Untitled
Title
Untitled
Identifier
I_have_been_thinking_about_my_marriage_a_lot_these_days
Creator
Jacob Schlitt
Description
"I have been thinking about my marriage a lot these days."
Date
2016-02-15
Coverage
2016
Format
application/pdf
Type
text
Language
en
Text
I have been thinking about my marriage a lot these days. Yesterday was Valentine’s Day and I went through the motions: Bought a heart-shaped box of candy, wrote a card, bought a rose, made a special breakfast. It was an effort for Fran to get up for breakfast, but she did it. Last night she suggested that we exchange cards today. Fine. Yesterday, we were to go to a funeral at 1 pm. I wanted to leave at 12:15. Fran was not ready until 12:35. We were late. In the afternoon, Fran lay down for a nap. She asked me to wake her at 7:30 pm so she could watch Downton Abbey with a friend at 9. I woke her at 7:30 pm. She did not get up until after 8. She ate a quick supper and joined her friend at 9:15.
When we were returning from the funeral, Fran was sure she left her hearing aids in the chapel, and insisted I turn around. She kept looking, and found them in her bag. She then took out her hearing aids from their box while I was driving, and as she was returning them, she dropped one. I parked in the garage and Fran began to look for it. It took her about a half hour, but she found it on the floor of the car. She insisted that I go upstairs, and remained in the car for another half hour.
Whenever we go anywhere, I find myself waiting and waiting. We are always late. I get the car from the garage and wait. When Fran finally come down, I have been waiting for 5 to 10 minutes. When she opens the back door to put in her walker, the process takes another 5 minutes. There are several items in the walker which have to be removed. She has to put down her handbag and maneuver the walker into the back seat; then pick up the items and her bag, and open the front door and seat herself. Then put on the seat belt. I have offered to help put the walker in the car. Fran has said no. On a few occasions, I do it anyway.
I should note that Fran gave me a Valentine’s day card this afternoon. It is lovely. Not a Hallmark card which makes it even more special. Her sentiment: the week before a special day, the pendulum shifts, and there is a pervading sense of comfort, accord and warmth. We should try to keep this up. Life for both of us would be (in the time we have left) more fulfilling. How true. What this really means is that I should not be irritated when she is late, misplaces things, overbuys, comes to bed at 7 am, nitpicks, and do everything the way she wants it.
It is clear that I should be more sympathetic.
When we were returning from the funeral, Fran was sure she left her hearing aids in the chapel, and insisted I turn around. She kept looking, and found them in her bag. She then took out her hearing aids from their box while I was driving, and as she was returning them, she dropped one. I parked in the garage and Fran began to look for it. It took her about a half hour, but she found it on the floor of the car. She insisted that I go upstairs, and remained in the car for another half hour.
Whenever we go anywhere, I find myself waiting and waiting. We are always late. I get the car from the garage and wait. When Fran finally come down, I have been waiting for 5 to 10 minutes. When she opens the back door to put in her walker, the process takes another 5 minutes. There are several items in the walker which have to be removed. She has to put down her handbag and maneuver the walker into the back seat; then pick up the items and her bag, and open the front door and seat herself. Then put on the seat belt. I have offered to help put the walker in the car. Fran has said no. On a few occasions, I do it anyway.
I should note that Fran gave me a Valentine’s day card this afternoon. It is lovely. Not a Hallmark card which makes it even more special. Her sentiment: the week before a special day, the pendulum shifts, and there is a pervading sense of comfort, accord and warmth. We should try to keep this up. Life for both of us would be (in the time we have left) more fulfilling. How true. What this really means is that I should not be irritated when she is late, misplaces things, overbuys, comes to bed at 7 am, nitpicks, and do everything the way she wants it.
It is clear that I should be more sympathetic.
Original Format
application/msword
Collection
Citation
Jacob Schlitt, “Untitled,” Autobiographical stories & other writing by Jacob Schlitt, accessed April 23, 2025, https://tsirlson.omeka.net/items/show/395.