Day One Off

By Chris

Today (a day late) I started my extended time off. And, I'm tired. I spent the WHOLE day with my lovely wife, and she kept me busy. In the Middles School's principal's office by 8:25 for a meeting. Shopping until early afternoon. Movie watching until just before the kids arrived home. And, it all sort of makes me want to go to the office tomorrow. Don't get me wrong. Teresa is easily, by far, my favoritest person in the whole wide world. But, I already get the sense that she prefers her 7 a.m.'s to 2 p.m.'s Chris-free. It's nothing shes said. Just the vibes I can read after all these years. She says I'm "projecting." We were eating dinner together when she made the projecting accusation, and I asked her what she would do if I threw my water on her head. Isn't that stupid? Why do I think it would be funny to throw water on her? It just felt like that would be really funny. It's a strange, bent sense of humor I share with Lauren that make these things come into our heads. You know, like saying huh?? to someone a million times in a row when you actually hear them, then laughing at them when they raise their voice. Or, in a public place like church, leaning in to whisper something all serious and then mumbling nonsense over and over, getting the person to cock their head more and more awkwardly to hear what your saying (or not saying). You see, I'm not talking violent mad throwing of water. Silly, playful throwing. I would enjoy it. Sort of like she enjoyed carting me to Sam's Club and Best Buy and watching a movie. Of course, I didn't do it. This time (yes, I've done similar stuff before to her and Lauren. Lauren thinks it's funny. Teresa . . . not so much).

So, back to her not wanting me clogging up her mornings, projecting or not. That's cool by me. If I made a list of things I least like to do, all three of today's activities would be on it (school meeting, shopping, watching movies). And she knows that. So, I ask you. Isn't that worse than water on the head? The subtle aggression of boring aggrevation, in an attempt to drive someone away? Maybe I will get that water back out. Stay tuned.