Real-Life Conversations

Micah and I sit down for dinner last night and are discussing our day. He digs into his pocket and pulls out a yellow Mountain Dew cap, throwing it onto the table, then raises an eyebrow at me as though daring me to ask for the story.

I know about his little “win a free song from I-Tunes when you buy a Mountain Dew” habit (thanks so much, zalm), so I knew there had to be some other element to the story of the little yellow cap laid before us.

I smile and he begins. “My love for music and my extreme parsimony brought me to new lows today.”

“Oh, God, what did you do?” I already know the story where he pilfers the winning bottle cap from the brick-laying, Spanish-speaking worker at the church site. (“He left it there. He wasn’t going to use it.”)

“Well, I had already bought a Mountain Dew today and won. So I was really happy. But then I went into the Port-a-Potty and there was another cap, winking up at me.”

“Wait, wait, wait. Are you saying the cap was on the floor, or in the…stuff?”

“Yeah, it was floating.”

Reminder: we are eating. I put my elbows on the table, and rest my face in my hands. I finish chewing, trying to concentrate on bunnies running through green meadows, instead of the instant smell that comes to my nose’s memory: putrid, fecund, port-a-potty essence. I see Micah’s beautiful, perfect hand reaching down into the blue nastiness to snatch up a now-green cap. I eye warily the yellow cap sitting on the table.

“Was that cap in poop earlier today?!?!? Why is it on the table?”

“Wait! I’m not done! I thought about trying to find some kind of stick or claw to gather it up out of the…stuff. But then I realize! I can see the code from where it is if I stoop down close enough! And I have a carpenter’s pencil in my pocket! So I whip out the pencil and grab an empty toilet paper roll and write down the code. I just hope it’s correct. If I mistakenly wrote down a “c” when it was an “o”, I’m going to be pissed!”

My hands fall and my head drops to the table, standard position for when I am overcome. Relief washes over me as I realize that he did not dig through poop today for a free song.

“So, what song are you going to “buy”, for this little adventure you’ve put yourself through?”

“That’s a good question. I’m not sure yet.”

Yes, he’s frugal. And yet, and yet…we wouldn’t be living in this house if not for this little trait of his. Nor would I be listening to half the good music that I do if not for his love of good music. Oh, Micah, Micah, you always make me laugh.

Comments

[Brandon]

Oh, Micah. We must meet, and when we do...our respective wives will understand the true meaning of stress.

[zalm]

wow. you just plain shouldn't be allowed to make me laugh that loud at work.

what does it say about me that i seriously can't tell you whether or not i would have reached in to fish out the cap, and yet i won't even think about buying a pepsi or a diet mountain dew for the free song? for that matter, what does that say about pepsi?

this one is going to keep me smiling to myself all day. thanks.

[clark]

okay that's really gross... altho I'm sure I've done much worse.

here's a better way I found to grab 33 itunes for free -
just test drive an audi. woo hoo!