Political Embargo

For a moment, I thought about starting another blog, just for political posts.  Such posts are under embargo right now.  I am not going to do it, though.  Keeping secrets from your spouse is never a good idea: if there is something you have to keep secret, just don't do it.  Except for buying presents.

Before we were married, we went to Mackinac Island so I could attend a medical conference.  At lunch one day, we went into a cute little touristy shop.  I know, that really narrows it down.  You probably know exactly which cute little touristy shop I mean.  She saw a freshwater pearl necklace and mentioned that she really liked it.

I asked her if she wanted me to get it for her.  

She said no.  

Several minutes later, we were walking down the street, in front of one of those fudge shops (you know which one).  She asked me what I would have done, if she had said that she wanted me to buy the necklace.

At first I was perplexed.  It seemed like a weird question.  "Well, I would've gotten it for you."

"Really?"

"Of course.  I would never offer to do something and not mean it."

So later that day, after the lectures for the day were done, I stopped and bought the necklace.  I kept it hidden for a few days.  Then I told her I had something for her, and gave it to her.  She hugged me and kissed me and stuff, and pretended to be thrilled.  

Years later, she told me that she had, in fact, been terribly disappointed.  When I told her that I had something for her, she thought I was going to propose marriage.  In retrospect, it seems as though I should have anticipated that, but men can be so dumb sometimes.  Anyway, for our last anniversary, I got her another freshwater pearl necklace.  She says she is happy with it.  She wears them both, quite often, although not at the same time.  It still bugs me that I disappointed her, but there's nothing I can do except keep proving the point, that I will not make an offer if I don't mean it.