"Remember how you were telling me the other day about your worst fault?" Linda asked one day, her hair a little tousled and a dreamy look in her eyes. "Well, do you know what your best quality is?
"I'm a tiger in bed?"
Linda laughed. "No, no. Be serious!"
"I look like Sean Connery?"
Linda laughed harder. "Oh stop it."
"I look a little like Brad Pitt?"
Linda's eyes were starting to water. "Please," she pleaded. "Not even in your dreams!"
"I'm honest and pure?"
"Ya right," said Linda, catching her breath and calming down a little.
"I'm hard working and industrious?"
"I asked for your best quality, not the things that drive me nuts."
"I care about my health and follow my doctor's orders? I don't make fun of your friends even when they deserve it? I never say I told you so? I take my dog for daily runs? I cut the grass without having to be asked?"
"Actually some of those are good qualities, but they're not your best. Although don't get me started on you and your doctor. And what's funny about my friends?"
"Well..."
She cut in, "You weasel, you mentioned that just to change the subject, didn't you? You're embarrassed to know you have a good quality, aren't you?"
"No I'm not embarrassed."
"Yes you are, and you're doing it again! Now stop it! Do you want to know what your best quality is?"
"Do I have to?"
"Yes!" she shouted. "Your best quality is that you like people. You actually deep down really and truly like people. All kinds of people. I don't think there's anyone you've ever met that you didn't like."
Surprised, I thought about it. Surely that couldn't be true. "That can't be right," I said.
"Name one person you ever met that you didn't like?"
"Aside from your sister, you mean?"
"I don't like my sister. You pretend not to like my sister for my sake. But deep down, I think you like even her, right?"
"This doesn't sound like a good quality," I said. "This sounds more like a character flaw."
Linda hugged me. "No," she said. "Its a very good quality. You make people feel good. You make me feel good."
I enjoyed the hug for a moment.
"I'd still rather be a tiger in bed," I said.
"Rowrrrr," said Linda.
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Photo of Sean Connery courtesy of Photobucket
When We Were Just 65
19 hours ago
