We were in the kitchen on Monday night, getting the table set and dinner ready. Greg came home from work and we were chatting about our day.
A: "Mine was good but tiring. I got up late so I couldn't shower before getting the kids off to school and then I had to leave for my class and I promised myself I would go to the gym after class. But I didn't. So all day I've felt so off. I finally hopped in the shower but I still feel so..."
G: "...dowdy?"
A: "...tired."
I hear Lauren, across the room, suck in air between her teeth.
A: "Um, did you say dowdy?"
G: Silence. Looks a little deer-in-the-headlights.
A: "Do you think I look dowdy? Cause I don't know if I would say dowdy. I mean, that's like what I would use to describe the Queen Mother [rest her soul]."
Lauren: "Oh, Dad..."
G: "Didn't you say you felt dowdy? I could have sworn that's what you said earlier."
A: "Um, no. I would never say I felt dowdy. I don't think I've ever said that. Wow. I feel kind of bad about the dowdy comment from you!"
Lauren: {laughing} "oh, this is so great. You guys are totally funny to listen to."
* * *
I remember my mom telling me about a woman of a certain age that she worked with who had a funny relationship with her husband. One day this woman, Margene, told her husband, "I saw you downtown today. I waved at you; didn't you see me?"
"Yeah, I saw you," he said. "but I was kind of embarrassed. I was with my friends and you weren't looking very good."
"Oh, I'll make sure that never happens again," said Margene (I imagine a little coldly, don't you think?). So Margene went out and bought not just a new outfit but a whole new wardrobe. To make sure she didn't ever embarrass her husband again. And he couldn't say a thing.
* * *
Thankfully I have a gem of a husband who would never say he was embarrassed of me. And I do feel kind of bad for him for his slip-up (although not more than I feel bad for me!) But don't you think that little Freudian slip entitles me to a grand, anti-dowdy shopping trip? Just wondering.
