Monday, March 11, 2013

True Love

Hubby has always guarded his keys jealously.  Very security conscious, he has installed dead bolts locks, steel doors, alarms, and every protective device he could afford or install himself.

Me, well, not so much.  I leave doors unlocked, I don't manipulate keys well, I can't remember combinations to alarms or learn how they operate.  If I have to punch in combinations of numbers I'm pretty much opting out of the process.

Early in our relationship (that was 40 years ago, folks) Hubby struggled with my inability to keep up with keys, open locks, or operate alarms. I clearly remember that one of my first horrible encounters with him was the day he installed a dead bold lock on our front door and then told me to stand there and open all the locks that were on the door (screen door lock, two locks on front door).  I couldn't figure out the different keys and it felt exactly like my mother was standing over me in grave and serious disapproval -- which had always lead to physical consequences.  I ended up crying on the front steps which made opening the locks just that much harder.  Hubby watched in utter frustration, unable to fathom what on earth had sent me into a tailspin.  Thankfully, he never put me through such torture again. 

Fast forward seven years and multiple losses of keys and key rings and I found out just how much Hubby really loved me.  One day I came home from my teaching job and found that every lock in the house had been replaced -- and keyed to the exact same key.  Moreover, hanging from the kitchen peg board were five sets of the keys -- so when I misplaced a set, instead of the trauma that has always ensued in trying to find them, I could just go grab a new set and move on.  This was a huge adjustment for him and a wonderful solution for me.  And I adored him for giving up and making both our lives much less stressful.

When I went back to teaching in 2006 I gave up carrying a purse.  I only have one now if we travel or if I'm meeting the Ladies Who Lunch and need to pay for a meal.  Hubby carries the debit card which we use regularly.  This ensures that after losing multiple purses throughout my life, I no longer will misplace money or credit cards.  I put my keys in my pocket if I need them.  Because it's been so cold and Hubby is struggling with the frozen larynx which doesn't operate well in chilly air, I usually go out and start the car warming before we leave the house.  This has meant that my keys are in the ignition of the car. 

Last Thursday night Hubby asked me to go with him to the pharmacy to get a new prescription and, as usual, I put my keys in my pocket.  However, Hubby and I left the house together as it was fairly warm and I just left my keys in my pocket.  I went into Walgreens and got his pills and then we picked up dinner on the way home. When we arrived back at the house my keys were gone.

I never found them, though I asked at both the pharmacy and the take-out place. I've had to use Hubby's keys to start the car and I haven't been able to open the front door without his help.

This morning after walking the dogs in the frigid air, I asked Hubby what he would like for breakfast.  He told me to hold off until he ran a couple of errands and off he went.  When he returned, he brought with him a complete set of car and house keys on a long bungee-cord key ring. He offered them up with a long sigh but never uttered a word of complaint.

This, my friends, is not 50 Shades of Gray love -- this is true love blended with caring and friendship and understanding. 




2 comments:

Margaret said...

True love is often in the small gestures and the sacrifices of what they want to make us comfortable. My husband was good at it too.

Unknown said...

Yours is a true love story indeed. :)