That's Love

That’s Love
Philadelphia, PA
1990

“That’s love.  He’s in love. What do you expect”, said my father, whose once black hair was now all white.  His bride of 40 years listened on as he explained why his youngest son was not home for dinner. The boy, age 20 had just begun to experience the joys of being in love.

“He’s in love.  Did you ever see the Jacques Cousteau show about the mating seals in Alaska?  They climb over all sorts of terrain to get to their mates. That’s love.  You brother is in love.  I remember when your mother and I were first dating.  We’d stay up all night until 6:00 in the morning.  Then we’d go to church together.  I’d go home and get to bed and wouldn’t get up until 5:00 in the afternoon. The first meal of the day would be dinner”.

He ascends the steps and the stops to look at this watch. “Look at me now.  Now it’s an effort to stay up beyond the 7:00 news”.  He continues to climb the steps while his bride stays in the living room, working intently on her needlepoint.