Thursday
Jun092011
The Inimitable Dr. Deieuew And Our Tenth Wedding Anniversary
Thursday, June 9, 2011
I was texting back and forth with the Palinode the other day, and because I was feeling somewhat nostalgic with the lead-up to our tenth wedding anniversary, I thought to mention the inimitable Dr. Deieuew.
This is the only picture of our wedding that I have access to on the internet. We did not actually wear moose heads at our wedding.
The inimitable Dr. Deieuew came into being while the Palinode and I were dating more than a decade ago. We were playing a round of Scrabble one afternoon...
I have to stop mid-sentence to point out that I look very fondly upon my memories of playing Scrabble with the Palinode. You know those jokes about how women never perform fellatio again after the wedding night? Well, if you replace "women" with "the Palinode" and "perform fellatio" with "Scrabble", it's true. After we were married, he confessed to not liking Scrabble at all and only using it as a tool to seduce me. This nerd who wears a Scrabble tile pendant feels so betrayed.
Anyway, we were playing a round of Scrabble, *sniff*, and he had the letters DEIEUEW on his rack, which struck us as a rather funny name for a Belgian doctor. Why? There is no why. There is only funny when it strikes two foolish people falling in love with one another. He became "the inimitable Dr. Deieuew", because what would Dr. Deieuew be if not inimitable, especially since the pronunciation of his name places emphasis on each individual letter while being drawn out long and snooty-like through the nose?
The inimitable Dr. Day-ee-yew-oo-ee-yoo.
I pretend that I look like a snobby, rat-faced, old lady with a lace collar up to my earlobes while I say it in order to get the pronunciation just right.
This memory all leads up to my texting about the inimitable Dr. Deieuew to the Palinode the other night. I had forgotten the exact spelling of the name, so I while I tried to work it out, my iPhone's autocorrect function was going through some rather mysterious phonetic contortions to try to figure out what I was typing, and it settled on "Furioso".
How autocorrect settled on Dr. Furioso, I have no idea — it is not ours to understand autocorrect's ways — but I have been thinking about Dr. Furioso ever since. Is he, too, inimitable? Does he know our inimitable Dr. Deieuew? Is he an Italian colleague of the inimitable Dr. Deieuew, or, perhaps, even an alter-ego, a clever flip-side foil to the inimitable Dr. Deieuew's inimitability?
It is deep matters such as these that occupy my brain when it comes to matters of love. It is my tenth wedding anniversary, and all I can write about is the inimitable Dr. Deieuew and the mysterious Dr. Furioso.
This kind of misdirection has long been an issue for me when it comes to matters of romance. The first time the Palinode told me he loved me, it went something like this:
"I love you," he said.
"My shoelaces are dirty. I think I need to bleach them," I replied.
I am a fan of love, and I am sappy as can be, but any direct mention of love and sweetness aimed at me has me pointing in the opposite direction and shouting Look over there!
By all of which — Scrabble, the inimitable Dr. Deieuew, Dr. Furioso, and my dirty shoelaces — I mean to say that ten years ago today, right now, the Palinode and I were saying I do just as two swallows swooped above our heads as though to say Yes, and I would never go back, I would never erase one moment of our ten years together, not the cancer, not the broken back, and not the myriad other slings and arrows that time has thrown at us like depression and alcoholism and whatnot, because I am, all of me, better and brighter and happier with him than I ever hoped I could be before I knew I loved him.
Thank you, Palinode. You have, quite literally, given me my life. You foster possibilities I could never find alone. I love you.
This is the only picture of our wedding that I have access to on the internet. We did not actually wear moose heads at our wedding.
The inimitable Dr. Deieuew came into being while the Palinode and I were dating more than a decade ago. We were playing a round of Scrabble one afternoon...
I have to stop mid-sentence to point out that I look very fondly upon my memories of playing Scrabble with the Palinode. You know those jokes about how women never perform fellatio again after the wedding night? Well, if you replace "women" with "the Palinode" and "perform fellatio" with "Scrabble", it's true. After we were married, he confessed to not liking Scrabble at all and only using it as a tool to seduce me. This nerd who wears a Scrabble tile pendant feels so betrayed.
Anyway, we were playing a round of Scrabble, *sniff*, and he had the letters DEIEUEW on his rack, which struck us as a rather funny name for a Belgian doctor. Why? There is no why. There is only funny when it strikes two foolish people falling in love with one another. He became "the inimitable Dr. Deieuew", because what would Dr. Deieuew be if not inimitable, especially since the pronunciation of his name places emphasis on each individual letter while being drawn out long and snooty-like through the nose?
The inimitable Dr. Day-ee-yew-oo-ee-yoo.
I pretend that I look like a snobby, rat-faced, old lady with a lace collar up to my earlobes while I say it in order to get the pronunciation just right.
