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Get yourself a stepladder lover

Valentine’s Day+

By Lisa SuhayPublished 4 years ago 3 min read
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Valentine’s Day with its flowers, chocolates and kisses that begin with the purchase of a cold piece of jewelry is going to have to step up its game if it wants to stand a chance against the imagination of an evolved 55-year-old Captain America.

I admit that for the first six months after my divorce, after 31-years of marriage and four sons, I played the field from Match to Hinge and Plenty of Fish.

Because one man refused to tell me his last name with a coy, “I’m Batman” (Thank you. Next!), I began naming all men in my contacts list as comic book characters: Batman, Riddler (for the guy who never gave straight answers) and Joker for a man who had to be kidding when he thought I’d date him after hyping his jet, white-collar rap sheet and MAGA-wear.

Then I realized that every time I met another man I compared him to the one who had always known whatever it was that Current Guy wasn’t figuring out about me. And it wasn’t my ex-husband. It was the man I left to be with him all those years ago.

I took a risk and reconnected with him via social media. Next thing you know we’re on the phone while I’m on a long walk to the Apple store to replace my damaged headphones. I explained that I kept wrecking one pair after another by snagging the cord while doing chores.

Two days later Amazon delivered AirPods to my door.

Me in Text: “Did you send AirPods?? That’s crazy. It’s expensive.” As you can see I’m out of practice at “Thank you.”

Captain America: Chuckling “I wanted to be able to whisper in your ear.”

Me: …

Me: … (As my zapped nervous system made a shaky return) Oh.

People, when someone can do that to you in one sentence from three states away after 31 years absence by converting a piece of tech to erotica, Hallmark holidays are dead in the water. All of Apple needed a cold shower just by osmosis.

Then a few days went by and he and I were talking while I was making dinner. He heard me asking my teenage son to reach a container of salt for me. I explained that my four sons have each in his turn, gotten taller than their mama. They like to put my favorite mug or something I use all the time up out of my reach so I have to call upon them for rescue.

Me: When they’re not here I just drag a chair in from the dining room.

Captain America: Hmmm.

A few days later I walk into the hallway and spot a huge, flat box that’s nearly my height. One of the boys had taken it in and forgotten to mention it. Inside was a folding stepladder for the kitchen.

You have never felt cherished until you've had occasion to weep over a stepladder.

Me: A stepladder.

Cap: You needed one. The boys can find other ways to help you out. They can do the dishes I heard you do, or take out the trash I heard you lug to the curb on Wednesday night.

The gift wasn’t the AirPods or the ladder. The gift that made those things so utterly brilliant is that he’s listening to my life and seeking ways to make it a little bit happier.

I wanted to send something to him. Because he’s Captain America and what Cap needs most is to know he made a powerful difference. I know that what he’d like best is knowing that he’s the reason I finally sat down to write for the first time in two years. He’s the reason I’m all the way back.

His gift is so massive it made me want to share it.

Walk past what society has taught you to want and find yourself some AirPod/stepladder love. Seek out the one who hears you clearly, whispers in your ears and helps you rise to new heights with ease and grace.

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About the Creator

Lisa Suhay

Journalist, Fairy Tree Founder, Op-Ed and children’s book author who has written for the New York Times, Christian Science Monitor, NPR and The Virginian-Pilot. TEDx presenter on chess. YouTube Storytime Video playlist

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