By Roger Siegmann
I think we all wish and dream that normalcy… the way it was before COVID -19 will return. I daydream of the Bibo Bar’s green chili cheeseburger and I try to visit there each spring. I had dreams of owning a Jeep again like the one I had in the 70’s, or like the one we had later on when our daughters were small. It would be nice to get together with other Jeep owners and perhaps take a ride. Ah, the dreams we have! I finally did find an old one last year and longed to bring it home to work on.
A couple weeks ago I was sitting on the couch in the living room and mentioned to Evelyn that I thought I would go get “The Jeep.”
She nodded and returned to watching the Hallmark channel with Duke-Marie. I returned shortly with “A Jeep” and not “The Jeep” and backed it in alongside our home’s east side. I walked into the living room and sat down feeling kind of proud to bring the Jeep home.
I looked at Evelyn and smiled… she had a solemn look on her face. I felt something was wrong… like someone pulling the plug on the boat and letting water rush in.
I was afraid to, but did ask, “Are you ok?”
She replied: “Yes, and just where did the STATION WAGON come from?”
“What station wagon?” I asked.
“The one on the trailer. I thought you were getting a small Jeep and what’s this all about?” she asked. “Is this the one you bought last year?”
I felt like a drowning man coming up for air perhaps for the last time.
“Well… no but this one has a top and the girls will like it and you can put stuff in the back and Duke-Marie can sit on the back seat…….and….and….and…”
She cut me short with: “I thought the ‘53 Suburban you bought last year was what you said was the last one and it was your life’s dream, and you don’t ever want another. Do you remember that?”
“No… no you are wrong… that is what I said when we were dating, about you, that you are my life’s dream.”
(I took the defense stand on my own behalf)
“And do you remember a few years ago when we were traveling? And I said, “Look at that ad near that motel, it says ‘Free Wifeee’ and I told you that I’m happy with you? Do you remember, huh… do you, do you? See? You are my dream.”
She stated, “That was WI-FI.”
The room was silent, and I continued to stare away from the judicial bench and out the front window looking for an escape when I thought she mumbled, “You are grasping you fool.”
I refused to face Her Honor and while still looking towards the front window, I slowly turned my eyes in her direction to see the frown gone and her eyes rolled back in disbelief.
While slowly shaking her head side-to-side she said, “Go work on our Jeep.”
… Dreams!