Welcome to another edition of Open Book Blog Hop. This week’s question is: “If you could invite anyone in the world to be your dinner guest, who would you invite?”
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To tell the truth, I can’t think of anyone I would invite to my home for dinner. Although I enjoy eating dinner at other people’s houses, not being much of a cook, I’ve never relished the idea of having dinner guests.
On the other hand, my late husband Bill loved parties. After we became engaged in 2005, he threw a barbecue at his home, inviting at least fifty people, including members of my family. So, after he suffered his first stroke, I volunteered to host our annual Range Writers Christmas party, knowing how much he would enjoy the festivities and how difficult it might have been to get him into someone else’s house in his wheelchair.
Fortunately, it was pot luck. So, I didn’t have to do much cooking. And how did Bill thank me for my efforts? He hit on another woman. Well, he didn’t mean to do that. As you’ll see from the following excerpt from My Ideal Partner, being totally blind, he didn’t realize I wasn’t sitting next to him when he suddenly extended his hand and said, “I love you, honey.”
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As I mentioned before, one side effect of a stroke is that the person has little control over emotions. Often while listening to a talking book or email message, Bill would start bawling because the material moved him. When I sat next to him, even in public, he frequently put his arm around me and told me he loved me. As we all sat in the living room, laughing and chatting, Bill extended his hand to the woman sitting on the couch next to his recliner, thinking it was me. “I love you, honey,” he said.
From across the room, I heard and saw everything. “Oh, sweetie, that’s Mary,” I said.
Embarrassed, Mary rose and offered to trade places with me. As I sat down next to Bill and took his hand, I said, “I turn my back for ten seconds, and you’re hitting on another woman.” He laughed, and so did everyone else.
After that, I always made sure I sat next to him at parties, and if that wasn’t possible, he always knew where I was.
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How about you? If you could invite anyone in the world to dinner, who would it be? You can click here to participate and read what other bloggers have to say.
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Now, I have one exciting event to announce, and I hope you’ll be able to take advantage of it. Why Grandma Doesn’t Know Me, The Red Dress, and My Ideal Partner are now absolutely free as part of the Smashwords end-of-year sale, which will run until December 31st. You can click here for more information and to download these books.
New! Why Grandma Doesn’t Know Me
Copyright 2021 by Abbie Johnson Taylor.
Independently published with the help of DLD Books.
Sixteen-year-old Natalie’s grandmother, suffering from dementia and confined to a wheelchair, lives in a nursing home and rarely recognizes Natalie. But one Halloween night, she tells her a shocking secret that only she and Natalie’s mother know. Natalie is the product of a one-night stand between her mother, who is a college English teacher, and another professor.
After some research, Natalie learns that people with dementia often have vivid memories of past events. Still not wanting to believe what her grandmother has told her, she finds her biological father online. The resemblance between them is undeniable. Not knowing what else to do, she shows his photo and website to her parents.
Natalie realizes she has some growing up to do. Scared and confused, she reaches out to her biological father, and they start corresponding.
Her younger sister, Sarah, senses their parents’ marital difficulties. At Thanksgiving, when she has an opportunity to see Santa Claus, she asks him to bring them together again. Can the jolly old elf grant her request?
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My Corner 