Surprise

My wife, Carolyn, loves me, but there are times she will walk away when it appears, I am about to embarrass her or myself. What follows is about an incident where she would have crawled under the carpet if she could’ve. 

Mr. Blake, the electronics teacher at Vigor High School, oversaw the lunch line and interfaced with the students waiting to enter the dining hall before eating. He was an amiable person, always full of foolishness laced with a lot of wisdom. We all loved and respected him. 

During one session, Mr. Blake casually told us we should watch our words. He followed that up with, “You sit in a room full of strangers saying nothing. Some people may look at you and say, ‘You know that person looks pretty dumb.’ Open your mouth, start speaking, and you remove any doubt.” 

Two weeks ago, we attended a meeting of an organization that we belong to. When we arrived, guests were standing around, or walking about talking with each other. Carolyn and I started doing the same. I talked with twenty or so different people, most of whom I had never met. Some will become friends. 

I noticed one man, and every time I approached him, he turned and walked away. He reminded me of someone who may have thought a little more highly of himself than he ought. I will call him, Levi Lester (not his real name) for this story, and so that the real person can’t accuse me of defaming him. 

Anyway, as the evening went on, Levi took a seat, at the table I had selected for Carolyn and me. Since Levi was seated and could not walk away, I decided to introduce myself to him. Sitting with Levi was his wife and another couple. I walked to their table, looked at Levi, read his name tag, and said, “Levi Lester. I spent a night in the Prichard city jail with a man named Levi Lester a long time ago.” 

This is the point where my wife groaned and tried to disappear, but it was not to be. 

Levi looked up at me and exclaimed, “Was that you?” 

His wife and three friends screamed in unison, “What-t-t?” 

I just smiled, and he started telling the story of how his reckless driving had caught the attention of a pair of Prichard policemen. Ultimately, they took him to jail and booked him. Because he didn’t have any money, they locked him up. They let him call his dad to come bail him out early the next morning. 

And no, I didn’t spend the night with him, although I had been arrested on another occasion on similar charges. 

I am always open to meeting new friends and I like to do it in a memorable way. This occasion was as memorable for me as could be. I don’t think it was as good for Levi, his wife, or his friends. I have doubts that we will ever develop a lasting friendship. It was not my goal to make a new enemy. Time will tell. Also, payback could be in our future. 

My wife still loves me, but she is practicing to learn how Genie was able to disappear at will. If nothing else, she has started keeping a large beige bed-sheet that she can pull over her entire body when she sees that I am about to place her in the middle of an unwanted situation. 

Carolyn does love me. No, she didn’t know what she was getting into when we married. She has learned to forgive me, probably because she knows how much I love her. 

Forgiveness is good. Thank you, Carolyn.