My Prince

     Jerry was my prince.  My knight in shining armor.  Everyone knows I am about an inch taller than him.  It never bothered me.  He said it didn't bother him either.  Brenda told me that when he was telling her he was getting married, he said I was tall!  He always called me his amazon queen.
     Jerry had been retired for almost two years.  During that time, he took superb care of Sam and me.  He would get up at 5:30 a.m. on a school day with me.  I begged him to sleep in, but he said he would not.  So, while I showered, he would come in and kiss me through the shower curtain and then go and pack my lunch.  Every morning for two years.  He would also get out my bowl and put a packet of instant oatmeal and a spoon in it.  By then, I would be out of the shower with makeup on and go to the kitchen and make my oatmeal.  We would sit and watch five minutes of school while we ate together.
     My school is only a two minute drive from our house.  Jerry would kiss me goodbye after walking me to the car, no matter what the weather was like.  Every morning!  Then, as soon as I got into the library, I had to call and tell him I was safe.  If I didn't call soon enough, he would call me.  He even drove up there a couple of times to check on me since I had gotten detained and hadn't called.  Then, everyday after lunch duty, at 11:45, I called to see how his morning went and talk for a few minutes.  At 3:34 when I was on the way to get Sam, I would call him.  Sam would call as soon as he got into the car.  I once counted on caller id that I had called him seven times during the day.  Why all the calls?  Because we were so very important to each other.  Life seemed so perfect. 
     Jerry also did the grocery shopping, laundry and house cleaning.  Why?  He didn't want me be so tired after working.  I couldn't call him a house husband or Mr. Mom.  But his baby girl could.  Josie told me they talked during the day sometimes trading household hints!  Jerry also painted the kitchen cabinets white for us.  The  job took longer that he every imagined because of the old paint that he didn't think had to be removed first.  As soon as he painted with the new paint, the old paint bubbled up and he had to sand each door and drawer to bare wood.  I have the picture of him standing in front of our beautiful kitchen cabinets, so proud of his work.  Sam and I will finish the kitchen counters and back splash for him.
     Jerry was proud of the way he took care of us.  He put his heart and soul into making our home perfect, just as had put everything in his teaching or any other thing he did.  He was a prince among men.  He was my prince.