Previously on the Eudaimonia Movement (one of these days I’ll tell you more about why that’s the name of this thing), I shared that my partner is the fun one and on our last trip, I tried to be more Chuck-like. Unbeknownst to me, he was flexing his planning muscles on a top secret mission. Planning and coordinating projects is my thing. That’s not to say he’s not good at it. It’s just that for all the years we’ve been together, we definitely have played to our strengths, which has contributed to a happy marriage. I make the plan, Chuck makes it fun. Everyone wins.
I’ve always wanted to be a private detective. James Rockford, Magnum P.I., Columbo and Jessica Fletcher are some of my heroes. Like them, I have the knack of seeing beyond the veil. Piecing clues together to solve the mysteries of every day life. Not unlike Aragorn, the Ranger from the North, I can put my ear to the ground and sense what came to pass before I arrived on the scene. My entire family knows this about me and they’ve expressed how difficult it is to keep anything from me. Which is why I’m shocked that Chuck was able to pull off a huge surprise party for me on Saturday. I must be slipping in my old age.
After 16 years, he has learned to use my skills against me, but for good, not evil. He told me he was planning something, which made me relax and turn off my spidey-senses. I wanted to be surprised. Like Lord Leto II in God Emperor of Dune, I have grown bored with always knowing what is going to happen and how life will unfold. In a world that is so structured and planned, such as mine, novelty brings a sense of joy that cannot be explained. I felt that extreme joy on Saturday. Thank you for that, Chuck.
This was not an intimate get together that Chuck planned. It was a full on party. It was amazing. He planned it all. And he made it happen, with the help of our amazing friends and family. And it’s not that it was just a party. It was a celebration of our relationship’s sweet sixteen. Awwwwww ca-uuuuuute! And it was at the same place we got married. The Poznanski Estate.
Here’s how it happened…
Chuck left the house at 9 am on his secret mission. I thought, “Cute, he’s going to go get me some donuts.” He came back at 10:30 am with donuts. Suspicion confirmed. But then Henry left with him and took his guitar and amp. “What the hell are they doing with that,” I wondered? They were gone for about an hour as I wandered around the house, aimlessly. Ev told me I could shower, but not eat. I did that and then Ev reported that dad would be gone for about another hour and I could have a snack. At this point I was sure he was just planning some cool meal and I thought perhaps he and Henry had made a video and Chuck was editing it. You can turn in your phony detective license now, Jess.
About an hour later, Henry bursts through the front door and said he walked home. I assumed from downtown. His big ol’ shit-eating grin told me something big was up. He pushed me to the dining room, telling me not to look out the window. It was too late. I saw my sister Sarah, her husband Connor and mom walking up the drive. These fuckers flew in from Virginia and kept it from me!?! What’s that you say? You slept in the house next door last night? Flabbergasted, I dole out big hugs and then we start to debrief on how they kept the secret. Thinking this was the surprise, I was relaxed and happy.
But Chuck was still missing. That just confirmed my belief that he was planning a meal, which is part true. Soon, Sarah tells me she’s going to have to blindfold me and take me somewhere. We all get in the car to head out. And because I know my way around Niles like the back of my hand (I got lost once when I was a kid and vowed never to let that happen again. A traumatic story for another time perhaps.), it was easy to tell where we were going — not to mention the fact that my sweet mother loves to read signs aloud along the way. “Oh, Post Office Apartments.” she said. We all laugh hysterically. The wheels are falling off the surprise plan bus. But like I said, I wanted to be surprised, so I try to quiet my P.I. senses. But I can’t. Those train tracks. We just passed the Amtrak station. Right turn? We’re on Lake. Are we going to mom’s? Nope, still moving. I relax again. Now I have no idea why we would be heading this way on Lake street. Lost in the moment. Enjoying it all. Finally, I feel the familiar v-shaped turn. We’re on Almaugus, turning onto Ivy. There’s the curve, now we’re on Bame Avenue. We’re going to dad’s house. Holy shit?! Did Chuck plan a second wedding for us. All by himself? Still blindfolded, but not needing my sight anyway, I sit in the car. Connor walks up, “That’s a lot of people!” he exclaims. We all laugh again. So much for the big reveal. I don’t care. I cry tears of pure bliss. I already feel so much love.
Getting out of the car, I walk out to the field to see so many of our beautiful friends and family. All gathered to celebrate our love. It doesn’t get much better than this folks. Except Chuck’s not there. He’s getting tacos. I make a joke, “So is this an elaborate way for him to tell me we’re getting divorced? Sorry, Jess, it’s been great, but I’m out. Enjoy some tacos with your friends.” Everyone laughs.
Chuck finally arrives with the tacos. He coordinated all of this. Tacos, tents, a donut board, the booze wagon and all of these people to be here. The surprise definitely made it more special. I know what it takes to coordinate all those details. It’s not his strong suit. But he did it for me. For us. Oh yeah, and my dad and my son jammed together for the first time. Beautiful. Chuck set the bar really high this year. I asked him, “What can you possibly do next year to top this.” He says, “It’s your turn next year.”
I’ve already got it planned. Stay tuned for details.