Anthony: You are procrastinating, Jules.
Me: Yes, I know, I know – the abandoned, relinquished/ unwritten, rewritten, over-written tome of my life with you!
Anthony: Or else your life with me?
Me: That’s the same thing, Ants! It should be the other way around, silly; your life with me – there is a subtle difference.
Anthony: So you want to be the star?
Me: Of course not! Can we change the subject please?
Anthony: Is it going to be detrimental to my character?
Me: I just wanted to ask you about why you don’t like walnut wood.
Anthony: What?
Me: And why you’re such a snob about not liking walnut furniture.
Anthony: I’m not quite sure where this is going, Jules, but I just prefer jarrah and mahogany.
Me: So you saw the Italian chess set I bought Ming for Christmas?
Anthony: Yes – rather extravagant if you don’t mind me saying.
Me: Before buying it, I asked the owner of this extraordinary shop to check what kind of wood went into the making of this chess set, because I didn’t want walnut.
Anthony: Loyal to my every whim – I’m proud of you, Jules!
Me: The owner of the shop did her research and discovered that Ming’s chess set was made of a combination of mahogany and walnut.
Anthony: Walnut?
Me: I even told the shop owner that my deceased husband didn’t like walnut! She had the grace to look away as I made the decision to buy the chess set for Ming, walnut and all.
Anthony: Well, I just had a look and it’s mostly mahogany anyway….
Me: The point is, Ants, even though you weren’t a control freak per se, you really influenced the way I still think and feel about all sorts of things.
Anthony: Like what?
Me: You were just as gentle with your roses, camellias and daffodils as you were with polishing your furniture. You cared about these things, and I learned to care about these things too, but….
Anthony: But what?
Me: I LOVE walnut!
Anthony: Okay. I’m a bit shocked at your taste but go for it, Jules. So when will you finish the book?
Me: As soon as you stop talking, Ants.
jmgoyder 
Love this!
As a woman who gave my power away for a man that wasn’t even worth it, this hit a nerve. “My deceased husband didn’t like walnut” You can be true to Anthony and and still choose what you like.
Bloody wonderful