The Monument

This morning I decided to try a little exercise in meditation. Thought I would just sit and try to remember something funny I experienced with Craig. First of all to see if I could (my memory has been really spotty - there are thousands knocking about in there but I can't always seem to grab onto them). Secondly to see if it would make me smile or just reduce me to tears.

First thing that came to mind?

When we got married we frequented this little restaurant in Maui that was right by our hotel. Craig was going through his coffee snobbery phase at the time and asked the waitress, a giant of a Hawaii woman, if they had cappuccinos or frappuccinos or iced latte whatsits or something.

Now, this was a tiny hole in the wall local place. Bamboo furniture, dirt floors, sketchy-looking customers. But very good food.

She was downright offended. And didn't understand what in the heck Craig was asking for. Which, to be honest, neither did I. Unlike a normal human being, who would just let it go when they said they didn't have it, Craig insisted, INSISTED they make it for him.

She stomped away and returned with an iced coffee beverage of some sort a good 40 minutes later.

I'm pretty sure she spat in it.

Craig was all proud of himself for getting what he wanted. Until he took a sip of that damn drink. And almost retched.

I'm pretty sure she took whatever was left in the coffee pot from the night before and just dumped some ice into it. NASTY. He wouldn't stop complaining about it so I tasted it and, yup, it was gross.

He never finished it, obviously.

When she finally came back and we paid our bill she noticed he didn't drink any of it and flipped out! And she was scary. We pretty much ran out of there, laughing hysterically. Craig very nearly had his ass handed to him by a giant Hawaiian woman.

Craig dubbed her 'The Monument' and the name never ceased to reduce us to a fit of giggles.

Moral of the story? Be happy with what you have. Especially when faced with a 'Monument'.

And for the first time in five and a half months, I am thinking about him, remembering him, and laughing instead of crying.