Bob’s

It had been their first date.  Burgers and fries after the movie.  A late night meal. A few more stolen moments with him. So grown-up to go out to eat at 10 p.m.  Should be home in bed, not sitting in a diner, wolfing down delicious, greasy food. This would be their future. Adventures that were theirs and theirs alone. 

He was romantic back then. Caring. Knew which milkshake to order and that she only ate fries for the ketchup.  Long after it stopped being easy and new, he would still suggest a late night run. She would usually deflect the offer as silly or wasteful or not on her diet.  He'd smile and say, "Next time." She would nod and say, "Sure."  

When she went, it was fun. In many ways it still felt like they were sneaking around behind someone's back.  At first it had been the parents, then roommates and finally children. They had brought the kids here often, but those meals didn't taste the same and were fraught with spilled drinks and whining. She didn't feel young or daring, more that she had failed them by not cooking or insisting on homework. Was she the only one that realized how many details everyday life required? 

On their tenth anniversary he'd bought this for her. "We'll always have Bob." the note had read. "You'll always be my side of fries."  Had she been effusive enough? As she remembered it she had given it a cursory look, pasted a smile on her face and said, "Thanks."  

As she looked at it now, covered in a layer of dust and looking as worn as she felt, she wished she had told him how much pleasure looking at it had given her over the years. How on tough days she would glance up at him sitting on the shelf above her desk and she would smile. She wished she hadn't always  diminished that joy, with the modifying phrase, "It's so silly," but somewhere along the way she had lost ability to just enjoy. 

He'd realized it long before she had, but yet he had continued to try.  To find that girl again and share the sparkle in her eyes. It wasn't his fault she'd stop exploring, but he believed up to the end that if he kept pushing ahead they'd find each other again.

From: Words and Pictures, Pictures and Words by Heather Cronrath and Patty Kaufman available on this website.