Rendezvous

     Mike was going to miss our anniversary; so since he was traveling from Florida to Oregon, he asked me to meet in him in Newnan, Georgia, the city we met and lived 7 years of our married lives near.  After pulling together most of the loose ends and doctoring Macklynn's knee that looked like he took a cheese grater to, I managed to leave Miranda in charge of him and Madalynn.  Just so happened she had those 2 days off work.  Just so happened, the morning after she took them to the rodeo, she got to hear a sermon, that shook up her view of the immediate future, from Neal Hatfield when she picked up our "campers".  Just so happened that a man who came into Subway, where she and Dusty both work, a few weeks ago asked why they weren't married.  Dusty responsibly said because of finances.  That man came back this week and offered him $150 a day to work for him, a 17 year old.  I guess you know nothing "just so" happens.
     I arrived at 11:30 or so pm.  When we woke up and got going, Mike drove us toward the golf course and I even asked, "We aren't playing golf, are we?"  As he turned into a subdivision and appeared to be searching, I discovered he was looking for the house that hosted the party we met at.  I've detailed that night already in my pocket calender recollections. 
     We'd never been there before the party and hadn't been back but we sat deliberating in front of a particular house long enough for the owner to drive out.  We flagged him down and asked his last name:  Robinson, the same ones.  When Mike told him what he was trying to accomplish and that we knew their sons, he insisted that we come down to the house.  We entered through the basement where the party was held.  He led us upstairs where his wife sat, leg propped, from just having pins removed.  She was no less accomodating, even pretty excited about our story and history.  Everything we conversed about had odd similarities, all the way down to their son, Joey, living recently a half hour away from us in North Carolina.  Mr. Robinson asked if we had already paid for a room because if not, he fully expected us to stay there.  As we were leaving, he offered a sincere invitation for Macklynn to come fish in the lake next time we're in town and he took pictures of us beside the wall where Mike first planted a big kiss on me.
     The pictures look like stuffed versions of who we were.  Amazing what 'laxness' will do.  As much so, I wish I had taken the intended time to cut my hair before I left.  I wish I had put on a bra other than whatever was lying around.  And I know 'slack' in the jeans is discreet but it just 'ain't' very becoming, especially Wranglers thrown on with Clarks.  What the heck was I thinking?  I guess I was just glad to have made it there ...and I was ...glad.
     We went on to Newnan High School.  Mike parked in what he thought was the spot I used to park in.  He remembers me running to him when I saw him waiting there for me after school.  We drove on around to the track where he drove his motorcycle up to see me a couple of weeks after we met.  As we were leaving, I saw The Water Works Park behind the school and said we 'had' to go.  He didn't remember why at first but I told him about the entry I would've posted that very day, honestly ~ April 21, 1988 ~ "Art Club Meeting.  Mike came to see me and we went to the Water Works."
     What I had been mulling over is how to deal with my past and still make my present notations positive for Mike and me.  So, I found the equilibrium:  That is where I told Mike and as far as I remember, only Mike up until that point, that I was advised to have an abortion years before.  Keep in mind that I was only 16 during this conversation.  The deed didn't shame me enough to make a lifestyle change and I think that's the case for most girls.  (Now, though, every time a nurse asks how many times I've been pregnant, I'm reminded that 8, not 7, souls have been my charge.)  I told him if he'd met me and I'd had a child, he wouldn't have been interested in me.  He heartily disagreed. 
     I don't remember what got us on the subject of children to begin with, but we agreed that day: 6 children seemed nice for both us, just 6 weeks after we'd met.  So, you folks who've voiced or withheld your voices that I "married down" need to know that he may've very well saved me from myself.  Too, this life full of children we live is far from an accident.
     We drove to a frequented gas station to get a drink.  I found a Vanilla Coke, hadn't seen in years and had a laugh with an old black gentlemen about "BAMA".  I must interject that the further south you go, the nicer and down the earth black people are. Just down the road was the mud bog where we spent many a weekend night.  I'd never even been to one before Mike and so began my love affair with mud.  It is, after all, what we're made of.
     The gate was closed and fastened with 7 locks.  Mike called the owner and he gave us permission to walk on down the 3/4 mile of gravel.  Any other day, I'd have had on my boots and by the time we got back I had 2 raised blisters, but it was worth it ...especially the concession stand ;)
     We ended up at the church I attended with Mom and my brother, Jamie.  It's also where Mike and I were married.  There was again a nice older black man and he was doing some work in the sanctuary.  The chandeliers were all on and it was decorated handsomely for the 4th.  We had taken a picture or two at each stop and took even more there.
     My feet were killing me and all I could think about was getting back to the garden tub in the room, but not without bubble bath.  Mike went into Bath and Body Works and I didn't think he was coming out until the sales girl walked to the car to make sure I liked what he picked.  He's just not the same guy he was. :)
     We were hungry too so we didn't bathe right away.  After we ate and since it was Thursday night, Mike took me to family karaoke because it's one event where I actually loosen up a little.  When Miranda watched the video from home that night, she said laughingly that I was so loud it shook the computer!  Madalynn said I sounded "out of place"; she meant out of tune ;) The bubbles were calling our names, so we returned to the to the room to open the gifts Megan, our 21 year old who lives, give or take, 5 miles from there, had left.  The automatic cork screw and set of graphic design wine glasses were ideal and lent themselves to the bottle of Yakima Valley wine Mike had bought me in Washington state the week prior.
     Mike was to leave for Oregon the next morning and I was to leave for home.  Instead, when he went to get ice, he extended the sweet deal he'd gotten 1 more night.  We had a day of nowhere to be, no one to answer to, and no need for clothes.  I can say with 'no' uncertainty that it was the most comfortable I've been with him, maybe ever.  He was entirely positive until he grew tired that night and family drama snuck in.  It is quite an effort to slam the door, if only for a little while for the sake of intimacy, on money, health, politics, parents, and kids.  After all, we'd just watched our Supreme Court usher in another level of Socialism.
     Megan came to see us, snacks in hand, at 10:30 that night.  It's pretty great talking adult to adult, the person who is a culmination of all the characteristics of Mike and me.  Yeah, "this" has been hard, oftentimes unbearably so, but Biblical "enduring" has its promises and beautifully unimaginable twists.
     It turns out that the Comfort Inn was more enjoyable for me than The Grove Park Inn.  It's all in the timing, the peace, the sense of belonging, the relentlessness that lets me know he's not going to stop perfecting this until his days are done.  As Melody put it, we have a lot of anniversaries to make up for. I intend to be a very willing participant. 
     (With no side review mirrors) driving north, certain songs had new meaning for me.  I stand in awe daily of what God can do and what he chooses to give me, undeserving of the least of them.  Sometime toward the middle of the trip, I allowed thoughts to penetrate my peace.  I was terribly glad to be getting back to our babies and thankful to call North Carolina home because I had been berated (by both our fathers apart from my presence).  I'm not allowing them to infect me with their misery and trainwrecks they've brought on themselves.  I know full well my faults and demons.  I also know full well that they don't take time to understand the rest of me, nor the children.  If anyone gets forgiveness soon, it'll be Mike and Michelle for the hands we were and are dealt from them.  One of those twists I mentioned happens here:  Mike is stopping the cycle of discontented frustrations cast on whomever is within earshot.  He has decided it begins with him and I'm following his lead to find out where he's going.
     Happy 23rd Anniversary, Mike.  You're still "the man".