Saturday Crosswords
The newspaper rattled as he glanced across the table at her. It was their weekend habit – sharing breakfast, but the Saturday crossword had cut out conversation more than once.
Harold looked up again. He caught the attention of the waitress and gestured toward his cup. Leaning back into the booth he stirred enough cream to drown a hog (according to Babs) into the thick, black brew.
His buddies teased him about the odd breakfast routine, but Harold knew Babs still cared about him. She occasionally read bits of the news to him and they would laugh together at their favorite comic strips.
The crossword puzzles didn’t take long to finish and Babs remarked, as she always did. “I should time myself someday.”
Affection comes in all shapes and sizes as well as interests and joys. At 16 they chattered like magpies, wondering at the “older” people around them who sat silently over their meals. “We will not be like that when we’re old,” they had promised themselves more than once.
Then the babies came and talk was centered on their needs and bills and babysitters and cars and the detritus of struggling young marrieds. Date nights were hard to come by, but always appreciated.
Now, after 43 years of Saturday puzzles, Harold had to admit he was content. He reached across the table, took the crossword and noted how Babs’ handwriting was getting shakier and the words were mostly gibberish with her advancing dementia. “You’ve gotten them all right again, Babs. Ready to go shopping now?”
Harold helped her into her coat, nodded to the waitress, and smiled at the young couple in the next booth. He wished for them the same longevity he and Babs had shared.
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Ahhh, those crafty editors at Trifecta challenged us to write a love story without using ONE of 33 forbidden words. I chose to write a different sort of love story, one that has weathered time. Let me know if I snuck one of the forbidden words in there.
Posted: February 11th, 2012 under Moose Nuggets.
Comments: 14
Comments
Comment from Jessie Powell
Time: February 11, 2012, 4:45 pm
I adored his willingness to tell her she’d gotten the answers all right as usual, even though the answers made no sense at all. I think that kind of tolerance symbolizes lifelong love.
Comment from kelly garriott waite
Time: February 11, 2012, 5:47 pm
Lovely. True love.
Comment from Lessa
Time: February 11, 2012, 6:48 pm
daaaaaaaaaaaaaaw!
Comment from Carrie
Time: February 11, 2012, 8:06 pm
Aw, this was so lovely. That kind of relationship is what everyone should strive for. Beautifully done
Comment from Dana
Time: February 11, 2012, 8:17 pm
You never cease to amaze and inspire me, “Babs” … 
This brought heart-shaped tears of LOVE to my eyes!!!
Comment from The Mommy Patient
Time: February 12, 2012, 6:40 am
So beautiful. I have goosebumps. So, so sweet. This will stay with me. Lovely.
Comment from Linda Sue Smith
Time: February 12, 2012, 7:08 am
You are a wonderful writer, hope you win the contests!
Comment from Templeton’s fury
Time: February 12, 2012, 7:35 am
i love the description of an everyday interaction of human interaction…made me smile!
Comment from natalie
Time: February 12, 2012, 9:56 am
Tenderness and understanding. Perfect!
Comment from The Gal Herself
Time: February 12, 2012, 11:20 am
Sweet, romantic and wise.
Comment from Karen
Time: February 12, 2012, 11:44 am
Oh noes!!!
Free flowing tears!!!
Here I am at the airport with my three young kids and my husband in the middle of our years — we had our kids late in our marriage so I feel like we are definitely in a “second phase” phase.
This is so beautiful, so real, and so hopefilled. Thank you.
Comment from E Clough
Time: February 12, 2012, 11:30 pm
OK, I am jealous of couples with longevity, which I shall never have. You have captured the essence of real love, which is shared experience and tolerance. Bravo. But the Libra in me hates to vote.
Comment from Trifecta
Time: February 13, 2012, 4:00 am
Thanks so much for linking up this weekend. Remember, this weekend’s entries are being judged by the Trifecta community so make sure you visit the site to register your vote! Hope you can join us for Monday’s prompt!
Comment from MOV
Time: February 11, 2012, 3:00 pm
LOVE this! so sweet. especially the part about her gibberish in the crossword. nicely crafted.
best,
MOV