This memory all leads up to my texting about the inimitable Dr. Deieuew to the Palinode the other night. I had forgotten the exact spelling of the name, so I while I tried to work it out, my iPhone's autocorrect function was going through some rather mysterious phonetic contortions to try to figure out what I was typing, and it settled on "Furioso".
How autocorrect settled on Dr. Furioso, I have no idea — it is not ours to understand autocorrect's ways — but I have been thinking about Dr. Furioso ever since. Is he, too, inimitable? Does he know our inimitable Dr. Deieuew? Is he an Italian colleague of the inimitable Dr. Deieuew, or, perhaps, even an alter-ego, a clever flip-side foil to the inimitable Dr. Deieuew's inimitability?
It is deep matters such as these that occupy my brain when it comes to matters of love. It is my tenth wedding anniversary, and all I can write about is the inimitable Dr. Deieuew and the mysterious Dr. Furioso.
This kind of misdirection has long been an issue for me when it comes to matters of romance. The first time the Palinode told me he loved me, it went something like this:
"I love you," he said.
"My shoelaces are dirty. I think I need to bleach them," I replied.
I am a fan of love, and I am sappy as can be, but any direct mention of love and sweetness aimed at me has me pointing in the opposite direction and shouting Look over there!
By all of which — Scrabble, the inimitable Dr. Deieuew, Dr. Furioso, and my dirty shoelaces — I mean to say that ten years ago today, right now, the Palinode and I were saying I do just as two swallows swooped above our heads as though to say Yes, and I would never go back, I would never erase one moment of our ten years together, not the cancer, not the broken back, and not the myriad other slings and arrows that time has thrown at us like depression and alcoholism and whatnot, because I am, all of me, better and brighter and happier with him than I ever hoped I could be before I knew I loved him.
Thank you, Palinode. You have, quite literally, given me my life. You foster possibilities I could never find alone. I love you.
Reader Comments (17)
Happy 10th Anniversary to you and "the inimitable Dr. Deieuew!"
at least he pretended to like Scrabble for you - my husband didn't even fake it and 13 years (7 married) later he has not played one game w/ me.
Go celebrate in style! :)
Happy Happy, Joy, Joy!! I know the miracle of love as well. Franzen can kiss my married ass 'cause I know there are at least 2 happy marriages out there, yours and mine. I love love, I believe in love, I believe in you and the Palinode. Thank you...
XO
Bobbi
Sniff. True love is so awesome. And so, so rare.
Wow what an inspiring story of real love, loss, and renewed life. Thanks for sharing!
Why didn't you tell me you were a Scrabble junkie? Happy 10th anniversary! We would wear the Moose Heads down here, but don't have access to those really Cool ones... I will look forward to playing Scrabble some idle night via the internets! Do you know an app for that? I've heard of Words with Friends, but think it's a Different game...
Happy Anniversary. I am not a Scrabble fan either but never deluded anyone prior to nuptials. My husband is happy playing multiple games of Words with Friends simultaneously.
Awwwwwwwwwww!!!! *tear* Happy Anniversary you two!!!
Also, this: "I am a fan of love, and I am sappy as can be, but any direct mention of love and sweetness aimed at me has me pointing in the opposite direction and shouting Look over there!" ... a big ME TOO.
Ten years is no small feat these days. We're coming on our 10th as well and I think it's a good one. After 10 years I am still ridiculous, but I can finally appreciate what I have. Congratulations, and here's to many more anniversaries to come.
Happy anniversary. you two crazy kids. I honestly cannot think of two people I (sort of) know, that seem quite so damn right.
Also: I'd assume that Dr. Furioso is a lead character in an opera, loosely based upon a meeting of The Island of Dr. Moreau and Mad Men.
You're making me all teary eyed over here. You guys are one of my favourite couples of all time, and I hope that I find something, someday, that comes close to what you have together. Happy anniversary, and here's to another decade of awesomeness!
You guys are the cutest couple EVAR. Congrats on 10 wonderful years and here's to an eternity more! Dr. Furioso could be Dr. Deioiyu (sp?) alter ego.
Wow, I think I used to pretend to like scrabble because husband liked it. He always beat me, the bastard. Also, bowling. Isn't it funny how those little things we think will matter then don't matter much when we are together?
Playing Scrabble to seduce someone...hmmm, maybe I need to be trying that. Happy anniversary, you two.
That is an inimitable love letter. Well done and happy 10 years. May the two of you have many, many more.
Happy, belated, Anniversary! Here's to another 60 years! (60, because I'm generous like that.)
Happy Anniversary!! So happy for you!!
I'm a bit weepy I have to say. Thanks for this lovely glimpse into your life. Dr.Furioso would be a great name for a band. I think we should start one.
happy anniversary!