LEFT BEHIND
Margo saw package on the porch. She took it in and unhinged UPS’s finest gift wrap to recognize the distinct pink background and brilliant yellow scrolled lettering from a posh lingerie store linked to the downtown hotel nestled in the hear t of the city. It was her favorite store. She was thrilled to think her husband had thought of her on his business trip last weekend. She’d missed him and been disappointed when Keith told her she couldn’t come along. But with this he’d surprised her. She grinned and toyed with the polka-dotted tissue paper peeping out the top. She smiled thinking of his blonde hair and hazel eyes. She couldn’t wait to see the hungry flash in them when she put whatever this was on for him.
“Oh! It must be something sexy and small!” she giggled out loud. She looked like a child peeking at Christmas gifts. Margo was grinning ear to ear, gently arguing with herself. “I should wait to open it. Noooo. I’ll do it now then act surprised.” Back and forth she went until she finally moved the paper to the side. There was a teeny card and all she saw was:
Xoxo
There was more but Margo didn't bother reading on. She went numb. It wasn’t her husband’s writing. Peering down into the bag, she saw red satin. Her first reaction was to throw it out followed by an almost insatiable desire to vomit into the bag and put it back. She did neither. She took the bag down the hall and sat in her husband’s big ugly recliner to wait.
Keith arrived home later than usual to find Margo perched in his chair with her arms and legs crossed. She glowered at him.
“Hey Baby.” He said cheerfully as he chucked his keys on the table and kissed her forehead.
She pursed her lips. Even though she’d been practicing what to say, the mental well and her mouth were bone dry. Instead, she pulled her head to the side and sneered.
“What?” he asked stopping in front of her. “What’s the matter? Bad day? Tell me over dinner. Let’s go to Blue Rain”
“I already ate” she sniffed stonily.
Keith waited and watched his wife. He could feel the anger radiating from inside her. She must have had a REALLY bad day. She wasn’t usually like this. He frowned. It would be a long night. She would bait him into an argument and the shove accusatory words in his mouth until he choked on his apology to her deserved or not. She always celebrated her victory with the dreadful words “I forgive you.” He hated nights like this. He felt his shoulders slump in anticipated exhaustion.
“How could you?” she asked quietly.
He was lost. He had no idea what she was talking about. Next to her was a pink and yellow bag with fancy scribbles on it. Did he forget her birthday? No. Not their anniversary either. His mind raced to find an answer. He was already puckering up for an “I’m sorry.” When she hit him with it:
“How long have you been seeing her?”
The floor tilted and he attempted to steady himself. “What are you talking about?” he asked incredulously. He shook his head like a wet dog.
“Just answer the question. It’s too late to play dumb.” A tear slipped down her cheek. “Why Keith? Just tell me why.”
“Why what? Really Margo, I don’t understand…”
“Why you’ve been sleeping with someone else during your important business meetings that I would be too bored to attend!” She spat it out like rotten meat. Keith looked down as if it were clinging to his shoe.
“I’m sleeping…” he stuttered.
“… with another woman. Yes, it’s out. Do we need to say it again and again and again? I think since I am the last to know we can now drop the façade Don’t you?” Her voice was rising.
“Margo, wait a minute. I was at the conference…”
She stood and stepped right up against him preparing for battle. She wouldn’t let him win this time. He was always so good at playing the victim: nothing was ever his fault. He was always somehow innocent and undeserving of any blame or responsibility. He was an even better debater, who could talk you into believing the sky was purple if he wanted. He was manipulative. At this moment, all the years of brow beating, belittling, and second-guessing stood strong in her mind. She absolutely hated that she’d been tricked into “loving” this man for so many years when it was obvious he couldn’t have cared less for her or whether she found out that he was screwing around.
“I’ve trusted you.” She spat. “…with my heart…” it was almost a sob.
“It’s a mistake.”
“You got THAT right.” She stared at him with contempt.
“Someone else must have left them behind…not me. Honey…” he was pleading; trying to find some ground for an argument. But how could he? That weekend he was alone except for the meetings. He had ordered room service and watched some movies. He’d stayed put and was about to lose his marriage because of that. He loved Margo. He loved their life. Sure there were days it was hard, but that was all part of the deal. He would never hurt her.
Margo sniffed and wiped her nose. She pushed past him almost running into their bedroom and slammed a suitcase on the bed. She ripped at the dresser, jamming clothes into the gaping bag. Her mutterings and accusations continued. She scolded her dresses and punished her toiletries as she loaded up.
“Margo, wait. Don’t do this. Let’s talk about it. Let me explain or find someone who can…” He stepped forward to reach for her.
She jumped as if scalded hissing “Don’t you TOUCH me. Filth and lies!” snapping her attention back to her garment abuse.
Keith shrugged. “Margo, don’t go. I’ll stay on the couch. We’ll talk in the morning. We can fix this. Don’t end everything we’ve built together.”
“Don’t talk to me about ending ANYTHING! You cheat! You disgust me. You were with her and came home to MY bed? Kissed me with THAT mouth? You are putrid. I hate you.”
