| General Non-Fiction posted May 14, 2023 |
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I barely made it to the phone
Wrong Number?
by Debi Pick Marquette
The Phone Call Contest Winner
The only phone we had was in the kitchen of our not so finished basement. That didn't bother me because at least we were out of his parents' house and into our own.
We had been married six months and never had any privacy except in the little bedroom upstairs that was his as a kid. Living with them was not the transition into marriage I had expected. Since moving in, I had walked on eggshells, knowing she was a very opinionated woman who liked things a certain way. She was sometimes condescending, but I had managed to be on my best behavior and not let her get to me.
One morning, Glen had forgotten to reset the alarm before he went to work. I overslept, and when I woke up, I only had time to throw my clothes on and brush through my hair to look halfway presentable to go to work. I was still brushing my teeth as I pulled out of the driveway, stopping at the end of the gravel road to rinse my mouth before continuing on my half-hour drive. I had a strange feeling that I had forgotten something, but whatever it was, I was sure I could get along without it.
I certainly had forgotten something, but I didn't realize what it was until I arrived back at their home later that day. I was utterly blown away when my mother-in-law informed me how horrible it was that I had not made my bed. And even worse, I left clothes on the bed and the room a mess. What if there had been a fire and the firefighters would have seen this? What would they have thought?
I can't remember if I was mostly bothered by the humiliating and patronizing lecture I was receiving or if it was the fact that she had been in our room while I was at work. I was too dumbfounded to speak then, so I remember mumbling something about how the wicked witch on The Wizard of Oz looked more like Gandhi at that moment.
I then ran upstairs and started packing to go back and live with my parents. Since these people did not even own a phone, I drove to the nearest phone booth and called Glen's work. He could join me if he wanted, but I could not live under the same roof with this monster-in-law! He did beg me to stay and said he would make sure nothing like that happened again.
My new husband did tell his meddlesome mother to stay out of our room when we were not there; that what she did was an invasion of privacy. However, she maintained it was their home, and therefore he promised me we would be in ours within a few weeks, and he kept his promise. We moved in the next week, even though it was not ready.
As I was referring to earlier, a phone in the kitchen of our basement was a luxury to me.
He insisted that we have a little housewarming party the following weekend.
We had only a few "couples friends" at the time, so most of the people at our party were my friends and his buddies. And because it was mostly young guys sitting around a keg of beer, this was not the kind of housewarming that you invited the family to.
There had been about a week of scorching weather, and we didn't have air conditioning back then. So I used every fan to keep our guests as cool as possible. Yet even then, it was miserable.
I was impressed by the fact that a couple of the guys came bearing gifts. However, the etiquette of a twenty-one-year-old male was to bring a bottle of what they liked to drink, ask us to open it right away, and proceed to drink it while they were there.
The party was getting late, and my friends had left around midnight. I could tell a few of his buddies showed no signs of leaving, so by about 2:00 AM, I could no longer stay awake. I had a few beers in me, so I knew I would probably sleep through the laughter of these noisy guys who were behaving themselves for the most part.
I was startled at 5:00 AM by the phone ringing. As I jumped out of bed to answer it, the only thing in my head was that someone had been in an accident on their way home. Still half sleeping, I stumbled through the dark hallway to get to the phone before it stopped ringing.
I was startled at 5:00 AM by the phone ringing. As I jumped out of bed to answer it, the only thing in my head was that someone had been in an accident on their way home. Still half sleeping, I stumbled through the dark hallway to get to the phone before it stopped ringing.
Just as I grabbed it with one hand, I turned on the light with the other and suddenly realized that I was not alone. Little did I know there were three remaining friends that Glen had put up in different rooms and told they could spend the night.
They all had the same idea and decided to get to the phone first so it wouldn't wake us up. And I am sure the shock on my face to see them standing there was evident. (that is, if they were looking at my face) Because at that exact split second was also the horror of me realizing that because of the heat, I had gone to bed in the buff.
I don't remember for sure, but I think it was a wrong number.
The Phone Call Contest Winner |
 Recognized |
#4 May 2023 |
The prompt asked the question how this impacted me.
After a few months, I felt the embarrassment wearing off and was able to mingle with the outside world again. As the years went by, his buddies all found wives of their own and it became quite the conversation starter. It has gotten its share of laughs along the way.
I guess chivalry was still alive at Shivarees
As for my in-laws, she got Alzheimer's when in her early 70s. After my father-in-law decided to keep her at home as long as he could, Glen's two sisters and I took turns caring for her so that he would get a break. This was the time that I learned to love this woman. I got to see what was in the core of her, the good part. There were even times in the humorous stage where she would reach over and give me a kiss every once in a while.
God has a purpose for all things that happen in our life.
If I may brag just a bit; I did make a vow that someday if I ever had a daughter in-law, she would be treated like my very own. I was blessed to get one who made that vow very easy. She tells me I am the best. But so is she!
You all know her as my daughter in~love, Mel.
Pays
one point
and 2 member cents. After a few months, I felt the embarrassment wearing off and was able to mingle with the outside world again. As the years went by, his buddies all found wives of their own and it became quite the conversation starter. It has gotten its share of laughs along the way.
I guess chivalry was still alive at Shivarees
As for my in-laws, she got Alzheimer's when in her early 70s. After my father-in-law decided to keep her at home as long as he could, Glen's two sisters and I took turns caring for her so that he would get a break. This was the time that I learned to love this woman. I got to see what was in the core of her, the good part. There were even times in the humorous stage where she would reach over and give me a kiss every once in a while.
God has a purpose for all things that happen in our life.
If I may brag just a bit; I did make a vow that someday if I ever had a daughter in-law, she would be treated like my very own. I was blessed to get one who made that vow very easy. She tells me I am the best. But so is she!
You all know her as my daughter in~love, Mel.
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