Why We Got in a Fight About the Party

Here's why Mike and I got into a ripping big fight before the party last Friday. He said he'd be home at 6, so I had a sitter coming at 6:30 figuring that we'd be at the party before 7. (It was kind of a baby showery thing and was supposed to go from 6 until 9).

The babysitter arrived on schedule but there was no sign of Mike. So I called him. And called and called and called. But he never picked up the phone. So I called my friend Julie to see if she could give me a ride to the party. She was already there....

Not knowing whether Mike was on the way home or stuck at work at a meeting, I called a cab. I figured he could meet me there and we could drive home together. (Oh, I forgot to mention that it is impossible to park in this neighborhood....)

So wouldn't you know it that Mike called right after I'd booked the cab. He had just started home (it was 6:45). When I told him that I didn't believe there was anyone so important in the world that they wouldn't understand that you had to duck out of a meeting for five minutes to call your wife to tell her to go ahead and leave and not wait. I could have BEEN at the party by then!

"It's just a party," he said. No, not just a party. A lifeline. When you've been at home with the kids all week and spent a lot of time picking up toys, and picking up toys, and picking up toys without an adult to talk to.... party is life. He may be working hard, but all those lunches, dinners, even GOLFING... I have to believe there's some interesting adult conversation happening at least part of the time. Enough, at least, that you forget your wife is waiting at home....