Because I Said So

And many, many more.

I read this week that Jerry Lewis will no longer be hosting the annual MDA Telethon. He had been the mainstay of the Labor Day event since sometime in the 1960’s, but no longer. This concerns me only because of the personal significance in my life.

Labor Day weekend, 1982.  I was sitting in my car in the drive-thru line at Tastee Freez in my hometown. Behind me was a school-bus yellow Volkswagen station wagon. I recognized it, because it was always parked at my parent’s place of business during the week. The guy who drove it worked for my parents. I had met him on several occasions at the Print Shop, when I would be in there seeing my folks, or doing paperwork if they were out of town. I had long since left working for them, opting instead to pursue a career path in nonprofit work.

He had said hello to me before; not the terribly friendly type, but he didn’t ignore me either. He knew I was the “boss’s daughter” and also knew who signed his paychecks. He was handsome in that French decent sort of way, dark hair, deep brown eyes, and skin that tanned very naturally. He was younger than me, which intrigued me; and I was older than him, which probably just bewildered him as to why I would talk to him.

I waved at him from my open window in the line and, when I had gotten my food, drove out. I stopped just beyond the drive-thru, got out and walked back to his car. I couldn’t tell if the look on his face was fright or delight.  I asked him if he had plans for the evening, and if he wanted to come over to watch the Telethon for a while. 

And as they say, “the rest is history.” We dated, (if you could call him doing laundry at my house on Sundays a date) and married on August 5, 1983. My father said at the time he didn’t mind that his daughter was getting married and moving away, but he sure hated losing a good employee. We’ve laughed a lot about that over the years!

A close friend lost her husband recently. At the memorial service, she said “Jim and I had a marriage. We didn’t have marital bliss.”

Marc and I could say the same thing. Marriage is hard work. We didn’t/don’t agree about things. We don’t see things in the same way. We don’t always like the same things.

But we love each other. And need each other. And complete each other. And after 28 years of perseverance I can honestly say he is my best friend, and I hope to spend at least another 28 or so years hanging around him. So happy You & Me Day my love, and many, many more!