“Margo, none of this true. You’ve gotten yourself all worked up…”
“No. You’re wrong Keith. I’m seeing clearly. I’m acting rationally. I’m leaving. I loved who I thought you were, but that man doesn’t exist. I don’t know you and will gladly leave THIS version of you behind with those red whatever-they-ares.”
She slapped the zipper shut on the bag and yanked it from their bed. It was heavy enough to cause her to stumble. When Keith tried to reach for her she winced and cried out. The tears were coming more steadily now. Her cheeks flushed and with every step she sobbed just a little louder. Margo tromped heavily down the steps. She flung the front door wide and tossed her belongings into the back of her car. She had no idea where she was going. Perhaps they had a room at the hotel downtown. She was sure her husband could recommend something nice. She laughed bitterly to herself and stuffed the key into the ignition. Roaring away she flipped her middle finger in the air. It was elegantly angry.
Keith almost laughed. But he realized this wasn’t a joke. None of it was funny. He’d lost his life. Maybe tomorrow they could talk. He’d have to hope for now. He scuffed back to the scene of the crime and swiped the evidence bag. Pink and yellow: “How naughty.” He thought and fiddled with the polka-dotted happy fun paper fluffing out the top. He sighed and sat down with it. He clicked on the baseball game and fidgeted with the handles, pulling the braided string apart. Sufficiently destroyed, he began to shred the party paper from the top. The bases filled, the innings ran by. Finally at the top of the eighth, he peered inside the “dirty bomb” of a bag. He reached in and the tears finally came. The strong tall man appeared weak and small in his dark brown ratty recliner with the rough torn edge. It clucked sympathetically as he stared at the garment causing all the trouble. He saw the note. Then he read the entire thing and gawked at his wife’s red satin panties:
X0x0
Margo,
I wouldn’t want you to be caught with your pants down. Thanks for an unforgettable night. Love,
Brad
Keith sighed sadly. In the morning he would contact his lawyer and show HER what exactly was left behind.
Margo saw package on the porch. She took it in and unhinged UPS’s finest gift wrap to recognize the distinct pink background and brilliant yellow scrolled lettering from a posh lingerie store linked to the downtown hotel nestled in the hear t of the city. It was her favorite store. She was thrilled to think her husband had thought of her on his business trip last weekend. She’d missed him and been disappointed when Keith told her she couldn’t come along. But with this he’d surprised her. She grinned and toyed with the polka-dotted tissue paper peeping out the top. She smiled thinking of his blonde hair and hazel eyes. She couldn’t wait to see the hungry flash in them when she put whatever this was on for him.
“Oh! It must be something sexy and small!” she giggled out loud. She looked like a child peeking at Christmas gifts. Margo was grinning ear to ear, gently arguing with herself. “I should wait to open it. Noooo. I’ll do it now then act surprised.” Back and forth she went until she finally moved the paper to the side. There was a teeny card and all she saw was:
Xoxo
There was more but Margo didn't bother reading on. She went numb. It wasn’t her husband’s writing. Peering down into the bag, she saw red satin. Her first reaction was to throw it out followed by an almost insatiable desire to vomit into the bag and put it back. She did neither. She took the bag down the hall and sat in her husband’s big ugly recliner to wait.
Keith arrived home later than usual to find Margo perched in his chair with her arms and legs crossed. She glowered at him.
“Hey Baby.” He said cheerfully as he chucked his keys on the table and kissed her forehead.
She pursed her lips. Even though she’d been practicing what to say, the mental well and her mouth were bone dry. Instead, she pulled her head to the side and sneered.
“What?” he asked stopping in front of her. “What’s the matter? Bad day? Tell me over dinner. Let’s go to Blue Rain”
“I already ate” she sniffed stonily.
Keith waited and watched his wife. He could feel the anger radiating from inside her. She must have had a REALLY bad day. She wasn’t usually like this. He frowned. It would be a long night. She would bait him into an argument and the shove accusatory words in his mouth until he choked on his apology to her deserved or not. She always celebrated her victory with the dreadful words “I forgive you.” He hated nights like this. He felt his shoulders slump in anticipated exhaustion.
“How could you?” she asked quietly.
He was lost. He had no idea what she was talking about. Next to her was a pink and yellow bag with fancy scribbles on it. Did he forget her birthday? No. Not their anniversary either. His mind raced to find an answer. He was already puckering up for an “I’m sorry.” When she hit him with it:
“How long have you been seeing her?”
The floor tilted and he attempted to steady himself. “What are you talking about?” he asked incredulously. He shook his head like a wet dog.
“Just answer the question. It’s too late to play dumb.” A tear slipped down her cheek. “Why Keith? Just tell me why.”
“Why what? Really Margo, I don’t understand…”
“Why you’ve been sleeping with someone else during your important business meetings that I would be too bored to attend!” She spat it out like rotten meat. Keith looked down as if it were clinging to his shoe.
“I’m sleeping…” he stuttered.
“… with another woman. Yes, it’s out. Do we need to say it again and again and again? I think since I am the last to know we can now drop the façade Don’t you?” Her voice was rising.
