Honeymoon in Springfield - the early years

I am sore. I am exhausted. I had the most incredible weekend I've had in a LONG time!

Let's flash back a couple of weeks and start there. The wife and I are planning a trip to Kansas City to see my folks. We've been meaning to get up there for a while but other obligations have kept us close to home - or far from home in the case of the Detroit trip that I still need to tell you about.

At any rate, we had planned to make our semi-regular trek up I-35 the weekend of September 13th. While cruising the web one day during the first week of September, however, Shelly discovers that Rick Springfield will be in concert at the Verizon (formerly Sandstone) amphitheater in Bonner Springs on October 20. Our journey is postponed.

Fast forward a week. "Have you bought tickets to the concert yet?" I ask.
"No. Not yet. I know how much they cost, though."
"How bad?"
"Very reasonable, actually. $10, $20 or $30, depending on where you want to sit."
"Cool"
[Disclaimer: These may not be the actual conversations but you get the gist of it.]

Fast forward to the weekend of the 13th. "Have you bought tickets to the concert yet?" I ask.
"No. Not yet."
"Any particular reason why not?"
"I'm not sure I want to go." (at this point I'm thinking she's a few guitar picks short.)
"What do you mean you don't want to go? You love Rick Springfield concerts."
"I don't know if I want to spend the money - or how much if I do."
"Okay."

Fast forward a few days (life goes by so fast, doesn't it?) "Have you bought tickets to the concert yet?" I ask.
"Why don't you buy the tickets if it's so important to you?"
"Because I don't know where you were planning to go to get the tickets. I thought you were going to handle it."
"Ticketmaster.com"

Now... if you think you're observing a fundamental difference in the way men and women communicate, you ain't seen nothin' yet.

Fast forward (oy, I'm getting dizzy) to Thursday evening, the 18th. On our way home, she asks, "Are we still going to your parents' house this weekend?"

If you've been following along, guys, you know I've already established this... and those of you who are married or in a long-term relationship will recognize the full reversal. Have you noticed that women will mention something once, as a suggestion, and then get upset with you because you (the collective you - the TWO of you) decided to do something and you don't remember it. They say it's because we don't pay attention and we're insensitive but we know the real score. Besides, what do you expect when you talk to us in the middle of WWE/WWF/The ball game/Star Trek?

I digress. My response is, "Yes. I figured we'd leave Friday night, like we were planning to last weekend."
"You want to leave on Friday?"
"Yes. Like you said about last weekend, that gives us all day Saturday to do what we want in KC."
"You know the Renaissance Festival is still going on, right?"
"Yeah. Maybe we can go for a while before the concert. The festival and the amphitheater share a parking lot, don't they?"
"I think they do, yes." (here it comes, guys) "So, does that mean we're going to Kansas City this weekend?"

I'm stunned. I can't believe she just asked me that. Was she not right there in the truck with me? As calmly and clearly as possible, I repeat myself, enunciating my words carefully, "Yes. I figured we'd leave Friday night, like we were planning to last weekend."

Now I KNOW she's a few guitar picks short...

Stay tuned for details of a surprise weekend event and details of the concert (and the concert tickets).

Anything free is worth what you pay for it.
Uncle Bubby

p.s. Shelly, I love you. Please forgive me for grabbing a laugh at your expense.