He looks agreeable enough. Don't you think so?
Let's meet an author.............let's meet my husband, Steve.
You know we place the proverbial 'Author's Information' on the back flaps of our books. But what in hell do those things say about who a person really is? Those back covers are like a resume, you try to know a person in so many words or less. Simply can't be done.
When I met Steve, I really, really was soured on relationships, namely the institution of marriage. I felt marriage was highly over rated and each time I would see a seemingly happy couple, I just felt there was a facade, I felt no one was truly happy being married.
We have been married, this year, for 14 years now. What's it like being married to an author? Interesting at best. Well, he spends time writing, we spend time riding around taking pictures for our site and we love yard and estate sales. Problem is, those sales tend to bring out the worst in both of us, sometimes, OK, most of the time. I've learned it's not a good idea to buy anything too big. I know Steve loves me, good thing I know this, but he likes to tell me I 'just don't always pick up items right.' In 14 years I've never really learned the meaning of those words. So I tend to set the item down and ask him to explain, which kind of irks him.
What makes up an author? Well, in this case, a nagging wife who convinced him he does have a story to tell. So tell it already! He did.
His story is about a boy (him) from the Midwest, who joins the Army and embarks on an interesting journey in a land called Vietnam.
He is a wonderful husband, but does any wife and husband get along all the time? I doubt it. His journey to become a Drill Instructor proved to be because he had and has, a burning desire to control his own destiny. A commendable quality. But the rigidness of the DI life can spill over into his personal life, sometimes. Like the other day we went to lunch and the waitress decided, in the middle of our eating lunch, to try and sell us a coupon book. She droned on and on and I saw the perturbed look coming across Steve's face. He was good though and when she finally finished, he leaned over to me and said: "Wouldn't you think they could save that speech for after people are done eating?" I said they are probably pressured into the speech and selling by management. I felt sorry for her. He left her a tip though because he truly is nice.
A sweet, hard working young soldier.
We have had times when we were at a fast food drive through window, ordering coffee and after waiting for 10 minutes, Steve has been known to say, loudly: "How many waitresses does it take to pour two coffees? We may never know because it isn't getting done." He says some places give the term 'fast food' a whole new meaning. This is true. But somehow, I think our unhappiness or expressing it, will do little to spoil the day of a worker making minimum wage and dealing with irate customers only to not make enough to pay their bills.
A dashing young soldier.
Steve is highly competitive and sometimes when we play games, even on Facebook, he will compete with my scores. Just a little quirk he has. But that quirk is what helped him climb the ranks to be the DI he wanted to be.
Sometimes when he asks me to do something, I like to say 'No' because it's priceless to see the look on his face. A guy who likes to run smoothly so I have to toss a wrench in there sometimes. I just cannot resist.
A wife couldn't ask for a more attentive and giving husband though. He moved across country for me to be able to advance my career and to a place, Indiana, where he couldn't wait to leave when younger. Just helped me pack up lock, stock and barrel.
He also kept saying how he just did not like cats. But rescued a little, helpless kitten in our backyard and now they are the best of friends.
Would I trade this author? Not for the world!
