The sofa was so comfortable. The TV was playing, but its main function was noise. I knew that the show was but not what it was about. The notebook computer was in my lap providing fodder for the upcoming Sunday sermon. The front door was open letting the bring spring sunshine cascade through the storm door to splash upon the floor enveloping my faithful canine friend Charlie Brown. Cheese and crachers decorated the plate on the end table providing contrast to the alumnium container of beverage. All was right with the world.  A perfect day.

“Sweetheart,” came the familiar voice from down the hall. “I’m going up to Chattanooga to see my mother this afternoon. would you like to go?”

Instantly, with the accumulated wisdom of age, I quickly switched from dreamy contemplation of nothingness to an intensity of mental acuity to respond to this intrusion upon the nature of all that is male. Would I like to go with her to Chattanooga to see her mother this afternoon? The answer is obvious. The response must, however, be stated with the precision of a surgeon excising the undesirable without compromising the whole. Would I like to go to with her to Chattanooga this afternoon to see my mother-in-law? Hmmm!

”It’s a great day for that,” I said, without making a commitment. “What time are you leaving?”

Clever! Note the quickness of my ability to generate time for a more formidable defense.

“I’m really flexible, but I thought we could leave about 4:00. That way we could get back in plenty of time.”

“Four,” I echoed. “What time is it now?”

“It’s 2:30.”

Ouch! That question bought me no time at all. Silence is always a tactic.

“Honey?”

That didn’t work?

“Yes?” Not bad.

“Well?”

“Well, what?”

“Do you want to go with me to Chattanooga?”

“Of course, I do. I’m just trying to weigh the consequences.”

“Weigh the consequences?”

“Well, sure, sweetheart. I’d love to spend some time with them and it would be nice to ride up there together, but I’d just got myself into things.”

If one wants to be philosophical, nothing can actually be a thing.

“Oh, I didn’t know you were working on anything specific.”

Aha! Now we were in my territory. I make my living with words.

“Well, to be honest it’s nothing specific yet. My challenge is to bring all this stuff together and, to be honest, I it feels like it’s about to fall into place, but nailing it down is taking a little more time than I thought it would take.”

That was good.

“I didn’t know you were working on anything like that. Is this a column, a sermon, or something you’re writing for the internet?”

Wow! I wasn’t expecting that one. Think!

“Honey.”

“Actually, if I can just weave this together in the right way I might be able to use parts of it one all three.”

“Well, that would be really great.”

“I know. But it’s going to be tough.”

“Well, I know you can do it.”

I didn’t reply.

“See, you about 7:00,” she said as she opened the door.

“Wait, I’ll go with you.”

“No, no, you work on what you’re doing.”

“Well, okay. I guess I should.”

Her car pulled out of the driveway. My faithful canine Charlie Brown stretched in the splotch of sunshine. He looked at me with a critical eye.

“What?,” asked I.