(driving home from work)

J: I love you, sweetie.
M: Aww . . . . I love you, too. Where did that come from?
J: I just got the feeling your day was extra-tough and decided to send you some love.
M: That is sweet, and appreciated.

(I bask for a moment and enjoy the love. Mellow good feeling time.)

J: You are not like other girls.
M: Um, no.
J: I mean . . . candy and chocolate just doesn’t cut it. . . . Flowers, sometimes.
M: Flowers, often. But yes. It is hard to cheer me up sometimes.

(moment of silence)

M: I’m sort of an odd duck that way.
J: That’s just it, you’re not a duck at all. It’s one of the great things about you.
*beat*
J: You’re a swan.
M: Well, that’s lovely. (I’m thinking about swans now.)
J: Oh yeah. Swans are beautiful, graceful, lovely . . . .

We say together: “And vicious, vicious, beasts!”

*laughter*

J: I’m so glad you found that funny.