Today I spent the day with my Sweetie. To the casual observer there was nothing spectacular that happened that would have attracted any attention our way. With only a few days until Christmas we had planned to spend the day shopping which is exactly what we did... Us and 85 million other people.
Before we left, I decided that I was going to try to not let anyone or anything bother me as I went 15 rounds with the Ghosts of Christmas Shopping Present. Let's see how I did...
We got in the car. Went to the gas station and filled the tank. Stopped at the ATM and got some cash. Got a cup of coffee. Drove to the store and bought some presents for a boy who made it onto the Nice List this year. Drove to the mall. Parked 6,000 miles away because all of the parking spots were filled. Talked to my daughter on the phone and made lunch plans for later. Got out of the car and hiked to the mall while I held hands with my Sweetie.
Once inside the mall, we saw a little kid in a stroller who seemed fond of taking his shoes and socks off. We laughed, his mother didn't. Almost got run over by a group of Puerto Ricans. Bought our first present six minutes and thirty-two seconds after we entered the mall. Went to Bon-Ton and saw Justin Beiber.
Stopped by one of those little stands in the mall and bought another present. Met our daughter and her husband for lunch. We ate nachos and tacos and drank coca~cola. My daughter ate a vegetarian taco salad. We talked and then we all laughed when I crunched an ice cube and it splattered all over Donna. After lunch we hugged and kissed and said we'd see each other soon.
Back out into the fray, we decided that we needed to do some solo shopping, so we gave each other a smooch and then went our separate ways, promising to meet back in an hour or so. I bought lots of presents and had my butt felt up by a stranger while I stood in line to pay at one store. I laughed because I wasn't wearing any underwear.
I arrived first at our secret rendezvous spot and kept a look out for my Sweetie. I think I saw her first because my stomach still gets all giggly-wiggly when I see her. I think my heart may have skipped a beat too. Anyway, our eyes met, we smooched a little smooch and then we laughed because we both knew we had survived our solo shopping adventure amongst the nameless masses. Leaving the mall, we joined hands and walked the walk to the 100 acre woods, over the river and through the woods, back to our car.
Well, there you have it. Nothing that would make the headlines of tomorrow mornings paper. Nothing that would make the 11 o'clock news. Nothing that would land us on the talk shows. Just two kids from a small Western Maryland town who grew up and lived happily-ever-after... together.
Be Well.
Bill
