Blue Notes #19: Is my marriage weird?
An investigation
Recently, I was having a gossipy fun dinner with my three friends (I’m the Charlotte ;) when I said something that made them respond, nearly in unison:
“YOU HAVE TO WRITE ABOUT THIS.”
We were swapping our grocery-buying habits (an endlessly fascinating topic among New Yorkers) and one of them asked how I coordinate food shopping with Mr. Mari.
Do we make a shared list, or do I plan the meals or….?
“Oh we shop separately,” I said.
What do you mean? inquired the group, Greek-chorus-style.
“We eat different things, so…”
You eat completely separate meals?
“Yeah.”
But do you eat your separate meals, together?
“No, we make our own dinners, and eat them in different rooms.”
Do you talk together in the evening?
“Not really, he practices guitar and I work or read or watch my shows.”
And do you watch shows together?
“…No.”
How about the weekends?
“Uhh, pretty separate. I spend Sunday at church, he volunteers or goes hiking or....”
But you travel together?
“Sometimes.”
Laundry?!
“Never once. His and hers.”
What do you do together?
“We have dinner at a restaurant once a week, and we see each other at home obviously…”
And that’s when they said:
“YOU HAVE TO WRITE ABOUT THIS.”
So here I am, following instructions.