blues). We don't often go all the way to downtown Chicago (it's a 40-mile drive, usually in brutal traffic), but it was a fun evening, and the weather was warmer than usual for late October. We got home at 2AM, which meant that except for that brief 30-minute catnap, I'd been up for 21 hours. (I spent most of Sunday resting.)
Before we headed for home, I did caution my brother-in-law that whenever he makes plans with his brother, to please make sure he talks to me about it as well so I can reserve the right date.
My husband is a great guy, but he'd make a lousy social secretary.
Picture it: Saturday. After a few pre-dawn hours spent writing, I get my husband off to work (yes, it's Saturday, but they're behind on a commitment they made), then set out to work on changing linens, sweeping and mopping floors, dusting furniture and ceiling fans. Then I run out on an errand and return home and resume writing after putting a load of laundry in.
The clothes are in the dryer when the phone rings. It's my brother-in-law, asking, "I hope we're still on for tonight" and saying he made reservations for 8:30. My mouth drops open. My husband told me his brother was coming to Chicago on the 25th and that we'd drive down and go out that Saturday, which should have been next week.
This isn't the first time my other half has gotten dates mixed up, but I'd always found out his mistake earlier than this. It was going on 3:30, and there I was, my hair neatly braided in cornrows (with sloppy parts) from last night, starting to feel like I could use a nap because I'd been up since 5AM, and just learning that our night out was tonight. I suggested that my brother-in-law to call his brother to determine if he needed to push back the reservation time; I wasn't sure how late he was working.
By the time my husband called me with a sheepish I-guess-I-must-have-gotten-the-dates-wrong, I already had the initial what-the-hell-am-I-going-to-do-with-my-hair problem settled (unbraid it, brush it out, and pin it up!) and had decided both of us would wear (a sports coat for him, lest we were eating somewhere that wouldn't let him in without one.) I even managed a 30-minute catnap, although my husband did all the driving. There was some confusion when we arrived at the hotel trying to find them (as I said to my brother-in-law, "You just had to stay in at the only hotel in downtown Chicago with two towers and two different lobbies!"), but we had a wonderful time, dinner at a fish and seafood restaurant and then to a blues club (my husband and I love the blues). We don't often go all the way to downtown Chicago (it's a 40-mile drive, usually in brutal traffic), but it was a fun evening, and the weather was warmer than usual for late October. We got home at 2AM, which meant that except for that brief 30-minute catnap, I'd been up for 21 hours. (I spent most of Sunday resting.)
Before we headed for home, I did caution my brother-in-law that whenever he makes plans with his brother, to please make sure he talks to me about it as well so I can reserve the right date.
My husband is a great guy, but he'd make a lousy social secretary.
Posts
5 comments:
LOL. I'm bad with dates too. My husband gets on me about this all the time. I'm not sure if it's I'm bad with dates, or bad at remembering to tell him when I've scheduled something or made plans for us. :-) It sounds like you guys had a lovely time. So it all worked out! :-)
Gwyneth
You're a good sport for not blowing it off. Kudos to you!
My husband is a mess when it comes to things like this. He promises with his heart and not his head. He's always telling people we should go out to dinner, but he never follows up (heck, I'm glad when he takes me somewhere that doesn't include fries and a toy).
Sadly, whenever he makes promises, I don't expect him to keep them.
Gwyneth,
Ah-ha! So you're the one in your household going, "I thought it was next week . . . " But hey, as long as there's someone there to keep you on track, you're all right.
Donna,
I can sympathize. Trust me, I'd planned on dinner and a movie Saturday, but I would have relented if he claimed fatigue (since he did work all day). I think he would have done just that if it was just the two of us, but knowing someone's ways is part of being married to them, even if it drives you nuts.
It's only Monday, but I guess I already need to start in on him for this weekend . . . get him mentally ready!
Kudoes for going ahead and having a good evening with your kin.
My hubby is terrible. I email him dates so he can't later say I didn't tell him. I always do but then he forgets. And if someone tries to schedule with him outside of business, he always tell them to see me, even his side of the family.
You guys have got the right idea, Patricia. Very slowly, the word is getting out for my in-laws to go through me when they want to schedule something social.
Post a Comment