LIFE AFTER LIFE

In costume at my home away from 
home.

WARNING: Egocentric essay ahead. Proceed at your own risk.

I spent last week working on the finale of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Having been in its very first episode, it was nice to be there for the end. 

It was also the first time since getting laid off from my previous job a decade ago that I worked five straight days. Most of the week I was up so early it was still dark upon getting off the subway in Brooklyn. My typical time for coming home was roughly 10:30 or 11:00 p.m. The big exception was Friday, when I tiptoed in the door at 3:00 in the morning. The glamor of show business!

This left my wife Sue in the extremely unusual position of having the apartment to herself most of the time. Seeing that I do the shopping, cooking, and, usually, the laundry, and operate the Blu-Ray player and the DVR so we can zip through the commercials, AND know which streaming platforms for the other series and movies we watch, I was concerned for Sue's wellbeing. Or, rather, my job security as chef/electronics whiz/shopper-in-chief.

It brought back memories of the first year or two of background work, when, working late, particularly in the wilds of, say, Tuxedo Park, I would receive  concerned calls and texts from the little lady, along the lines of How are you? Are you coming home soon? I miss you!

How can I get him out of the house for
another week?

How times have changed! Last week, when texting from the set at 9:00 p.m., I'd ask with great concern, "How was your day?" As in, Have you eaten anything? Are you wearing clean underwear? Are you still alive?!

Not only was she doing just fine, it turned out she was having the time of her life without my presence. In fact, it sounded like she preferred living the quasi-single life. 

How well was Sue getting along? She not only figured out how to place an Amazon order for her mother, she knew enough to use the right credit card. So much for job security! 

Don't believe that Howdy Doody smile.

I suppose it's good to know that if something were to happen to me, Sue would be able get along just swell. What concerns me now is that she might be looking forward to it. It reminded of when Katie Couric took up with a younger man a year or so after her husband died. Her friends, who knew her when she was married, were all quoted as saying, "I've never seen her so happy!" 

This is not what the ghost of a man wants to hear about his still-breathing wife. And here I was getting a similar message while still walking the earth! 

Looks like it's time to buy all new electronic equipment and immediately throw away the operating manuals. Even if she misses me only for not being able to skip commercials, I'll rest in peace.

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