The Commitment

One day, He is talking about their future lives together.  On a different day, She is talking about their future lives together.  So far, the exact day when each of them is “ready” never intersects.  They talk of this very fact and smile at themselves.  He and She are both confident; He and She are both a teeny bit scared.

The second time around can be such a bear.

Then this conversation happens.

He:  You really need a new couch.

She: I would be happy, Mr. X, to buy a couch with you, a flat screen with you, anything with you.  But I refuse to buy any more stuff alone for my single mom life.  I am not single anymore, am I?

His eyebrows go up.  He is surprised. He pauses.

She needs a tangible act of commitment.  She is surprised to hear herself asking for it

He: Ok Honey.  Sounds good to me.

He smiles.  An internet search on “SOFA” is launched by Him.

She: And I am donating my dishes to charity this week; do you want to start by buying some dishes together this weekend?

She pushes further with a direct gaze.

He: Do you want to just use the dishes I have?

She:  Nope,  I want to know if you want buy dishes with me.

He: Yeah, I do.  Let’s do it.

Saturday comes and they go to pick out a lovely set of dishes.  She imagines each of them pulling out their credit cards grandly, to make this joint purchase.  The clerk informs them that if He opens a new credit card account (as She has one already) they can save some money.  Ok, She thinks, I’ll just pay Him back, as He completes the necessary steps to make the purchase on His new card.

She returns to her reverie…imagining Them eating on the dishes that night…

The clerk interrupts her thoughts to explain that the dishes are out of stock and will arrive in two weeks.  Grrr, She thinks.

As they walk to their car, She is melty down to her toes about making this joint purchase as a couple, regardless of the details.  And He is amused and happy to make Her happy, just as committed as He was before the whole shopping expedition.

p.s. Now that’s the kind of Commitment I like…and I sure am happy about the dishes J. and I have just purchased “together.”  Except…WHO IS GOING TO WASH THEM?!

Tags: commitment, single, single mom