Tied In Knots

Labor Day 09

Megan and Paul returned from the musical with an uneasy feeling in their respective guts; something was wrong, a bit off kilter. But they were happy. The show, In the Heights was fun and exciting, with innovative music and great dancing, a wonderful ending to a great Thanksgiving weekend. Wednesday and Thursday at the Hennings in Northeast Ohio, Friday and Saturday in Pittsburgh for a visit with the Kytkas, who themselves were visiting family for the holiday. Back to Columbus Saturday night, and Sunday morning worship, the first Sunday in Advent. Usually Meg and Paul hang around after church, but this time they were out the door to get to the Ohio Theatre by 1pm. So intent to get to the musical with time to spare.

They got back to the church parking lot, Paul dropped off Meg at her Hyundai Accent, and they drove back to Paul’s for dinner. Paul got to his condo first. He wanted to make certain everything was perfect, so he hid the baby gates that guard the leather couch from his beagle’s scratching and clawing. He was happy to find jazz music already playing through his sound system. There was that feeling in his stomach again, it was getting worse, but he was hardly paying attention to it.

Megan pulled up and parked. She was talking on her cell phone so she stayed in the car for a bit. In the meantime, Paul fed and walked Daisy, took the the small box from the mantle above the fireplace, and lodged it in his pocket. Meg finally came in to meet him for dinner. She was thinking the frozen Donatos pizza and a tossed salad.

. . .

The two met online, apparently something totally acceptable nowadays, if still not the stuff of romance novels. She had signed up for a two-week trial of an online dating site, while he had paid for a year’s subscription. He thought she was cute and funny. She read his sad story and was attracted by his smile and white, mock turtleneck, a photo taken over two years prior for his church staff’s web page. They went out on two dates in the spring. He knew this relationship could be serious and wasn’t certain how he was feeling about relationships, dating and the like. So he told her he needed a week or two to figure things out. She waited. He prayed, sought advice and thought some more. Then he called her, and they went to a Columbus Clippers game. It was SRO, so they stood together in left field, it rained hard for 20 minutes, they saw friends there who were leaving the game and had great seats right behind home plate. So Meg and Paul took their tickets and sat in the front. Cool.


Joyful Noise 09, Concert in the Park

The summer came and he sold his house and bought a condo. She got baptized. She went to Boise to see her talented brother perform on stage. He sought a new life, now with a new friend. He went to Chicago with buddies to see the Cubs and the town. She helped him settle into his new place while he traveled. She sat in his empty living room in a lawn chair, with dinner on a cheap foldout table. He bought a leather couch, a round table and a new bed. They visited the Hennings up in Northeast Ohio over Labor Day weekend. Took Daisy along. Paul met her crazy, fun, smart family. His parents came to town. She cooked dinner for them. His Italian parents approved of their son’s Irish girlfriend.

They talked about their past. She talked about her four-year relationship that ended one month prior to her wedding-day-to-be. He talked about his double tragedy, losing his baby daughter and wife in a span of three months. And they fell in love.

. . .

When Megan entered the condo, she got more than pizza and salad. She got a dozen roses on the table. Champagne on ice. Beautiful table settings. A wonderful aroma wafting from the oven. The jazz music.

They sat down for dinner. Paul told Meg he was not feeling well. But Paul can never refuse a good meal, and this was a great meal, prepared by master chefs. He had a few bites, then reported that his stomach was churning. He went up to his room and lay on the new bed. She went to get him some Pepto and 7up. But it was too little, too late. Before she got back, he had it out over the toilet. Nothing was spared. So bad he slightly pulled his abdominal muscle and now his stomach was completely tied in knots. He got feverish, and then the chills, put on three layers of clothing, got under the covers and slept. She left. He woke up at 10:45pm. Got a text message from Meg. ‘I just got sick too.’

Paul thought, Everything was perfect tonight… except me, and Meg, and our tummies. Isn’t that the way life is? After all, Meg had her whole life figured out. And it went south- broken engagement, broken dreams. Things were perfect, with a pregnant wife and a baby on the way. Then I lost everything. Perhaps what was perfect about the evening, Paul concluded, was, its lack of perfection.

Even still, before dinner, Paul made a proposal. Then they got sick and both missed two days of work. They concluded that this was the way life actually is, and they looked forward to spending a lifetime together, joyfully preparing for the next lifetime, the eternal lifetime, when things would actually be perfect, and they would spend all of time with the perfect One.

Meg said Yes.