Since it’s Valentine’s Day and all that I thought I would
share an amusing story that just goes to show what the true priorities in any
loving relationship should be. Take note.
This conversation happened almost a year ago while I was
visiting a lovely friend of mine. Now, my friend is a stay-at-home mom to two
little girls. This will matter to you shortly.
Let me set the scene. It was a beautiful sunny, Hawaiian
morning and it was a good time for me to just enjoy the fact that I’m kinda
just killing it and hanging out in Hawaii. I don’t need no relationship! (this
is what I thought before a pint-sized relationship expert drew me in for a
quick dish session.)
I was re-packing my
backpack. A backpack that, I should add, had a little pink flower keychain on
it. This. This goddamn flower is what started the talk.
“Do you have this pink flower on there because you’re a
girl?” asked my friend’s 4-year-old.
Here’s where I thought I had my chance to impart modern-day
wisdom.
“Well, a boy can have a pink flower keychain too if he likes
it.”
And here it came.
“Ok. So then your husband has a keychain like this too then?”
Fair conclusion.“Well, I don’t have a husband.”
Her little face tried to hide shock and disappointment in my life.
“….a boyfriend?” she asked hopefully.
“Well, no, I don’t have a boyfriend now,” I answered. This
didn’t sit well with her though and you could tell shit just wasn’t adding up.
“But does that mean YOU have to go to work?”
Now, I was disappointed in my life too. “Yes, yes I do,” I nodded sadly.
Still, more questions were brewing.
“So, what if you want to have kids?” Ah. The question every
30-some-year-old single girl loves to hear. Should I tell her that a kid can be
had after just a couple of glasses of wine and zero marriage ceremony? No. I can’t
shatter her view just yet.
“Well, I have cute nieces so I can always play with them.”
She gave me a sympathetic look and sat there in silence.
After some time, the real bombshell of a question shot out.
“But what if you want to play board games?”I can’t say I haven’t considered this key element of a relationship in the past, but slamming it out there like that really makes you think. Board games. How do I play board games alone? In a matter of minutes, the attitude I started the day with - one where I was a confident, independent, traveling woman with a good job - was shattered.
“Well,” I said, trying to save my failing image, “I have
friends I can play with.”
I think at this point she questioned whether I even had
friends. I’ve let her down so much already.
“True,” she conceded, “but you have to leave your house for
that.”
