You mean we won’t be having sex?

I have been blessed with a wonderful boyfriend.  He loves me to no end and would do anything for me.  He is devoted to me.  But I ask myself, “Am I capable of being devoted?”  I do believe in God and the mystery of his ways.  My boyfriend’s accident is proof of that.

 

The day after we settled in from our trip to Shenandoah Valley, Bob, my boyfriend, had a flood in his laundry room.  In his rush to mop up the floor, he slipped and fell backwards breaking 3, maybe more, ribs on the uncarpeted staircase.  He is in awful pain.

 

I did not know about the accident until the next day when he told me.  He said he didn’t want to worry me.   However, the pain was intolerable.  I asked him if he called the doctor, and he said, “No, what for?” (agh!  Men!  So stubborn!).

 

I drove over and saw how he looked and took over.  Into the car he hobbled, and off to the emergency room I flew.  We waited 5 hours: four waiting to be seen and one being examined.  If it was a true emergency where blood and guts was pouring out I am sure he would have been seen sooner (I pray); however, the 35 other “emergencies” that came before us were in the same shape as Bob – in pain, but not life threatening pain – so we waited.

 

X-rays were taken and the result of the damage disclosed.  Bob was given a prescription for pain medication and was told he could do anything he could tolerate (at that point I yelled, “Yes! We will have sex tonight!).

 

The word, tolerate, had a different connotation for Bob.  It meant he could sit, he could walk, and he could stand.  That’s it!  Nothing more!  Poor baby. 

 

“I guess this means no sex tonight,” I said laughingly.

 

Bob tried to laugh, but it hurt.  So he gave me one of those looks that can be interpreted differently depending on the receiver.  And I whimpered.

 

So here we are.  Vacation over and reality returns.  For the time being I lost my golfing partner, hiking partner, and lover.  This is where the test of devotion plays out.  It’s an easy test for me.  It is a “no-brainer” as they say, for I am devoted.  I know this because I can feel it in my bones.   Don’t get me wrong, though.  I am sad, somewhat depressed, because, selfishly, I will have a summer of caretaking instead of frolicking, and that's not fun.  But it is worth it, I feel, as Bob is the man of my dreams. 

 

Sometimes dreams can become nightmares, but only sometimes, and for short periods. After all, if the situation was reversed I know his devotion would hold true.