I kind of have a little crush on my partner. Maybe it's not so little. Without Shaun in my life, I don't know how transitioning into Philadelphia would have been. It's no secret that I find the city a bit rougher and dirtier than I like my cities to be. However, Philly and I have a mutual admiration society developing between us. I mean, Hall and Oates came from Philly and who doesn't love the part of "Out of Touch" when Daryl Hall just busts out with "WOW?" Don't say "I can't go for that (no can do)." You know you shake your hips when "Private Eyes" comes on the radio in your little room. It's all right. We all do it. It's Hall and motherfuckin' Oates.
Anyway, this post wasn't supposed to be about blue-eyed soul and secrets thrust into the open. (I refuse to think of anything I like as a guilty pleasure because I won't be guilty about taking pleasure as I see fit. I won't, so there you have it. I once almost got into a fight at a Hall and Oates concert. Two years ago, true story.) This week alone has been nothing short of chaotic, and Shaun (not Hall or Oates) has been there with foot-rubs, a quickly-grabbed meal, and a listening ear whenever I've needed it. That says a lot about him, as he's been in the middle of finals for school (he's attending Temple Law on scholarship); studying for this round has been particularly brutal. Last Friday, he met me downtown after work and we went to a dimly lit Asian bistro, held hands over the table, watched the jewel-scaled fish in the tank, and sucked soy-ginger sauce from our fingers after a little snack. Our moment wasn't long enough, but it was enough to help me unwind and feel incredibly loved, which he manages to make me feel nearly every interaction we have.
Although time is a rare commodity for him, he still finds time to do endearing things. I'm about to let slip a huge confession: I have stuffed animals once again. The practice started in Arizona when Shaun sent me a little stuffed dog (we were doing the long-distance relationship dance after he moved to Philly from Arizona) to keep me company. Then, the stuffed dog had a bear as a companion. And damn straight Hello Kitty got in on the action, too. A little army of five has slowly materialised. Shaun calls them The Guys and when I come home, he often has them arranged in ridiculous situations. "I tried to keep The Guys out of your stuff, but they weren't having it," he'll say just in time to show me the stuffed animals bedecked in my clothing and accessories. Last weekend, I plotted some cookies to make and bring into work for Mother's Day. After I returned from work that night, I found the stuffed animals on the bed, holding miniature DIY picket signs.
The slogans on the signs made it even better. A few gems:
"Give us brownies or we'll have frownies!"
"Oatmeal raisin HELL!"
I was charmed and had to cover his face with baby-kisses and sit on his lap and tell him what toys I wanted for Christmas this year. How utterly delightful to have such a dorky, fun partner.
Maybe you had to be there. Trust me. I'm glad I was. I love him enough that I only bust out the Hall and Oates when he's drunk. Not "Sara Smile" either. I do it up right.
Jewel Hall-Oates (or is it Jewel Oates-Hall?)
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o2.
o3.
