February 6, 2013: All the Single Ladies

A kiss from Garrett, but, alas...no ring

Beyonce did a great job belting out her tunes as our Superbowl halftime entertainment. "You go, Beyonce," I thought as she did her stuff in front of millions. The song, "All the Single Ladies" immediately had me singing and ready to jump on the stage as one of her entourage. This is my song!

I love to give Garrett a hard time; kind of my favorite past time. Although he is quick-witted in his revenge, he can never trump me on the fun I have as a result of the lack of ring on my finger. After three plus years of dating, the favorite question posed to us is "When are you two getting married?" 

As the male, this question is always directed at him. The world believes the proposal of marriage is ultimately the male responsibility. So the burden and never-ending question rests on him. And I have a lot of fun with it. His responses to deflect the question to me go nowhere. Public sentiment won't allow it.

Robbie quotes Beyonce's song by telling Garrett (often), "If you like it, then you should have put a ring on it." I smile and bat my eyes; playing a great damsel in distress. Garrett points his finger at me and Robbie just shakes her head.

Today as I talked to a receptionist at a building I frequent, I mentioned that my boyfriend would be in town and would be with me on my next visit. I answered her questions on where he lived and how long we dated. She didn't miss a beat in commenting, "He better be getting you a ring for Valentine's Day." Of course I gave her a coy look. Which was immediately followed by her promising to remind Garrett of this responsibility when she met him on Friday.  Perfect.

Garrett commented recently that many are asking him this question as of late. The frequency has picked up a bit as our years/months together grow in number. "Me too," I tell him, "and I tell them to talk to you." <cracking myself up>.

In all fairness to Garrett...550 miles apart, seven combined kids in two different residences, and multi-state income tax returns sound daunting to both of us. The reality is that the addition of a ring to my finger would be followed with the replacement question of "Your husband lives in a different state...how does that work??"

That is a question I can not deflect to Garrett. I would share in the burden of answering it (over and over and over...). Sounds exhausting. I think Garrett should just keep answering the question on why we're not married ;)