“Margo, wait a minute. I was at the conference…”
She stood and stepped right up against him preparing for battle. She wouldn’t let him win this time. He was always so good at playing the victim: nothing was ever his fault. He was always somehow innocent and undeserving of any blame or responsibility. He was an even better debater, who could talk you into believing the sky was purple if he wanted. He was manipulative. At this moment, all the years of brow beating, belittling, and second-guessing stood strong in her mind. She absolutely hated that she’d been tricked into “loving” this man for so many years when it was obvious he couldn’t have cared less for her or whether she found out that he was screwing around.
“I’ve trusted you.” She spat. “…with my heart…” it was almost a sob.
“It’s a mistake.”
“You got THAT right.” She stared at him with contempt.
“Someone else must have left them behind…not me. Honey…” he was pleading; trying to find some ground for an argument. But how could he? That weekend he was alone except for the meetings. He had ordered room service and watched some movies. He’d stayed put and was about to lose his marriage because of that. He loved Margo. He loved their life. Sure there were days it was hard, but that was all part of the deal. He would never hurt her.
Margo sniffed and wiped her nose. She pushed past him almost running into their bedroom and slammed a suitcase on the bed. She ripped at the dresser, jamming clothes into the gaping bag. Her mutterings and accusations continued. She scolded her dresses and punished her toiletries as she loaded up.
“Margo, wait. Don’t do this. Let’s talk about it. Let me explain or find someone who can…” He stepped forward to reach for her.
She jumped as if scalded hissing “Don’t you TOUCH me. Filth and lies!” snapping her attention back to her garment abuse.
Keith shrugged. “Margo, don’t go. I’ll stay on the couch. We’ll talk in the morning. We can fix this. Don’t end everything we’ve built together.”
“Don’t talk to me about ending ANYTHING! You cheat! You disgust me. You were with her and came home to MY bed? Kissed me with THAT mouth? You are putrid. I hate you.”
“Margo, none of this true. You’ve gotten yourself all worked up…”
“No. You’re wrong Keith. I’m seeing clearly. I’m acting rationally. I’m leaving. I loved who I thought you were, but that man doesn’t exist. I don’t know you and will gladly leave THIS version of you behind with those red whatever-they-ares.”
She slapped the zipper shut on the bag and yanked it from their bed. It was heavy enough to cause her to stumble. When Keith tried to reach for her she winced and cried out. The tears were coming more steadily now. Her cheeks flushed and with every step she sobbed just a little louder. Margo tromped heavily down the steps. She flung the front door wide and tossed her belongings into the back of her car. She had no idea where she was going. Perhaps they had a room at the hotel downtown. She was sure her husband could recommend something nice. She laughed bitterly to herself and stuffed the key into the ignition. Roaring away she flipped her middle finger in the air. It was elegantly angry.
Keith almost laughed. But he realized this wasn’t a joke. None of it was funny. He’d lost his life. Maybe tomorrow they could talk. He’d have to hope for now. He scuffed back to the scene of the crime and swiped the evidence bag. Pink and yellow: “How naughty.” He thought and fiddled with the polka-dotted happy fun paper fluffing out the top. He sighed and sat down with it. He clicked on the baseball game and fidgeted with the handles, pulling the braided string apart. Sufficiently destroyed, he began to shred the party paper from the top. The bases filled, the innings ran by. Finally at the top of the eighth, he peered inside the “dirty bomb” of a bag. He reached in and the tears finally came. The strong tall man appeared weak and small in his dark brown ratty recliner with the rough torn edge. It clucked sympathetically as he stared at the garment causing all the trouble. He saw the note. Then he read the entire thing and gawked at his wife’s red satin panties:
X0x0
Margo,
I wouldn’t want you to be caught with your pants down. Thanks for an unforgettable night. Love,
Brad
Keith sighed sadly. In the morning he would contact his lawyer and show HER what exactly was left behind.
I think it's funny how this story came to be:
I waltzed into Cheech's office and saw a Victoria's Secret bag sitting next to his desk. I picked it up, quickly peeked in and found a pair of men's skivies in it. Supposedly they had gotten mixed up in the laundry when the boys were all together for a vacation/golf trip and his mother was returning them. We laughed about it and I took the bag home. When I pulled them out, I realized they were not Cheech's after all. They were my father-in-law's. Ooops. Sporty Dad. Very sporty. ; ) So in essence my mother-in-law gift wrapped her husband's "propers" and gave them to us in a sassy lil bag.
I took the same skeleton and built a different body. I like the story told both ways and hope you did too. Thanks for laughing with me a little. Have a good one.
I waltzed into Cheech's office and saw a Victoria's Secret bag sitting next to his desk. I picked it up, quickly peeked in and found a pair of men's skivies in it. Supposedly they had gotten mixed up in the laundry when the boys were all together for a vacation/golf trip and his mother was returning them. We laughed about it and I took the bag home. When I pulled them out, I realized they were not Cheech's after all. They were my father-in-law's. Ooops. Sporty Dad. Very sporty. ; ) So in essence my mother-in-law gift wrapped her husband's "propers" and gave them to us in a sassy lil bag.
I took the same skeleton and built a different body. I like the story told both ways and hope you did too. Thanks for laughing with me a little. Have a good one.
