Can We Talk 2

An Autographed Photo

         Last weekend while I was around some older TV and movie stars, I got one photograph autographed. I was star-struck and I'm afraid it showed. He personalized it. He wrote my name with "My Love" and said that should make my boyfriend jealous. I didn't respond except for a thanks. How did he know I wasn't married? Did I just have that look? Why would a star look at my hand and notice the absence of a ring? I didn't wear one half the time I was married; it was lost.

         I don't know why I didn't like the remark, but I didn't. I didn't contradict him because I knew he didn't care. But I couldn't help but think that if I did have a boyfriend, I wouldn't have one who would get jealous over something like that. Obviously, it irritated me to have me still thinking about it a week later. Maybe it was just a reminder from a stranger that I don't have a significant companion.

         It reminded me of my mother. She had a crush on Tom Selleck, a little younger than she, and Kenny Rogers. She and Dad watched Magnum P.I. faithfully. (I didn't watch TV during those years.) Dad would pretend to be jealous, and she would giggle. He would tell all of his grown children that Mom was in love with Magnum, teasing her. She grinned and would tell us how good looking he was. They saw Kenny Rogers in concert at an amusement park, and she talked about the hair on his chest showing through the top of his opened shirt. Dad would pretend to be angry, and she would laugh. You could tell he was enjoying himself during all of these teasing episodes. We'd play both sides, and keep the game going.

         The thing is when people care about each other, they don't really get jealous. Instead of resenting an autographed photo, the other would be pleased with his or her partner's new memento. A silly little token would not upset the balance in a healthy relationship. People who trust each other, like my parents, don't mind when they admire someone else, celebrity or close to home.