To Margaret

Marg and I will be married 40 years on May 3. We’ve been together since we were about 15. Back in 1962 or thereabouts, my pal Jace Ericson told me as we hung by our lockers that his cousin Marylou said Marg Perry “liked me”. This was major. To have a girl “like me”, especially one as hot as Margaret Perry, was very cool. Being a bit gutless when it came to girls, I then prevailed upon Jace to get rid of my current girl friend - which he did. Her name was Maryjo Moles and she had very dry lips, unlike Marg whose lips were, and continue to be, very full and luscious. Jace didn’t take much convincing. Such nastiness was his forte.
Marg and I have been together ever since. Through high school, Vietnam, the Marine Corps, drugs of every hue, cockroaches in Naval Housing, no money, Simpson and Brown, alcohol to excess, plenty money, two fine sons, one fine dog, two beautiful daughters in law, and two (working on three) amazing grandchildren. She’s stayed by me through it all. Her love is always true and strong. It’s really quite an honor to be on the receiving end. I don’t pretend to understand it, particularly when my behavior is at times so poor. I just know when I look in her eyes, it’s there. We should all be so blessed.