DISAPPOINT

I've decided to put the word of the day at the bottom of the posting with the quote—no reason, just a whim.

Last Sunday Lloyd and I had planned to go to my sister's retirement party. I planned to be gone, at the most, for ten hours—my sister lives about 170 miles away: three hours one-way. Sister said we couldn't bring Speedy, because Sadie, her daughter's dog (a South African ridgeback cross) would already be . As the two dogs had never met, sister didn't want them (or the dogs and Lloyd) to be alone together while we were at the party. Not a problem, I thought. Speedy could stay at home out in his pen. To ease Lloyd's mind, I arranged for the neighbor lady to look occasionally out at Speedy.

As we left the house, Lloyd made a point to look out the patio door at the dog. Speedy was all settled in between the doghouse and his food and water bowls, cooling it. Lloyd got in the car; we drove off. He started this conversation about why the dog had not come with us. I had to repeat the conversation we had had several times over the past week. Maybe I got a little sharp. I don't think so, but Lloyd is very sensitive to being "yelled at." He was sulking by the time we got to Matfield Green Service Area, about 50 miles from home.

I meant to stop for gas before we got on the turnpike, but I got distracted. Theoretically, I had enough gas to get to Olathe, but making the car run on fumes is not a good idea. Anyway, as we were pulling into Matfield Green Service Area, Lloyd asked if I meant to get gas there. No, I said, we'd [I had] already decided that we would stop in Emporia. I just need to use the necessary. Well! Lloyd said he didn't want to get out of the car. So when I got back in, he was looking all pitiful. As I got back on the turnpike, I noticed a tear trickling down his cheek.

"Do you want to turn around and go home," I asked? "It would be best," he said. So he had to wait until I could turn around at the Cattle Pens, because there isn't a closer turn-around. Plus, I had to stop and gas up at Matfield Green, even though gas was fifteen cents more expensive there than it would have been at Emporia. When we got home Speedy was lying in his doghouse, asleep. After getting Lloyd settled, I got take-out barbeque and just as I started back home it started pouring. Ah, well, I drove into the garage, so I didn't get wet.

The word of the day for August 23, 2008 is "disappoint" — dis·ap·point
Pronunciation: \ˌdis-ə-ˈpȯint\
Function: verb
Etymology: Middle English disapointen to dispossess, from Middle French desapointer, from des- dis- + appointer to arrange — more at appoint
Date: 15th century
transitive verb : to fail to meet the expectation or hope of : frustrate <the team disappointed its fans> intransitive verb : to cause disappointment <where the show disappoints most is in the work of the younger generation — John Ashbery>.

Our quote for the day is from Alan Beck, “What Is a Husband?” Good Housekeeping Jul 57:

     What is a husband? He is the one who, with a touch, can bring back the starlight and glow of years long ago. At least he hopes he can—don’t disappoint him.

;^) Jan

Tags: disappoint