Last week I wrote The Things He Does for Love: Ghost Hunting Classes and told how I was surprised Wayne agreed to take the class, until he asked, “Don’t I always do things for you?” That reminded me of all the nice things he’s done just for me, which I listed.
One reader commented that it did sound like Wayne loved me greatly, but she also wanted to know what I do for him.
What a great question! And sort of a timely one, because Wayne and I were just discussing that very thing this past weekend. Ever since he’s had to live on his own and fend for himself, he’s realized not only how much I do for him, but how much he depends on me.
Maid Services
Wayne cringes when I call myself the maid, but I am. He feels that I’m so much more (which is also true), and it makes him feel like I think he devalues the role I play in maintaining our household. Which offends him, because he asserts that he appreciates everything I do for him.
I know he does, but calling myself “the maid” is a lot more efficient than saying “the woman who vacuums, dusts, mops, cleans windows, does dishes, washes clothes, folds laundry, et cetera.”
Bookkeeper
Wayne’s the accountant in our family (by trade as well as managing our IRAs and other retirement and savings accounts and goals). But I do the nitty gritty: balance the checkbook, pay bills, track expenses, et cetera.
Personal Chef
This is the number one task I do for Wayne that he misses the most. In my case, the way to my man’s heart was definitely through his stomach. He has his favorite dishes –such as chicken and asparagus quiche, steak tacos, grilled fish, jerk rice, squash casserole, lasagna, chili, chicken bow tie, brownies with walnuts, and apple pie, just to name a few—that I can count on him to request over and over again. I know just the way he likes them prepared –and heaven help me if I get creative with the recipe!
Personal Assistant
Second after missing my cooking, Wayne misses his errand runner and task completer. From taking care of every week chores like dry cleaning and grocery store runs, to the once-in-while tasks like getting his truck’s oil changed or waiting in line to change license plates (something he had to do last week since his Tennessee plates were expiring), I do it. Now that he’s had to “waste some of his time” doing these, he even more so appreciates me “wasting” my time doing them.
Chauffeur
His job that brought us to Nashville in the first place required exorbitant amounts of travel time. Sometimes he’d drive himself to the airport, but mostly he relied on me to ferry him to and fro. Which I’m still doing, as I have to pick him up for his weekend visits.
Rescuer
I dread this call most: “Can you come get me?” I don’t dread doing it, mind you. I dread the state I’ll find Wayne in. Because I’ve found him in some pretty dire states!
He’s nearly been struck by lightning, sicker than a dog, exhausted beyond belief, lost, stranded, injured, bleeding…the list goes on. It’s happened when he’s gone out for a run, for a drive, to work…there’s no telling what kind of trouble he’ll get in and call me to come bail him out of. Jail’s been the only one I haven’t been called about. (Desperately knocking on wood.)
Nurse
Because of the above, Wayne’s suffered all sorts of wild ailments that have required me to tend to him. The one that required the longest attention was when he nearly severed his toes off with the surfboard. (There’s a lot more to that story!)
Travel Agent
Be it vacation plans or scheduling his weekly trips home to see us until the house sells, I’m in charge of coordinating flights, hotel rooms (if applicable), rental cars (again, if applicable), et cetera.
Founder of the Team Pryor Fan Club
I’ve tried to cheer Wayne on at every running race he’s ever had. He’s also had some swim meets, and several years back he got into triathlons.
First Budly, then later Murph joined me at races to root him on. That’s really when Team Pryor evolved. When life settles back down and he starts competing again, I’m planning to have T-shirts, hats, and signs made sporting the Team Pryor insignia so we have a united front. And we’ll also sabotage the courses the night before by writing tidings along the way in sidewalk chalk.
Question to Readers
What do you do for your significant other? Is your list similar to mine? Expanded? Not so expanded?
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