Ride It

I offer a nod of the head to Ms. KT Oslin for the inspiration for this story; she is truly a master of her craft.

This story was deliberately written from a gender neutral point of view. Try looking at it from both sides of the coin.

Sometimes marriage gets old. You never know what will kick start it when it does.

Perhaps this is one way.

*

Well, we have been married for 5 years today. What do I have to show for it? I have an indifferent spouse, a warm body to sleep next to. Well, most nights anyway. Sometimes one or both of us fall asleep in the living room in front of the idiot box; and it just spits out more crap that will turn your head to mush.

It was my turn to abandon the bed last night. I was never even missed.

What about sex? I hear you asking me that old question. We do that every Friday evening, from 7 to 9. No longer time and no shorter time. It was all mechanical. You didn't get yours? Tough luck, you can try again next week. There is more to see on the tube; let's do it.

We weren't always like this. We met in high school. We were both hot for each other; did everything we could think to do. It was sort of like the old joke; "How do you separate the men from the boys in the Greek navy. Answer; with a pry bar."

When we ran out of ideas we got books and found things that were new.

We never thought to share with anyone else. Were we too scared of losing the other, of getting an incurable disease or was there some other reason? The hell if I knew, it was just the way things were. Oh, we looked at others; there were days it might have been advisable to wear a bib for all the drool that ran off our chins.

After 4 years of school, 2 years dating, 3 years living together and being married for 5 there was nothing new to try, I guess.

It was Thursday morning, time to head to work; Oh Joy. Another day of the same ol' shit. We passed each other in the hall and kept going.

Half way there I turned my car to the south and kept driving. I called in at the last minute and said I was sick. Yep, sick of the entire mess I call my life. I only stopped twice before lunch; once to get coffee, the other to get rid of the same coffee.

I pulled into a little roadside diner and ordered lunch. I parked at the back of the lot and looked out over the farm fields. My sandwich got warmer and my coffee got colder as I sat there without a care in the world. After a while I noticed the staff would look out to see if I was gone. I waved a little bit a few times and when they turned away I waved again; with only one finger.

Finally I consumed the food and coffee. It tasted all right. I turned and drove back the way I came. I got home half an hour later than normal. The other half pulled in a few minutes later.

We went inside. "Don't turn on the TV." I pulled 2 chairs out from the kitchen table and sat down.

I said "Let me tell you about my day.

"When I left here this morning I ran away. I ran from my life, I ran away from my job and I ran away from you. I ran away from the child in me, I was positive that I was never gonna come back. I got a little way down the road and I turned around and headed back to you."

"Well, what do you think of that?"

The response was not at all what I expected

"That is very interesting; before we talk any more about your day let me tell you about mine."

"When I left here this morning, I ran away. I ran away from you, I ran away from my life, I ran away from MY job. I ran away from the fact that I was getting older. I knew I would never return. I drove east for a while then stopped and looked out over the rest of the world. Then I turned around and headed back to you."

I said "Hold me!"

I heard "Hold me tighter. Tell me tomorrow will be better. Kiss me!"

"Kiss me harder. Don't kiss me like we're married; kiss me like we're lovers."

It was an eternity before we parted. We held hands smiled.

That evening we started all over. We held each other, and then we held each other tighter. We kissed each other, and then we kissed each other harder.

"Don't kiss me like we're married! Kiss me like we're lovers!"

"Tomorrow everything will be better!"

"Hold me! Hold me!"

I say it is time to ride it like I stole it.

*

That was all there was to the song, that will be all there is to the story.

Hold me, written and sung by Ms. KT Oslin.