I'm a Ferrari? Now Exhale
Damn! Where's the tape recorder when you need it? The playback of last night's conversation with Mr. Pamela Jeanne would have been a keeper. I'll try to recreate a portion of it here. It started after two bottles of wine and a fun evening with a smart, funny woman (we'll call her XX) from my work circle. Without sounding too conceited, she reminds me of a slightly younger (fertile) version of me.
BTW: She has two kids but never makes me feel inferior or pitiable for not having them. I adore that about her. In fact, I think if I could have ever gotten my repro parts to work properly I would have been her style of mom. Loved it when she said candidly, "I could never be one of those moms who — bless their hearts 'cause I'm not one of them — cut paper shapes in the classroom. That's so not me. I help the school in other ways..."
Here's the conversation after dinner with Mr. PJ:
Me: I know I'm a tough act to follow, but if I ever get hit by a beer truck, you have my permission to marry someone like XX. I see you with someone who challenges you, makes you think, makes you laugh.
Him: Please avoid beer trucks.
Me: Seriously, you could also marry XXX or XXXX or XXXXX. All of these women are a variation on me, so they've got my approval.
Him: Hmmm. (clearly trying to imagine being married to them)
Me: Okay. Who can I marry?
Him: This is a weird conversation (clearly stalling) ...
Me: I know I'm a lot to handle...
Him: That's an understatement
Me: Names, please
Him: Pammie, it's just it takes a lot of man to well, you know...
Me: I'm that bad?
Him: No. It's just I see myself as a Ferrari mechanic. Ferraris are beautiful but temperamental cars that need a lot of tinkering.
Me: Damn straight.
Him: When it runs, it runs like nothing else (sighing with appreciation), but when it doesn't ...
Me: (thinking to myself) He is so right — in fact, maybe I should have gone to a Ferrari shop not the RE clinic...
Him: Obama. You can marry Obama. He can play basketball and, well, he's a lot like me.
Me: And, he knows how to handle hard questions, too...
* * * *
And, when I'm not having absurd conversations, I have a wonderful new project to think about. I'm contributing to Exhale, "a literary magazine for intelligent people who have lost a baby or can't make one in the first place." It is the brainchild of the lovely Monica of Knocked Up, Knocked Down. You can find the submission guidelines here. My first column is one of many essays and contributions now available. Please check the site out and let me know what you think.
Posted by Pamela Tsigdinos at 12/17/2008 6:34 AM 
Categories: Reconciling My Fate,Barren But Beautiful
Categories: Reconciling My Fate,Barren But Beautiful
I love this. I can just hear it now! you are totally a ferrari. and I mean that in the best way!
btw, I love exhale, just read through it. awesome new project.
Reply to this
Love that conversation.
Loving the current issue of Exhale. The essays, the tagline, the contributors...everything.
Reply to this
This is great! I need to ask my DH what I would be. Something tells me it might be a Gremlin or a Pinto or something.
Anyway--sounds like XX is a great person, but I agree with DH--STAY AWAY FROM THE BEER TRUCKS!
Reply to this
He is a very wise man.
Exhale's first issue was terrific! I've been tweeting about it today.
Reply to this
That's hysterical. That's one smart man you have there. I suppose you should keep him.
Reply to this
HA! DH and I always joke that I'm like Meg Ryan in "When Harry Met Sally"
"difficult ... but in a good way!"
I'm so high maintenance, yet somehow, I don't think about who DH would marry if I got ran over by the beer truck - I know she'd never be as amazing as me
(I just wanted to let you know that I'm out here and reading your entertaining blog - take care!)
Reply to this
Brilliant! Next time Mr H complains about me being high maintenance, I'm going to tell him that he should think of himself as a Ferrari mechanic!
That's a very wise man you've got there, PJ!
Reply to this
Oooh, I love it - I'm going to ask my husband who I can marry - I'll be quite attractive particularly with his life insurance benefits.....
Reply to this
Love Exhale!
DH has never tried the car analogy on me. he generally just describes me as 'complicated'.
Reply to this
Love it!
Reply to this
Um, Obama is already married... But I suppose if your husband and Michelle Obama were on the same plane which went down...
Reply to this
I SOOO want to have that conversation with my husband! Hilarious!
Also, you just reminded me I need to link up more to Exhale.
Reply to this
I love the Ferrari analogy. Very witty, clever writing from the title, "Barren and Beautiful" to the hilarious posts. I look forward to checking you out on Exhale. Thanks for turning your life into art.
Reply to this
I knew I liked your dude... well done, Mr. PJ! And yes, darling, you are definitely a Ferrari. I'll check out your article...
Reply to this
An apropos joke that has been my favorite of the last year:
Wife asks her husband whether he would get married if something happened to her. "No," says husband. "But why?" asks the wife, "don't you like being married?"
"Well, dear, I will never find anyone better than you. And another one like you, I don't need."
Sounds better in the Old Country language, but I think this transmits the idea adequately.
I just took a quick look/read at Exhale, and I love it. Leaving the window open to keep reading as time permits. Thanks!
Reply to this