Romantic Means No Anniversary Presents

Today is my wife’s and my 17th wedding anniversary. We dated about 8 years so we’ve been together a quarter century now. Long time. I’ve long disliked artificial gift-giving obligations like Secretary’s Day, Christmas, birthdays, and so on–especially nowadays when we all just buy ourselves what we want during the year anyway. My wife works hard and has less time for fretting about all such things than most people. I remember about 14 years ago, when we lived in Philly, on our anniversary I gave my wife a Happy Anniversary Card. She sheepishly looked up–she’d forgotten to get me anything… so she just handed the card back to me–regifted it in front of my eyes. I thought it was sweet.

Since then we’ve managed to unshackle ourselves from some of these obligations. Not all, but some. I’ve long despised the stupid pre-written Hallmark type cards–so stupid. When I do have to buy a card, I prefer to buy a blank one with a picture or painting on the cover, and write my own damn note.

Anyway, this morning, I had a nurse come by the hizzy at 7 am for a physical for a life insurance policy. So I was sitting at the kitchen table, giving blood, etc., answering questions from this cute little nursey. Cindy emerges from the bedroom, on the hunt for coffee. I said, “Good morning.” Then, as I was looking at the insurance paperwork, I saw the date, and remembered, so said, “Oh, Happy Anniversary.” She says, “Happy Anniversary,” and comes over and gives me a kiss. Then I said, “I didn’t get you anything.” Cindy said, “I didn’t get you anything either. Would you like me to fix you a coffee?” I said, “As soon as I give the urine sample and finish giving blood, yes.”

The coolest thing about this–aside from not having to bother getting cards or gifts–is that it drives my male friends with normal, high-maintenance wives, crazy. They just shake their heads in jealousy.

Update: From a Facebook post today: 

So this is pathetic. Cindy and I both totally forgot it was our anniversary. We have never been that sentimental about this artifical stuff anyway, and anyway count our time together (more like 29 years) instead of the “wedding date” anyway. but we both totally forgot. I check into FB this morning and it reminds me of this and I’m like…. oh no. CAlled wife at work, fearing that she left angry since I had said nothing, but she had forgotten too. She said she is several pounds bigger than on the wedding date, so I have profited b/c now there is more woman to love. haha