"That Did Not Just Happen!"

... and yet, oh boy, it really did.

In 2009, after meeting once as children at ages 9 and 11, Robert and I met again at a high school reunion nearly fifty years later.  Both of us were divorced, single, and during that weekend, we started dating.

We loved our blooming relationship and all of the newly awakened feelings that come with discovering, “This could be love”.

Robert lived in Ohio and every other week, he drove four hours each way so we could spend a weekend together at my duplex in Pennsylvania. I say “weekend”, but allowing for the drive time each way, we actually only had a full day and night together —twice a month.

Then after about six months, I realized one morning, this just wasn’t working —at least for me. I felt it was time for him to (excuse me) either shit or get off the pot. Either we were a couple, or we weren’t.

That next weekend, I told him how I felt and asked if he also thought it was time for a change.  No more driving back and forth to spend a few hours together.  He agreed and soon made the move to my duplex in Pennsylvania.

I remember sitting on the bed watching him unpack, with butterflies swirling in my tummy. I was happy and I hoped he was, too. He looked over, saw me smiling, and his own happiness kicked in. He stood and, as he threw himself onto the bed for a hug …

( ( ( CRASH ) ) )

The wooden lip that held the mattress and box spring on the high bed frame gave way! Suddenly, we were sitting inside the busted bed frame on the mattress on the floor, our legs splayed awkwardly on the bed frame above us.

“That did NOT just happen!”

Wide-eyed, we stared at each other and at the mess surrounding us. Robert apologized profusely and it suddenly seemed so insanely funny that I started to laugh and I couldn’t stop. I laughed until my sides ached and until I couldn’t breathe.

Robert caught the humor and it was uncontrollable for both of us! Even after we stopped laughing, the mere thought of what happened brought stifled snorts and more laughter.

“That did NOT just happen!” became “I can’t BELIEVE that happened!” and when we called a carpenter to repair the bed frame, he turned it into “WHAT the HELL happened?” with even more laughing from Robert and me.

To this day, I still don't know what the carpenter really thought. He gave us one of those dirty-minded all-knowing smiles every time we even tried to explain …

Published Poet/Writer/Author of 5 books.
Quora Top Writer 2018
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