CHAP. 7...OUR STORY

TODAY JIMMY TOLD ME HE HAS GOTTEN THE PRINTED LIST, AND HE IS ON IT,TO GO TO THE HALF-WAY HOUSE. I'M KIND OF EXCITED! BUT STILL, WE DON'T KNOW HOW LONG IT WILL BE.  THERE HAS BEEN A 'BACK-UP" IN THE SYSTEM, SO THEY ARE WAITING FOR PEOPLE TO LEAVE BEFORE THEY CAN PLACE THEM.IT IS A PROBLEM IN OUR COUNTRY.PRISONS ARE OVERCROWDED. THEY LOCK UP EVERYONE FOR JUST ABOUT ANYTHING.PRISONS ARE FILLED UP WITH MEN WHO DON'T PAY CHILD SUPPORT. THERE ARE AROUND 2.2 MILLION PEOPLE IN PRISON IN OUR COUNTRY. AND NOW, WITH MARTHA STEWART GOING THERE, IT SEEMS QUITE FASHIONABLE, AND THE 'THING TO DO!".WELL, BACK TO "OUR LOVE STORY."  THE DAY AFTER WE CAME HOME FROM PALM SPRINGS, JIMMY TOLD ME HE'D BE UP EARLY TAKING CARE OF HIS BUSINESS BACK IN NEW JERSEY.  SO SURE ENOUGH, IT WAS STILL DARK OUT, AND I COULD HEAR HIM DOWNSTAIRS IN THE KITCHEN, TALKING ON HIS CELL. WITH THE 3 HOUR TIME DIFFERENCE, LIFE WAS AWAKE BACK IN JERSEY.  IN MY USUAL LAID- BACK WAY, I CAME DOWNSTAIRS AT 10 A.M.  JIMMY HAD BREAKFAST MADE FOR ME.  HE WAS ALREADY IN CONTROL OF THE WHOLE KITCHEN AND THE HOUSEHOLD.  I JUST LOVED IT!  WE WENT OUT TO THE CAR TO GO SHOPPING, TO HOME DEPOT.  I REMEMBER LOOKING OVER AT HIM AS WE SAT IN THE CAR.  HE RATTLED OFF A LIST OF THINGS WE WOULD DO TODAY. I SAID ,"JIMMY, YOU ARE IN FAST MOTION. YOU DO EVERYTHING QUICK, AND I DO EVERYTHING AT A SLOWER PACE. IS THIS GOING TO WORK BETWEEN US?" HE SAID,"FRAN, YOU ARE PERFECT. I DO NOT WANT YOU TO CHANGE. DO THINGS AS YOU NORMALLY DO THEM.  I NEED SOMEONE TO "SLOW ME DOWN A LITTLE. I LOVE YOU JUST THE WAY YOU ARE." SO THERE WAS THE START OF OUR LIFE AS "MAN AND WIFE."  AND TO THIS DAY, WE HAVE AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN US...A MERGING OF 2 BODIES, SOULS, AND MINDS.AND WE JUST LOVE IT! IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS JIMMY HAD TOTALLY RENOVATED THE HOUSE! THE HOUSE WAS PAINTED, WALL TO WALL CARPET THROWN OUT,TILES INSTALLED THROUGHOUT THE HOUSE, WITH CERAMIC TILES IN THE KITCJEN. HE MIRRORED THE LIVING ROOM AND BEDROOM. HE BOUGHT NEW FURNITURE.BLACK LEATHER FURNITURE FOR THE LIVING ROOM, AND A CALIFORNIA KING SIZE BED, WITH MIRRORS AND LIGHTING.  I NEEDED A STOOL TO CLIMB UP INTO THAT BED!  WE ARE BIG PEOPLE, AND I SLEEP WITH ABOUT 10 PILLOWS, LOADS OF STUFFED ANIMALS AND A FEW DOLLS, 2 CATS AND A 50-LB DOG.......WELL, THERE WAS STILL ROOM LEFT OVER! JIMMY WANTED TO MAKE SURE THE "MARRIAGE BED" WAS JUST PERFECT!.........AND IT WAS!  (smile)