You're lying on the couch, listening to the Cubs game together. During the commercial, she starts telling you about a PBS special about fireworks, and how Boston has the whole Boston Philharmonic play The War of 1812 live during the 4th of July fireworks show. While she's talking, the game comes back on and your attention is suddenly torn. You try to focus on her, but you can't fully shut out the game, though you are succedding in blocking most of it. You faintly hear that your favorite Cub is up to bat (Aramis Ramirez in my case), and a short while later, you hear the Cubs announcer get real excited. You think it's a homerun, but you can't quite hear because your wife is still talking. You feel really bad about it, but you're also really excited and want to hear the homerun call if it goes out...
...so you lift the hand you have wrapped around her shoulders and cover her mouth with it so you can hear the call.
So how do you know you have a good one? By her reaction of course. Does she elbow you in the ribs? Does she bite your fingers? Make you sleep on the couch? Maybe she cries?
No, no. You know you have a good one when she is completely understanding, harbors not a smidge of a grudge, and even calls you a "good husband" because you tried to listen to her for so long before covering her mouth.
That, my friends, is how you know you struck gold.
By the way, yes it was a home run, and the Cubs went on to win!
My husband would add something about his wife waking him just before Randy Johnson pitched the 4K strikeout last night so he could see it.
Next question, then, is how does she know she has a good husband? :)
Christina: frankly, I don't know. I must admit to feeling piggish about the ordeal, and so her praise for my patience and tolerance caught me off guard.
re: the baseball -- yeah, yeah. But I saw that PBS special too and I thought it was very interesting!
ah - but the way of perfection runs through the remote's off switch.
seriously, cultivate the habit of dropping instantly whatever you're doing to listen to your beloved.
sorry - one handed typing with the baby.