Philip Dampier's Blog

Episode 2

After a month Arvie knew she was not only sexy but extremely smart. Her major was in biochemistry, and she was on the Dean’s List. She happily took the lead role in their relationship, and he felt powerless to intervene even if he wanted to, but he didn’t want to at the time.

Little by little she took control of their interactions. Arvie didn’t think anything about her choosing the restaurants, or suggesting the movies they attended. She began to suggest what he should wear when they went out, and he happily agreed. Arvie wanted to please her, and he never thought about the fact that the relationship had shifted from his control to hers. He was snowed, completely. He was ten feet under without a shovel and didn’t realize it.

Before he knew what had happened, he had proposed, and a date had been set, and a wedding was planned.

“Arvie, you need to close this apartment up. There is no way I would live here,” she said with a shake of her head as she left him for the evening

She found a new place that suited her better, and he severed his lease and made arrangements to move. It was then the first bombshell fell.

“Don’t you just love the new apartment?” Wanda asked.

“Yes, it’s very nice, much roomier than my old one. I think I will go ahead and move my things in so I can get the old apartment cleaned up.”

“Good idea.”

“I think Scratch will adjust to the new dwellings very well.”

“Arvie, you’re not bringing that cat to the new apartment.”

“What?”

“I said, you aren’t bringing Scratch to our new apartment. I don’t like cats.”

“You never mentioned this to me before. I’ve had Scratch for four years now. He’s like part of my family.”

“Well, you’re getting a new family, Arvie. A family without a smelly, hair producing animal. I am not having that cat in my house.”

Arvie just stood there. He was dumbfounded and felt like he had been blindsided by an NFL defensive end.

Wanda moved closer to him, putting her arms around his shoulders and her lips next to his ear. He could smell the intoxicating fumes of her perfume that had become a part of her body, and person.

“Don’t fret, Arvie, I’ll make you forget Scratch. Believe me, I’m all the cat you’re ever going to need.”

The wedding went exactly as Wanda planned it. They spent five days in Mexico on their honeymoon before taking joint possession of the apartment. The apartment was now completely furnished, the décor and furnishings all of Wanda’s choosing. Arvie had found Scratch a good home, but in the back of his mind, a small coal of resentment was warming. Things went along well for about a week. That was when Arvie decided to take the garbage out.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Wanda asked.

Arvie just looked at her, kitchen garbage bag in his left hand, right hand holding onto the doorknob.

“I’m taking this smelly garbage out to the dumpster.”

“Put it back!”

“Why? It smells, and I need to stretch my legs.”

“Put it back and don’t touch it again. I’ll take it out when I’m ready for it to go out. This is my house. Nothing goes out, and nothing comes in unless I say so. Do you understand me?”

Arvie just stood there, unable to speak. The cat coal warming in the back of his mind gained a degree or two of heat. He walked back to the kitchen and put the garbage bag back in the container. Without speaking, he walked out of the room and into the den and turned on the TV. This was the first time he acknowledged to himself that his new wife was more than smart and sexy. He wasn’t sure what she was. She came into the room and took a chair opposite him, holding a large wine glass in her hand.

“Wanda, how many glasses of wine is that?

“Are you counting?”

“Someone needs too.”

“I can handle my wine and how many glasses I drink in the evening is none of your damn business.”

Arvie looked at her. She looked back. He saw her in a different light than he had ever seen her before and it scared him. Childhood memories surfaced, and he felt the turmoil and storm they had brought to his childhood home.

“My dad drank too much. Seeing you drinking like this is disturbing. It brings back bad memories.”

“I’m not your dad, and I’m not an alcoholic, Arvie. I just like a little wine before bedtime.”

“I understand, Sweetheart, but a little grows into more and more and…”

“Shut up about it. You drink what you want, and I’ll drink what I want.”

The conversation ended. Arvie turned his attention to the TV and the news network. During the commercials, he cast a side glance her way. It seemed her glass was always full. Before they went to bed, Arvie counted at least four glasses. Arvie didn’t sleep too well that night. And, it wouldn’t be the last time that happened.