The other night Rob and I were at a party with some of his friends.  One of them remembered Rob had just made his stage debut in the short scene I wrote for the latest Me and Them production and asked, “So, how did the play go?  What was it about?”   Rob started talking about the experience while I remained quiet.  He beams when he talks about it and I enjoy watching him and letting him have the spotlight.  Of course, he gets details wrong, and he doesn’t articulate the themes of the play the way I would, but that’s okay.  I’m usually close enough by to jump in add my own side to the story; correct him when he says we did the play on Flatbush Ave…

The one thing I never add is the true origin of the scene.  I tell people the half-truth and I leave out the truly mushy stuff; that the scene that I wrote and performed with my husband was written as a gift to him.  I was inspired, in a way, by our wedding vows.  In them, I told Rob that one of the reasons I was marrying him was because he makes every day, ordinary things sublime.  I really believe that’s what makes a marriage worthwhile.  It’s not a romantic idyll – don’t let yourself get fooled.  Your soul-mate will never put his dishes in the dishwasher even if the sink is completely full and you will have vicious fights about it.  Your sensitive lover will not write you songs each day on his acoustic guitar but will shave in the sink and never clean it out and you will wonder, “Why am I here again?”   But if you’re like the couple in Landscape of Marriage you get something better.  You get the freedom to be yourself and be totally accepted and loved for who you are.

It was an honor sharing this with my husband.  We had the easiest time rehearsing and developing our performance together.  It was my first time doing live theater in over 10 years and having Rob by my side gave me confidence.  In fact, I will keep collaborating with my husband in different ways as I continue to write and work with Me and Them. 

And really, it gets a little lonely being the only married-over-30 in the group.  I need to keep that guy around for company at the very least!