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September 1, 2005
blue blankets, blue walls
many years ago, when i was in middle school, my father bought the family electric blankets: a blue queen-size one for him & my mother, and beige twin-size ones for me & my sister. getting a new blanket was nice, but i was somewhat disappointed: i wished mine was also that light blue; my favorite color. i thought i'd hidden my response behind a cheery "thank you Daddy!" but he could tell. the next day it mysteriously disappeared. when my father came home later, he had a blue twin-size electric blanket with him: he'd gone out of his way and to considerable trouble to exchange it for the one he knew would make me happy.
he's forgotten this incident completely. however, not only do i remember it vividly, but it's become somewhat of a iconic story in my mind & heart. how did i know my Dad loves me? look at the blue blanket. and it became quite the yardstick: what is genuine kindness? when you get a blue blanket without being asked. what sort of man would i want to marry? one with blue blanket character...etc. etc.
tonight i went over to our new place, where T.T. has been feverishly painting, all by himself, for the last several days (i've been working). he's done an amazing job; the rooms are completely transformed. it's actually looking like a real home. the only thing i would've changed is one wall of the bedroom, but to mask it off and repaint it would take way too much effort and energy, so i didn't even think about asking.
i was surprised he was still there; it was late and i'd thought he would've already been finished. he looked exhausted.
"didn't you finish the living room?" i asked.
"i did."
"then what have you been doing the last few hours?" i was curious.
"painting."
"i thought you finished the living room, the last room to be done."
"i did."
he was smiling now.
"i don't get it." i was becoming very puzzled.
"i was painting our bedroom."
i walked into the room, and there it was, the wall i'd wished could be changed. it was freshly painted in a glorious, beautiful shade of yes -- blue. i haven't consciously thought about that blue blanket for years, but suddenly, that's what i saw, instead of the still-wet blue wall.
he knows, i thought. he knows the principle of the blue blanket. i guess if i needed any last-minute confirmation that i'm marrying the right man, here it was in front of me.
"ah, are you crying because you're happy?" he asked.
Posted by hadashi at September 1, 2005 11:27 PM
Comments
another french fry hotel moment!! I love TT for you. It gives me hope in mankind when I hear those stories!!
Posted by: Marti at September 2, 2005 9:28 AM
Weird, my parents bought me a beige electric blanket and they had a blue one. I don't remember what color my brother had but I am betting it was beige. I always wanted a green one.
Congratulations = the principle of the blue blanket is an important thing to understand.
Posted by: Denise at September 3, 2005 3:42 AM
what a man! is the wall (and was the blanket?) more or less the same blue that you have on the sides of this blog? if so, I approve! but even if not, wonderful story...hope we have a chance to know T someday too...
Posted by: ukognet at September 4, 2005 7:42 AM
Oh guy... give me a tissue! I'm such a sucker for "happily ever afters". Tear jerker moment!
Posted by: Neng at September 14, 2005 12:28 AM
weird, i think he must have exchanged my blankie too, then, b/c i had a blue blankie in the end. now that i think about it, it makes sense...all smart parentals know that unless kiddos have specified favorites, you get them the same thing... little did i know the reason behind blue blankie that i had until leaving home... i vaguely remember the beige and am oh so happy that i had instead snuggly-wuggly happie-sky-blue blankie instead. o thank yew for your part in that!!!!!! yay for tt! (so what are the other walls, then? the green or did you change your mind?)
Posted by: ernli 
at September 14, 2005 11:05 PM
and then tonight, as i was scrubbing down the filthy kitchen window, he produced a little rose plant. "your first flowers for the window," he said, and then scurried off, leaving me with my drippy yellow rubber gloves and an enormous silly grin plastered on my face.
and this is the man who is NOT a regular flower-giver.
i'm glad i can tell my smooshy newly-about-to-be-wed stories somewhere without fear of mockery...
Posted by: hadashi at September 15, 2005 1:05 AM
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