The list of items to pick up at the store was short. Really, I was being nice and writing it down for you to begin with, but that’s just how I am. There were five items and they were all for date night dinner.

You went off to work and took the list in your lunch. You tell me that you will pick up the wine at lunch and the groceries after work on the way home. All set.

Mid-morning I send you a message that you should get two bottles of wine instead of one. Then, I decide I want a different brand so you get another text.

You head off to the liquor store at lunch and ask me if I’m sure before you buy the two bottles. Yup. That’s what I want. You get back to the office and send me a picture of the wine. Mission accomplished.

We were going to have chicken for dinner, but now I feel like having you cook steak. Another message to you. And, really, instead of asparagus, maybe salad? Or maybe both?

Oh, we need tomatoes for the salad. And dressing. More messages. Oh, I just looked–we have asparagus, you don’t need that after all. So, of course, another message.

I notice that it is starting to rain and get a little gusty. It’s the desert so most of our storms are over quickly so I set the table and wait for you to get here. You pull in right about at the 30 minute mark and you come through the door frazzled.

“I lost the note,” you start before putting down the bags. “The wind took it out of my hand and blew it into a puddle. By the time I got there, I couldn’t read it. But I remembered all of it so we’re all good.”

I look through the bags. Wine. Check. Steak. Check. Tomatoes. Check. Salad dressing. Check. Salad…. missing.

I put the items on the counter and turn to him. “You don’t see something missing?”

“Shit! I even thought about the salad. I’ll go back,” you say, as you start to put on your jacket.

I pull off the jacket, shake my head and smile sweetly. “It’s fine. Make the steak and I will find something to put with the tomatoes. And I’ll pour the wine.”

“And after dinner, we’ll deal with your little memory problem appropriately…”