The Last Ten Minutes

   Early in our marriage, we decided it was best if we NOT watch TV together.

    Let me explain. I don't really watch a lot of television. I grew up overseas and at first, we only had three channels and two of those were government owned/sponsored channels. When I was older, we got a fourth channel...promising American TV shows.

    I sat hopefully on the sofa one afternoon as Mr. Ed came on. My dad laughed and laughed at the look of utter astonishment on my face.

    Sad face inserted here...

    Then I moved to the United States. I was told that I needed to watch TV classics such as the Brady Bunch and Leave it to Beaver.  Hmmmm.... I didn't really get it at all.

     So, I read a lot of books as a child. I played outside a lot. I was on sports teams. I did not watch a lot of television.

     Roll the clock forward a few years, and my husband really liked this one TV show. It was a show about a military group who travelled in space through a ring.

     Maybe you recall this show.

     The theme seemed to be, "Earth is doomed...oh wait, unless we can do this one crazy tricky thing, and then all is saved..."

      Invariably, at about ten minutes before the end of the show, he would appear to actually be on the edge of his chair with suspense.

      One evening, I really wanted to be doing something else. I asked him a question and he responded with, "We can talk about that in a few minutes... I gotta see how this turns out."

      I wasn't playing the role of the patient wife that evening, so I said, "Seriously? It's the middle of the season and after the commercial break, they are going to reveal some wild cockamaimee idea to save the planet and then in four minutes everyone will be hugging and high fiving, leaving two minutes for them to recap their greatness. If the Earth were to be destroyed, what would you watch next week?"

     He looked at me as if I had spoken the unspeakable.

     He turned the TV off and pouted.

     I don't think we have watched TV together very many times since then.

     It's just not worth it. He now knows what I am thinking. He doesn't like to THINK when he watches TV... He likes to follow the story.

      I can watch a TV show occasionally, but once I figure out their "style", I no longer enjoy it.

      It just is that way.

      Our conversations this week have gone this same direction. I desperately want to know if there is going to be some wild cockamaimee plan to save his life. I want to know that when the last ten minutes is up, I will know that there is more next week. 

       He is okay with following along. He is okay with whatever happens next.

      I am at the edge of my seat. I am waking up in the middle of the night to check his pulse. I am having nightmares...

      I know that no matter what, this will ease up.  In the mean time...I feel like it is the last ten minutes of a show and I don't know if one of the main characters is going to fall down a mine shaft or be airlifted to the top of the mountain.

      I have let go and held on... I don't know what else to do.

     Tonight we are watching TV together. We found a good comedy show we both are able to enjoy....