Ninety-Six Hour Countdown

Old neighbors like hinges need to be oiled

every so often. A pie, some brownies,

a good Merlot …

 

the prelude to asking: would you mind

keeping an eye on him

while I am away …

 

My wife leaves nothing to chance,

an itinerary deliberately placed

in plain view, right next to the ice

 

bucket, so I can’t claim to have missed

her expectations for my managing

her three-week flitter …

 

the cordillera of Tupperware

stacked for ease of

convenience, my limited predilection

for favoring comfort over the extended heating up …

 

By the second week any urgency

for making the bed gives way

to how late in the day I’ve left the sheets  

 

to idle through the maze

of a man about the house …

not exactly lost, but teetering

toward the irrelevancy of pants. 

Ken e Bujold

Reviews

[Marvin Thomas Cox-Flynn..]

Ken,

I found this piece to be relevant to that time in my own marriage when my wife (of 49 years now deceased) would leave on some grand trip important to her, and for all my complaining when she was around, I was utterly lost without her while she was gone, just as I am utterly lost without her now, and that for the rest of my life here upon this wretched rock men call Earth: Wretched, only because men choose to make it so, rather than choosing peace over war, and to value and nourish Humanity over padding their pocektbook's coffers with ever higher piled stacks of money, power, and riches ... A very enjoyable read ...

Marvin Thomas Cox-Flynn de Graham

[Ken e Bujold]

glad you enjoyed MT.

[FGFRANKLIN]

This brought a mischievous smile to my lips. When the wife's away the hubby just walks around in his drawers and "forgets" to shave. But the neighbors can keep an eye on him. I'd be determined to put up pink plastic flamingoes all over the lawn to give them something to report. Did you see their yard? He's lost his mind. (laughing)

[Ken e Bujold]

my dear leaves nothing to chance, even labeled the tupperware

[FGFRANKLIN]

That's a good wife. She knows us males are in need in structure. My wife is my memory. I have to ask her what I'm doing sometimes.

[Betty Hermelee]

This reminds me of when I go away and how my husband keeps the house! I love this because it brings back so many memories.... and the Tupperware; so corny but used so much.... in those sweet days... the Tupperware parties, etc.... but I can also empathize with you, what the hell if your wife's away, you can certainly walk around the house in your underwear or less.....very clever Ken!
Best, B

[Perdition]

“The cordillera of Tupperware”…
Now that is something sacred indeed. Never am I ever disappointed. When I come to read you begin the statement it reminds me so much of “good fences, make good neighbors“ and meander through the house to you and with the senselessness of pants I mean how much better is that supposed to get? I don’t know … I didn’t even expect to come here finding a mountain range of Tupperware, but I did, and for that the words will haunt me for the rest of the month. Thank you for that Ken as always.

[Ken e Bujold]

well this is what happens when she leaves me on my own. Three weeks in Sing, to see her mom and get away from me and my constant revisions on the book. She even labelled the tupperware, days of the week, i kid you not. As for the pants, it took me almost two weeks to remember we have a washing machine. Then best of all, when I pick her up at the airport, first words out of her mouth, did you finish it!! A week's gone by, and i am still not certain if she meant the book or the food. Though i could answer affirmative to both.

thanks as always for the visit and amusing review.
ken

[Perdition]

Hahaha…Perfect!! Been there many years ago so I can relate. A pleasure !!

[John the Baptist]

This one has a familiar ring to it, the difference being that I often have my bed made before my wife does hers. Two retired people living in the same house doesn't bode well for secondary duties, especially if neither has OCD.

[Ken e Bujold]

Muse and i have agreement: if she home i make the bed, if she not home, the bed can make itself, or wait until she gets home. As she was gone for 3 weeks the sheets got changed every week, but beyond that... i slept in it and there was nary a complaint about it being drafty :)

[M]

I suppose there is nothing like being left alone to one's own devices in an empty house while everyone else is away. One becomes a sloth and I don't think any neighbours would prefer to look after one, tempted with merlot or otherwise. An amusing life snippet.

[Neville]

I'm pretty darn sure its a man thing my good man .. I furthermore think you have excelled yourself here Ken .. bloomin brilliant sir :)

[Lorry]

I have been trained to make the bed as soon as I'm awake, plump the pillows and avoid another someone doing it silently, as you think the first time "result", but then at an indeterminate time, usually as you are falling asleep, the conversation starts that you want to end and go to dreamy sleeps, but it doesn't and neither do you.
As to the the irrelevancy of pants... Well it may be spring, but that just means one pair of pyjamas. Maybe one day when the ever promised but seldom seen heatwave arrives I'll give it a try, but I have a feeling that would just lead to another nocturnal conversation. 😊

[willweb]

This was great and something I can easily relate to. I like how you started this off and the ending is priceless. Very good.

[W. Barrett Munn]

It's always a delight to see watch you play with language. No disappointment here.

Winston

[Ken e Bujold]

thanks. was fun write. and the last one into Landscape, which is done. off being formatted. only proof read of those and last min nips and tucks ...release in about 2 weeks

[W. Barrett Munn]

Very nice. Congratulations.

Winston