Did you look in the Freezer?

I've been watching my husband for a while slip his gears a little like a tranny that needs to be rebuilt.   We were at the restaurant last night and suddenly handling a credit card and paying a check was a bit too complicated for him.  I remember the smooth way he used to pay the check.  No thought to it.   Hand the card out, calculate the tip, and slip the card back in the wallet and never stopping the conversation or looking down at it for more than a second.  Not last night.   First he looks at the check, then he reads it carefully. then he fishes for the card.  and on the second try picks it out of his wallet.  He stops to calculate the tip, his mouth moving with concentration and looks to me to see if I agree.  Then he loses the credit card.  It was there one second and gone from his hands like a magician palmed it.  Impressive, but he wasn't in on the trick.   He had pushed it out of view in the check holder pocket, while picking up the receipts.   We shake our heads and laugh together as he fumbles with older fingers trying to coax it out of hiding.  

We used to finish each other's sentences.   Now we both get lost and have to go back and pick up the conversation.   We don't remember names of shows we used to enjoy.   We can't remember song lyrics like we used to.  When we look through photo albums, he asks me. "who is that? I don't remember this one."  Sometimes I do and sometimes I don't either. 

He went outside to close up all the car windows from the downpour.  I got out this am and there is a window all the way down.  He looks at it,  I look at it.  We look at each other, and I give him a big hug in the driveway.   We snuggle for a while in the soft falling rain.  We were young once and rain was our favorite time together.  

Going to leave for work is a flurry of 'where are my keys'  Again with the keys?  Twice in as many days?  Last time they were in the glove compartment of the car.   I don't get up.  I'm comfortable.  My sore legs are up on an ottoman.  Okay second time through the house, if I don't help, he will lose more things looking for them.  Up I go.  Under his pillow? No.  In the medicine cabinet?  No.  Let's see,  this room is done,  Off to the kitchen to look in cabinets. 

He comes down the hall, presses them into my hands and smiles.  They are ice cold.   He also has two huge Ice Cream pops in hand.  We sit down and eat together.   

"Freezer?"     Yup.    It's not the first time the keys have ended up in the fridge.   And these ice cream pops are great 


I love him dearly and things will need to be a lot more simple before much longer.  He's done with intricate complicated things.   But he is perfect.