Adversity
Sheila woke up Duke with a kiss and said, “Rise and or Shine Starlight, it’s our Annual Adversity.”
A sleepy Duke responded “I think you mean anniversary, but of what?”
“Getting married, you goof.”
“We’re married? Where was I when this happened, and why don’t I know about it?”
“I understand why you are confused. I didn’t know either, until Deuce reminded me.”
“How did your car know, and we didn’t.”
“As Deuce explained it to me, we were having a great time consuming some medicinal organics on this day years ago, and decided on a whim to get married. Deuce drove us to a justice of the peace and we did the deed. We didn’t remember what we had done, but Deuce was clear-headed about the whole thing. Don’t know why he just told me today, and so far he hasn’t told us the year.”
“So all this time we never had children was because we thought that we weren’t committed and might drift apart?”
“That and we were too involved in our own interests. Any regrets?”
“This is a lot to process, but I can’t say I’d be the best dad. One runt mathematician in the world is enough. How long ago did we get married?”
“He didn’t give the date, but it must have been quite a while ago. It was the Friday after an old Thanksgiving day before the holidays were rearranged.”
Duke asked “What do married couples do on anniversaries?”
“I think they might get each other cards or gifts, maybe renew vows, and take something out in their local newspaper. That’s some of the things I got off my mindphone.”
“So we’ve got the rest of the day to think about what we’re doing. Tell you what Sheila, we’ll handle it. We can each do our thing, ready, set, go. Meet you back here in say eight hours.”
Duke rushed off in Carl and shortly thereafter, Sheila took off in her car Josie. Deuce was left behind to wonder what was going on.
Sheila came back much faster than Duke, but Duke barely made in back in the eight hours. Duke told Sheila “You go first.”
Sheila gave Duke a box of scented soaps and a big card picturing the two of them smiling. On the inside the card said “Now you can keep cleaning up so well” with a hand drawn picture of a soapy Duke which somewhat improved on reality.
Duke presented Sheila with a new recorder to replace her old one and a card that said “Now we can continue to make beautiful music as long as I just listen.”
The happy couple only had a few warm minutes to treasure their presents and relationship before a loud “Wedding March” intruded on their warmth.
Outside of their house the three cars were playing the music. Carl had a big top hat on his roof and Josie had a similarly placed wedding bouquet. Deuce had one of each. Carl spoke for the cars “Deuce told us about your anniversary, so we wanted to be a part of the celebration. Deuce didn’t know which way to go, so he went both ways.”
The happy couple thanked the cars. Duke wondered “How could this get any better?” In answer Josie started to play some dance music. Duke and Sheila responded with weird variations on some dirty bop moves, and the cars performed some tight ballet and square dance moves.
Much later the exhausted and elated couple bid each other goodnight with the usual “Sweet dreams moonbeams and sleep tight starlight.”