Friday, March 26, 2010




March 24, 2010
PART 9: Love Actually


"I can hear her heart beat for a thousand miles And the heavens open every time she smiles
And when I come to her that's where I belong Yet I'm running to her like a river's song
She give me love, love, love, love, crazy love She give me love, love, love, love, crazy love"
Crazy Love, Van Morrison

Nobody does it all alone.

There are those of course who thought Oswald did. I don't think Oswald acted alone. He couldn't have. I do think that he was a loner, but I don't think he was alone on November 22.

What's the lesson learned in Dallas? That nobody could undertake something so huge alone?
Sure. That could be a good lesson learned. But there are others.

Like how about the "Remembering-To-Police-All-Tall-Buildings-Along-The-Route-The-President-Will-Be-Traveling" lesson? That's a pretty basic yet important lesson. Right? And then there's grassy knolls. Always check your grassy knolls. Even if the knoll isn't as much grassy as it is mossy or crab-grassy, you should check it out. Another good lesson. And how about the "Let's-Put-A-Bulletproof-Bubble-On-The-President's-Car" lesson? I'm just saying. Hindsight is 20/20. The Pope got one after someone took a shot at him.

So...to recap...we have as some important lessons learned about November 22, 1963. Although time consuming, make sure to explore all floors of all buildings along the President's parade route. Maybe take a peek behind that grove of bushes and tall fence that's right in the line of fire. Bullet proof bubble? (Technically probably not available in 1963 but we had the laser and space travel. Hell! The Jetsons were on television in flying cars with bubble tops...What?! No one made the connection?)

Sorry. Went into Oliver Stone mode there for a sec.
What was I saying? Oh yeah.

Everybody has somebody. Nobody is truly alone. Orville had Wilbur. Wilbur had Charlotte. Bonnie had Clyde. What was Abbott without Costello? Lucy without Ricky? What was George Michael with out Andrew Ridgeley? Hugely more successful that's what! Okay. Poor example.

What was Bert without the companionship of Ernie? (Sorry but I'm still not buying the two single beds in the same bedroom thing) Were they just buddies or were they buddies? It doesn't matter. They had each other and that's what it's all about. Having someone to lean on. Someone to be there for you and, in return, you to be there for them.

I would like to think that nobody goes through anything like I'm going through alone. You have to have a support system. At the very least you have to have a great doctor and his support staff. I'm just beginning to experience that new world.

You also have to have family and friends. My mom calls me every day to ask how I'm feeling and to tell me she loves me. My mom rocks!

Lennon and McCartney said it best. However, if John and Paul had known my friends, the line would have been "I get by with a lot of help from my friends." I have pretty incredible friends, who from Day One have been by my side.

There has been one person, though, who has been here, with me, through every step of this ordeal. One person who has held my hand and kissed my forehead tenderly when I needed it most. And I never had to ask. She just knew. That's what happens when two hearts are connected. That's what happens when you are in love.

And I'm in love. And I am loved.
Let me tell you about my lady.

We met in high school. I was the older man, a Senior, and she was a Junior. It was her first year at Hermitage and my last. Fast forward some twenty odd years later and we have once again starting writing the stories of our lives together.

She has a beautiful smile, this lady of mine. One that can light up a room when she enters. It's not only rooms she brightens though. My heart glows whenever she is around. And she makes me laugh. Not only because she's funny (She does this great talking dog voice that cracks me up every time) but because of the unintentional things she does or says.

She's a crazy chick this lady of mine. "Born-in-Philly-have-you-met-my-family?" crazy. Crazy in a good way not I'm going to have her committed crazy.

I've never seen anyone eat pizza like she does. It's looks like what I imagine it looked like when Michelangelo sculpted or added each careful layer of paint to one of his masterpieces.

The routine is always the same. There is a method to her madness and it is something to behold. First she assembles the ingredients to create the perfect slice of pizza and soon her side of the table looks like so many pieces of a chess game and every move has been strategically planned. Some salt. Then some pepper. Then some red pepper flakes. Then some grated cheese. And then maybe some raw white onion. And if the waiter can snag some from the kitchen, maybe a little extra sauce...pretty please. Pretty soon her slice of pizza is several inches thick, each layer telling the story of her handy work like one of those models of the Earth's crust you would make in the eight grade.

She wears little piggy socks. And I'm not talking about socks that have a little piggy motif. I'm talking about socks with little ears and a little snout where the toes go and little piggy tails on the part over the ankle. And you know what? She looks damn sexy in them too.

Sure. She washes the dishes completely different from me (forks prongs end up in the drainer not prongs end down) and she salts her food before she tastes it, but that's what makes it interesting. She can't help but comment on people's hair when we watch television. It's funny. It doesn't matter that the chick-oh my gosh! that's the girl from that movie we saw a while back-you know the one who looks like-who do I think she looks like honey? (I don't know babe. Who does she look like to you?) it doesn't matter that she just saved all those orphans from the sinking ship...."just LOOK at the shoes she's wearing! Oh my God! And that hair! That's the worst wig I've ever seen...lease pass me the salt my pizza's getting cold."

Nobody's perfect and like Brad Paisely says, "it's the little things."

It's the way she laughs at my jokes even when they're not funny and it's the way she laughs at herself. It's the way she loves her kids even during those times when she wants to kick them in the ass.

It's the way she wins when we play SCRABBLE....graciously with no gloating...with no dances of superiority around the living room...ever...that never happens...ever..... (hurrumph!)

It's the way she jumps in scary movies and then laughs at herself when she realizes that the guy with the knife who's been killing campers can't reach her through the television screen. It's the way she cries at Hallmark commercials and doesn't give me any crap about doing the same. She just wipes my cheek and tells me that she loves me.

I don't know what's going to happen to me. There are a lot of questions right now.
But I do know one thing. No matter what happens...good or bad...I know there will be someone by my side to hold my hand...to rub the small of my back...to tell me it will be alright and to cry for me when I hurt too much to or am just too tired to do it myself...I know my lady will be there to laugh with me and laugh at me...

and I know she will be there to kiss my forehead when she knows I'm in pain...and to tell me that she loves me when words aren't necessary...and sometimes for no reason at all.

as I said...

I am loved....and I am in love

and that's Jody with a "y"

2 comments:

  1. Lovely post, just lovely.

    Have you already written the story of your romance - where it went from "I know you" to "I love you" - or is that to be a later episode in the Continuing Saga that I'm thoroughly enjoying??

    Enquiring Minds want to Know! (Because we're nosy)

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  2. That was very funny, and so sweet to read-I actually shed BOTH kinds of tears..I'm soooo glad my weekend travels are over for a while. I'ts caused much "missing you" to occur. You do your best to laugh through this and it helps......oh and.....AND......I'm going to start kick some medical ASS if they don't make your pain go away soon.... ;) (sorry folks, I've been visiting family up North all weekend...)

    I love you, ForeverMan <3

    your fawn*

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