My Chats with Deb—Morning Talks
A muffin is not a locomotive (but you probably already knew that)
Years ago, on a work day morning when we still worked, I am packing muffins into our lunches while Deb preps her coffee to take to work. The song “Loco-motion” is playing on the radio. The batch of muffins from the night before, alas, did not come out as well as I usually prefer.
Some did not make it out of the muffin tin in one piece. I warn Deb that she is getting one of the ones that came apart while I take another crumbly one, and she mumbles acknowledgement. On the radio, Little Eva sings, “…easier than learning your ABCs…”
ME: But they both have songs.
DEB: What?
ME: One has the ABC song, one has the Locomotion song.
DEB: What?!
ME: Both help you learn.
DEB: The muffins?
ME: The songs.
DEB: (with the look of someone who is having to devote way too many brain cells to something way too early in the morning) What?!
ME: The alphabet has a song. The dance has a song. They both help you learn.
DEB: What does that have to do with muffins?
ME: (yep, too early in the morning, for both of us) What?
DEB: You talked about two muffins.
ME: (catching up) Yes. (pause) Different thing.
We do better at night. Usually.
Chats with Deb—Cracking the Couple Code
Normal weekday evening. I’m working on supper. Deb has been looking through mail, preparing various things. No conversation to speak of, until:
Still not too bad overall, though.
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My Chats with Deb is a series of conversations between me (Jack) and my wife, Deb. Some people find them humorous, but they’re just life, is all, and sometimes life is funny. Since 2015 l have been posting things I have written—short stories, comments on life, personal experiences, conversations with my wife, poetry—on Medium. I am using Substack as a platform for updating and expanding my conversations with my wife. Subscriptions are free, and will stay that way.
If you enjoy “My Chats with Deb” then you might also enjoy my book Intersections: Stories, Chats, Truths, and Verses. It’s a collection of some of my short fiction, conversations with my wife, creative nonfiction, and poetry. Available in print (hardcover and soft) and Kindle on Amazon and electronically on Apple Books.
