Sunday, October 15, 2006

the note

Do you have one of those marriages or relationships in which your significant other leaves you sweet notes tucked under your pillow? Does your spouse write you soppy cards for no reason except to tell you how incredible you are? Pah! Humph! Be gone with you! Or stay, but just don't tell me the sordid romantic details.

My husband is a gorgeous bloke, who does the dishes every night, plays games with our children for hours, and encourages me in all I do. He is just not terribly spontaneous. Flowers are a rarity. Love notes are almost unheard of. Cards are given, but only on birthdays. He shows his love in more practical ways.

So I should really know better than this, but when Fatty was late coming home from playing sport yesterday afternoon, I began to toy idly with the pleasant idea that perhaps he had stopped off to buy me flowers. It was a lovely daydream.

Six o'clock came, and I realised there would be no flowers. The shops were long closed. I began to imagine sports-related injuries, because that's the kind of freaky worrier I am. To be fair to me, I do often think in worst case scenarios, but I also began to fret because Fatty once rang me, en route from squash court to hospital, to say he had busted his Achilles tendon. So that got fixed but, you know, he hasn't done the other side yet.

So while I grated zucchini into the bolognaise sauce (hiding vegetables from children is my special talent), I wondered where my husband had gotten to. I started to clear the kitchen table for dinner, and there it was.... a note! A note for me! I hadn't noticed it because it was written on an envelope the kids had decorated in felt pen swirls.

The note read:

Have gone to find a Baillon's crake

Fatty

I was swept away by the utter devotion and desperate romanticism of his words. If you read between the lines, it is quite clear that Fatty meant, "Jelly, my love for you is so expansive and vast that I feel I could soar on its breezes like a Baillon's crake". Don't you think?

13 comments:

rel said...

Jelly,
There is no doubt in my mind...that is precisely what was intended.. ;_0

As a Physcian you've more than likely heard this phrase. (At least it's common in the surgical suite.)
"The enemy of good is better."

From your posts, I know that you and Fatty are each others most precious gems....just the way you are.
rel

Heather said...

If

Have gone to find a Baillon's crake


doesn't mean, "I love you," I don't know what does. :-D

Andrew McAllister said...

Of course that's the subtext of the note, except that he meant to say "...warm, lemon-scented breezes..."

Hope you're having a great weekend, Jelly!

Andrew ("To Love, Honor and Dismay")

Kerri said...

Absolutely, no doubt at all...that's just what he meant. He's a closet romantic :)
Did you ever think of doing stand up comedy Jelly? Surely you've got time for that! :)
More importantly...did Fatty find a Baillon's Crake????

Michelle said...

I started to worry at the beginning of your post -that you were in fact married to a romantic note writer, soppy card and flower giver.....neither am I!!!

I would be so chuffed with a note too. One like that which clearly says...."I am off to find a bird...and I love you so very much..."

meggie said...

Lovely story Jelly.

hope he found the ???

Of course he loves you.

But I often bemoan the fact that I never get flowers either.

Sandy Hatcher-Wallace said...

My previous love wrote me love notes constantly, left them on my pillow, left them everywhere, brought me flowers just because he said he loved me and did all kinds of the romantic things a girl can imagine....And then he left me for another.

Although he was VERY VERY romantic he was not a bit helpful and even needed to be prodded when I needed help carrying in heavy groceries.

Thankfully, I am married to Jimmy who does not leave me romantic little notes for no reason but he is always thinking of me and how he can make my life easier, by helping with everything. He's a wonderful father and a wonderful husband...just as your Fatty is.

I love how you hide the veggies.

Mackey said...

Awwww....that must be code for " I love you with every breath that I take."
Fatty sure has a way with words.
(BTW...I had to google a Baillon's crake....Ithought it might be something used for yardwork but of course it's a bird! Fatty's other love:)

Redneck Mommy said...

Oh, if only I could teach Boo to be as romantic as Fatty...

Alice said...

You couldn't possibly interpret that message any other way, Jelly. To be thinking of you at the same time as a Baillon's Crake is high honour indeed!

I hope he found one.

Alipurr said...

a note is a note, something to be thankful for....this is a great post

made me smile

Motherkitty said...

At least he told you what he was searching for (not where he was going). If that's not love (of birds), I don't know what is. teehee

Of course Fatty loves you. At least you've got something in writing if you ever want to hold anything against him. My husband . . . the only thing I get in writing is a printout of our checking account balance after he's deducted what I've spent! He wants to keep me in the black.

I think it's super that Fatty has such a great hobby. Just think of all the relaxation, the exercise, and the fresh air he's getting. He's doing all this to keep himself in shape just for you, don'tcha know. How sweet is that!

Anonymous said...

Are we married to the same man? My wonderful husband spends endless hours playing with the kids, does all sorts of household chores and has shown limitless support whilst I started, struggled with and completed my bachelor of nursing this week. But when I try to recall a love note....not since we were dating 10 years ago. I didnt get a love note, the best I got was song lyrics. But I know I have got it good, realy good.