More images, humor, and commentary from my “Stickman” series, dedicated to the story of us both before and after we got married. And now we have a child!
In this installment (and sorry, the images are hopelessly out of order since the publication of the first installment “I Love My Wife“,) I will present more cartoon images from my “Stickmen” series; the image-blog creation intended to record and honor the significant events from our lives.
To help make up for the slightly lossy-format .jpg images, I will include a few images at their normal size.
I was the poster boy of the quintessential single male night-shift worker that for all intents and purposes, had no social life whatsoever. Relying upon those rare occasions during all too short annual vacations or conventions to met, greet and socialize with members of the opposite gender, I was alone. I tried to hide it from the world, but I did feel that I was not going to ever meet anyone whom I could truly call my own.
There was this one girl that I was stalking seeing, informally… but it didn’t work out. Sometimes I felt that the world was gently mocking and chiding me.
You came into my life and saved me in ways that even now you do not even fully comprehend.
We got together. It was truly an eclectic period in my life. As I had (and necessarily shed) many pen pals and casual would-have-beens as she became closer and closer to me. Many phone chats, letters and visits later, we fell in love!
We were an item for well over a year even after we consented to marry; there were things to take care of in both our working and in our personal lives. Things that we could better take care of while still single. At least, -that is how I perceived it.
You took Driving Lessons and attained your driver’s license, which was very helpful because now you were not reliant upon the bus system to get around and me having to come to the Bus Station (90 mins. away) to pick you up (which was no problem.) Coming down to visit me in my hometown (or other reasons to travel) would now be possible for you in a rented car. We could take turns driving my car on vacations, which is what we were able to do during that trip to Colorado. That was fun!
I used to wear glasses and without them, could barely see. Knowing several people firsthand whom had undergone LASIK eye-surgery; I decided that I needed to have this too. It was very quick, very effective. I no longer need to wear glasses. I did this just before we got married, just in time to go on our honeymoon in Tulum, Mexico. In fact, while in Mexico I had to be careful about getting my head wet (shower, swimming etc.) as the LASIK procedure calls for weeks & months of ‘avoidance levels’ of certain water activities/sports due to the invasive procedure upon the cornea. -It is ’surgery’ on the eyeball after all! I was, for instance, forbidden to water-ski for six months after LASIK. Six months… oh dear!
While we had been discussing the possibility of marriage for awhile, I was very scared to finally come right out and ask you. But you know people, if you don’t take chances you can’t win prizes. So, I asked. And she said YES!
Married now, just over a year later in fact, we had been discussing the prospects of having a baby. We wanted our love to propagate into a family.
While it seemed daunting; we felt that we were ready for it. And then one evening just as we were going to bed you had some exciting news to tell me…
Parenting classes, acquiring the necessary things that a new baby needs and Maternity clothes for you, -we had lots to do. We tried to be ready, -but who can ever say that they were ‘truly ready’ to have a child?
Anyway, the baby came. Twenty-six hours overdue, but he finally came. The struggle to be born took a toll upon both momma and baby so they both had to spend a few additional days in the hospital. But the baby arrived and wow is he ever beautiful! I mean gorgeous! I suppose that all parents think and say that about their progeny so I feel vindicated to say it too. Except we really do mean it.
Our baby I soon discovered had unique cries for what he needed. While one cry could mean a plethora of desires and needs not being proffered, fulfilled or attended to. The other cry was oh-so easy to distinguish and provide for!
Many sleepless nights followed of course, -my wife could attest to that. I was working night shift and missed a lot of this, but I could see (and be told!) all about it. Looking back though, -it was worth it.
My wife endured many hours-long breast-feeding sessions and while it was no doubt tiring, it was a good thing. Eventually though it became apparent that we needed to switch to ‘the bottle’, and solid foods. It all happened so fast!
Just over five years now and still going strong, we sometimes make little changes in our appearance to please each other and ourselves. A recent change in your hairstyle doused the fires of romance and sexuality with gasoline, -I mean WOW! You were hot even before but this was amazing!
Then you talked me into changing MY hairstyle a little bit. I was due for a change too I suppose. That ‘naturally curly hair’ of mine was not so natural. I had been getting permed since right after high school and in recent years it had been a program of merely keeping up appearances. -I didn’t want to change my look. Self-conscious at that time of the scars on the back of my head where I had undergone brain surgery when I was four years old, the curly hair did a good job concealing this. Now, I don’t care if anyone sees this. I am rather proud of it now, in fact.
My hair is now straight and shorter, and I let her dye it a darker color. Almost black, in fact. I like it, think I’ll go with that for a while. Maybe even for a long while. It does make me look younger. She says that it is sexier. -And when we are being intimate and she gets on me like white-on-rice, -OMG YUM!
My hair is a lot easier to care for now too, and little did I know that you may have been remaking me into something you secretly found attractive. -An actor whom at the time was being featured on a mini-series running on TV. Hey I don’t care. It’s all good. -Whatever turns you on I suppose, I just want to be near you when it happens, –okay?
While we had ‘the talk’ long before we were married, we continue to ‘fill in the details’ of significant import on things, events and partners we’d each had in the past. There are a lot of issues going on in this next cartoon, -far more than the average reader can discern. Those are our little secrets though. Enough said here…
I find it enlightening, heart-warming, -even a bit arousing to share such secrets between us. Unnerving at times but it only builds the sexual tension to share such intimate details. I am still awed that, to put it quite simply, “I WON!” I won HER!
Naming names, dates and places, we share it all baby!
Day-care would cost as much as I was making in my mundane job, so we elected that I would stay at home and be the day-care provider for our child. Walks, naps, feedings, -these are my domain.
I would do cooking, cleaning, laundry, grocery shopping during the week, repairs, dealing with issues like household pests, -these past few years have gone by so fast. I learn a lot from my child and am amazed at some of his abilities (like being able to see a bag of his favorite candy that is clearly concealed from his point of view!)
I make sure that our baby gets a good, healthy breakfast every morning. We try to include several vegetables in every meal. Some of his favorite foods are broccoli, roast chicken, sweet potato and believe it or not, he even eats fried liver with me. LIVER!! Right out of the frying-pan! Several pieces, one right after the other! That’s my boy!
It’s all about the baby. Fuel him up for another busy day and stand back!
Our child loves coins. Give him one or two and he carries it all day long. At the store, instead of begging for candy, he mostly begs (well, asks oh-so sweetly!) for a coin and we usually comply. We call this ‘paying the baby’. And our child love storm drains. Walks with the baby almost always include ‘making the drain circuit’ as we call it. A series of stops whereby he MUST stoop and drop a pebble or two into EVERY drain to see the water splash…
He is fascinated with water going down a hole. He loves to flush the toilet. He even has a cute name for ceiling vents, -he calls them ‘air drains’. Okay sure, he’s going to maybe be a plumber, or ventilation expert. -Just until that whole doctorology thing takes off, of course! He will maybe be the Chief of Complicated Surgery at the biggest, most prestigious hospital in North America, a hospital bearing his name I might add. Or, maybe a pianist? He likes to bang away at the musical keyboard too. -It’s all possible.
Just like the end of every day when our child flies up into momma’s arms when she comes home from work, we just keep flying higher, getting better at this whole loving family thing. We honor and respect each other and our love continues to grow.
In the first article “I Love My Wife”, you saw how we might might spend eternity, flying away together into space, together. But look at what we are building now, that which we leave behind for awhile:
And we (my wife and I) will still be together.
Awww thanks Lisa! 
Be sure to check out PART I of this. I actually have enough ‘unpublished’ cartoons still to do a THIRD installment, -if there is any interest..
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