Full of Surprises

Sitting at the kitchen table with a steaming cup of coffee and the newspaper is one of my favorite ways to spend a Sunday morning. My husband and I like to share the stories that catch our attention and just chat in general all in the comfy, flannel warmth of our PJ's. MJ is my best friend and I feel I know him better than anyone. Sometimes, though, he surprises me. Looking through the sales papers this weekend he looked up at me and said, "I think I would like to make myself a belt."

I waited for the punchline. When it didn't come, I asked, "Like, out of leather?" I knew he needed a belt and that is why I had bought him two hidden in bags upstairs with other Christmas gifts. But maybe he wanted to be crafty and hey, leather-working may be interesting...

"No, not out of leather," MJ said, grinning, "Out of chain."

"Like a braided leather?" I asked, still not getting it.

"No, like a silver chain. I could use a D-ring to bring it all together." He sat back in his chair with a look that could only be described, by me, as confident lunacy.

Wanting to not stifle my husbands creativity or bruise his ego, I asked, "Do you think that would go with your khakis and polos?"

MJ sat for a moment and a light bulb all but appeared over his head, "I could wear it with jeans."

In my mind I saw MJ and our two boys, who want to emulate him in every way, hiking up jeans being drug down by heavy metal chains and D-rings. I gathered the paper and my coffee and started for the sofa. Behind me MJ called out, "Hey, where are you going? What do you think?"

"I think," I said, "I'm going to pretend this conversation never happened."