Hey, you in the t-shirt

Hey, you in the t-shirt.  Yes, with the curly red beard.  Hi.  You look like the kind of guy who likes going to Bell's brewery downtown and you're totes excited about the Arcadia that's going in down by the river.  Now we can have a Michigan craft-brew smackdown every weekend, amiright?  Su-weeeeeeeeeeeet.


Anyway, I saw you walking into the grocery store as I was walking out on Monday morning.  You by yourself.  Me with my five kids.  I smiled at you because I read what was on your t-shirt.  You smiled at me and I think it was because you wanted to say "good job, mama."  I mean, I could just tell you weren't smiling back at me.  The smile happened right away.  Anyway, I just wanted to thank you for that shirt you were wearing.  It said "Marriage: In It For Life."

Now maybe I should feel bummed that "these days" it's revulationary-ish for a young guy to take a public stance like that, but I just can't manage to drag any sadness out from underneath all this bubbling glee.  I mean, your wife wasn't with you.  She didn't make you wear that shirt.  You weren't trying to impress her or anything.  It seems to me that you're just proud of being married or something.  And hotdang that makes me happy.

I didn't say anything about it.  The six of us trotted off to our messy mini-van to start phase two of the most exhausting chore of the week, and I kind of forgot about you for a few minutes.  Until we we were pulling out of the parking lot and my 12 year old daughter who was riding in the passenger seat next to me said "I saw a guy walking in as we were walking out.  His shirt said....."

And she liked it.  It made her 12 year old heart happy the same way it made my heart happy.  I bet it makes your wife's heart happy to see it, too.  So thanks.   Thanks for setting an example for the boys who totally think your beard is rad.  Thanks for making my Monday great.  And thanks for not being scared to be proud of being a husband.