Funny Guy Friday... The common thread...

    Funny Guy Friday is written each week by my husband Mark. So... I married a funny guy...
    Two things happened this week, and although they are completely unrelated, they have a common thread.
    The first thing actually began about three months ago, when I walked by our receptionist, Jeannae, and noticed that she was looking at wedding websites. I knew she was dating a guy. In fact, I met him a time or two, but I was pretty sure that they had not been dating long enough to get engaged.
    I'll remind you that I had only dated Cheryl for six weeks when I asked her to marry me, but I would not suggest that anyone else take such drastic measures. Although it worked out, and I would not change a thing, it was an act of idiocy.
    Anyway, I asked Jeannae why she would be casing wedding websites (during work hours, no less), and she mentioned that she had gotten engaged... about two months prior.
    How did I miss that? I pride myself on keeping up with my co-workers. We are a relatively small business, with about fourteen employees, so I really shouldn't miss an engagement. That's kind of a big deal.
    Fast forward to last week, and she was not at work on Monday or Tuesday. When I asked my secretary if she were sick, I was informed that she had gotten married over the weekend, and was enjoying her honeymoon.
    How did I miss that? Seriously, I missed her engagement and now I missed her wedding. I told my secretary that it must have been a small wedding because, well, because I was not invited. My secretary advised that it was not that small; in fact, she had a great time. Ouch!
    How did this happen? How did I miss her wedding? More importantly, why would I not score an invite? Perhaps if I had been aware that she had gotten engaged, she might have invited me to the wedding. You'd have thought that she would have forgiven that little oversight. Apparently not!
    She must think that I am an idiot.
    Anyway, she was back in the office this past week, and just to show what a good sport I am, I went in to greet her and tell her congratulations. In fact, I plan on getting her a nice wedding gift.
    She and her husband honeymooned in Williamsburg, Virginia, and saw all the sights... and ate at all of the old colonial restaurants.
    I thought about the time that Cheryl and I took the kids to a restaurant in Williamsburg, and the hostess, dressed completely in authentic colonial garb, approached our table and struck up a conversation. She told us that she has one dress... this dress... that her husband had made... and that he works nearly sixteen hours a day to provide food and shelter for their family. I was amazed by her story and thought it was both inspiring and a bit sad that they had such a hard life.
    As we left the restaurant, then-eleven-year-old Matthew mentioned that it was very cool the way that the hostess stayed in character the entire night.
    In character? Wait a second, you mean that whole "my husband made my only dress and he works sixteen hours a day blah blah blah" thing was just an act? I thought that she was serious about all that stuff. I told her how impressed I was with that whole "woe is me" junk! I am such an idiot. 
    The second thing that happened this week actually started last Christmas, when my old tree stand broke. I hated that stand because it didn't actually keep the tree standing upright, as the name tree stand would imply. I think that that is the least you can expect from a tree stand, you know? I vowed to get the best tree stand that money could buy for this Christmas season.
     My research was extensive, and it all led to the Grinnen's Last Stand. From the photos, it looked like a cross between a tree stand and a medieval torture chamber. It has spikes, ratchets and straps. I think that any tree would be afraid to fall.
     I placed my order and waited the two business days for delivery. The timing would have been perfect. I ordered it on a Wednesday, and we were supposed to get our tree on Sunday. Friday arrival and all would have been right with the world.
    Then I got the email from UPS advising that the stand was shipped on Thursday and would not arrive until Monday. Who knew that Saturday was not a business day? I called UPS and pointed out that I have seen their brown trucks on Saturdays, and I really wanted to get my Christmas tree on Sunday. And I really needed that stand.
    They pointed out that those people are paying extra for that Saturday delivery, and I am really not going to get my stand until Monday.
    Defeated, I set my sights on Monday. I had court in Annapolis, so I got home early and the wait was on. Every vehicle that came roaring down our street had me craning my neck to see if it were the UPS truck. Vehicle after vehicle passed with no delivery. Do you know how much a school bus sounds like a UPS truck? Very much. Too much.
    I was like a little kid waiting for a new toy to be delivered. As I tell the story it is kind of embarrassing. The good news is that the stand did arrive late Monday night, and we got our tree up in a matter of minutes.
    The stand is awesome.
    So, here we have two seemingly unrelated stories... and you are probably wondering how are they connected. Well, in both stories, there are numerous examples of me being kind of silly... kind of childish... and frankly, acting like an idiot. That, of course, is not the common thread.
     No. The thing that brings these two stories together is this:
     I think that I am going to buy Jeannae a new tree stand as a wedding present.
     What do you think?