the night before had been a drag. he hadn't slept well in the motel room across the street. the noise of the hookers slamming the door to the lobby to come in and use the pay phone had woken him up each time. the outlets in his room were outdated and he couldn't plug in the adapter for his laptop. he'd gone down to the bar to watch some of the game and chatted with the bartender. she was pregnant and kind and even though younger than he called him "hon". he listened to the construction workers ask where the action was. they were on a job and would be here for several weeks. he looked at the loud one and noticed the wedding band. the bartender told them how to get to a bar up in lodi. he overheard the conversation between the businessman and his mistress as he laid down the rules for their relationship. "now, you...don't ever...call...me" he was lonely and depressed. but early the next morning he hauled himself out of bed and checked out. he drove across the street and parked, walked inside the denny's and sat at the counter. "grand slam, a coffee and a large juice please" two waitresses circled each other in a wide orbit through the restaurant with coffee pots in their hands speaking as they passed each other. "don't forget to pick up the flowers mom" "i won't forget the flowers honey" "i'm going to remember everything for you. so the only thing you have to worry about is you and that dress and getting to the chapel on time" "if i had more stuff to do, maybe i wouldn't be so nervous. were you nervous before?" "of course honey" "why am i nervous? is it because i'm afraid? why am i afraid?" "because you're giving your heart to someone. forever. you're taking a big risk, and it's scary" "but i love him. and he loves me right? what am i afraid will happen?" "that he'll stop..."
i like to form deep and long lasting relationships with the objects in my life. maybe that's why it is hard for me to get rid of things. especially when they still work. i've had this razor for over twenty years and it still works as well as it did then. it's traveled all over the country, been dropped over and over and has shaved my face (and my wife's legs) when i wasn't trying to grow a beard thousands of times. now it has this really great patina, and it's only just getting broken in. i love it too, because it requires no maintenance and no electricity. just a basin of hot water, my shave cream and a mirror and i clean up good. and that's why it is one of my wife's favorite things too!
