Anthony: Can’t you sleep?
Me: No, it’s the third time in a week. I mean it’s still only midnight but the last couple of times, it was almost 4am before I felt tired enough to go to bed.
Anthony: That’s no good, Jules.
Me: I don’t really mind. It’s not anxiety or anything. I guess I’ll just watch Netflix.
Anthony: You like your thrillers don’t you.
Me: Yep.
Anthony: Well don’t stay up too late or you’ll look haggard when you get up.
Me: Haggard? What do you mean by haggard!
Anthony: I overheard you talking to your mother about how you were worried about looking so haggard after my demise.
Me: Yeah, but I was telling her that my phase of worrying about looking haggard was over and now that I don’t worry about it, I don’t seem to look haggard anymore – weird. See, here is me with A. today. I don’t look so bad after all. I don’t even mind the wrinkles now.
Anthony: Well, the kid’s cute. He suits you. Maybe you should have another baby.
Me: Droll.
Anthony: Do you ever wish we’d had another one?
Me: Every now and then but Ming is enough.
Anthony: My thoughts exactly.
Me: He is pretty wonderful. The other day he said to me, “Hey, Mum, let’s have another look at you,” as I was heading out. So I turned back and he said, “You look great!”
Anthony: Sounds like the kind of thing I would say.
Me: He says that kind of thing every single day.
Anthony: Are you sure all this vanity is good for you?
Me: Well it beats the hell out of running, panic-stricken, away from the bathroom mirror.
Anthony: I notice you haven’t replace the fluorescent light in there.
Me: Mmmm.
Anthony: Don’t forget all the complimentary things I said to you, will you.
Me: Like….?
Anthony: I recall calling you a gorgeous creature more than once.
Me: Not sure about the creature bit.
Anthony: You know what I mean.
Me: I sometimes miss the way you lit up when I arrived at the nursing home.
Anthony: Now you’re really flattering yourself.
Me: But you did! Even the nurses said so.
Anthony: I put a lot of effort into that.
Me: What rot. You were overjoyed every time and you’d always think that it was magic, and that you’d somehow conjured me up.
Anthony: Poor old fool.
Me: No, you were a beautiful old fool.
Anthony: Thanks.
Me: You know what I mean.
Anthony: One thing though….
Me: Yes?
Anthony: You do need lipstick.
Me: OMG, the feminists will be onto you.
Anthony: But it’s true.
Me: I’ll have to ponder that.
Anthony: Do that. Pondering is something I’ve become quite good at and I think you’d like it.
Me: That’s quite profound actually, Ants.
Anthony: I ponder to please.
Me: (Smiling)
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