My God. The man chewed with his mouth open. How could I possibly love a man who chews with his mouth open I thought. Logan sat quietly at the dinner table pulling back a third plate of barbequed ribs. I watched helplessly as he smacked loudly using his unnaturally sharp teeth to rip the hot meat from the bone. Dark red sauce played at the edges of his mouth, as he ate, and at that moment his inability to do anything besides swallow prevented him from removing the thick sauce from its threatening position. I wanted desperately to scrub his face clean of all the spicy residue, but I ignored the urge and continued to stab at the small portion of salad on my plate. After a few more moments of watching my husband commit 1st degree murder on the food I had prepared for him I lost my appetite and pushed my plate away. Logan didn't seem to notice, he merely grunted and took another gulp of beer from the mug that sat waiting in the wings.

And it’s always the same I continued to think. He’d inhale the food I took pride in preparing for him grunt unbutton his pants to give his full belly room to breath, and then make that long a trying journey over to the living room couch where he’d sit down and watch court television…It was so routine it was almost scary that I could actually set my watch by it.

I didn’t sign up for this. I understand the concept of for better or for worse, but this was ridiculous. I wondered silently as Logan released a large belch if marriages constituted in NY came with a warranty.

SUSQUIENTLY ANY MARRIAGE CAN BE CONSIDERED NULL AND VOID ON THE ACCOUNT OF ANY UNNATRUAL OR UNJUSTIFIABLE BEHAVIOR ON THE BEHALF OF CONSENTING PARTIES DUE TO THE LIMITED SELECTION OF DECENT UNCERTIFIALBE MEN AND WOMEN THAT INHABIT THE STATE.

As I watched Logan pat his stomach and pick his teeth I was sure that the clause had to exist somewhere within the judicial system…no sane person would consider the journey to holy matrimony without it.

When I was sure that he was done I cautiously picked up his plate of meatless bones ever careful not to make any sudden movements. I was never too sure when he would decided that there was at the least a fraction of food left on his plate and reach in to savor the morsel. With Logan there was always the risk of pulling back a nub if he thought you were trying to deprive him of food.

The coast was clear so I took the plate dumped the bones and began washing the dishes as I ran through the list of things I would have to do the next day. Pick up the dry cleaning…… go to the grocery store…… remind Logan to get his hair cut……buy him a new dress shirt……clean the house……Why do I put up with this I never get any appreciation?

“Ororo”

The sound of my husbands voice startled me and I turned to look at him in confusion. I expected him to be plastered against the couch by now, but he wasn’t he was standing in the kitchen with his hands behind his back and a smile on his face….needless to say I wasn’t sure how to take this.

“What is it?” I said turning to him slightly.

He moved a few steps closer and revealed his hands to me, which contained a wide midnight blue velvet jewelry box. I took the gift out of his hand and opened it immediately. Inside was a 14ct gold diamond tennis bracelet.

“Happy birthday” he said simply. You could have literally bought me for a penny. Not only had I forgotten that it was my own birthday, but I was even more in shock that Logan had remembered, seeing how he had overlooked our wedding anniversary the month before. I remained speechless and allowed him to pull me into his large arms. Then suddenly everything about him, everything I had been complaining about silently to myself didn’t matter because I suddenly remembered. Oh yeah I love him that’s why I put up with this. I found it funny that it hadn’t crossed my mind in all of my self despair. Then my husband…the love of my life kissed me on my cheek and then again on my lips before saying.

“Thanks for dinner” and turning to head for the living room. The gesture wasn’t anything too spectacular but it was overwhelming the way it made me feel. Three simple words had made me feel appreciated and suddenly all those evenings without a word of thanks were no longer in vain.

“Logan” I called before he reached the entrance of the living room, and he turned to me with a familiar look in his eye on that I hadn’t seen since we had first started dating.

“I love you” I said, and smiled because of the pleased look on his face.

“I love you too” he replied and then disappeared into the living room.

Even after all these years that man still manages to surprise me. Logan had never been the romantic type I know that when I married him, but he always did little things that seemed to make up for it entirely. I don’t know what changed, but Logan was more appreciative from that moment forward. Maybe it was a phase one that all men go through within the first 5 years of marriage. Whatever it was I know that despite everything I was still in love with him and wouldn’t trade him in for anyone else in the world.

END.





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