04 September 2009

A conversation with J-: She could make that happen pretty easily

My wife and I have recently been looking wishfully at houses that are pretty far from Chicago, out where prices are lower and space is more plentiful. Being as disorganized as we are, we know that whenever this happens, it will mean a huge disruption in one or more areas of our lives.

For instance, if we bought one of the houses in a particular town we've been scouting before that $8,000 tax credit offer expires on December 1, J- would be looking at either a 3-hour daily commute each way, or some kind of other temporary living arrangement for 6 months, until the end of the school year.

After considering for awhile yesterday (on the phone during J-'s already long commute) all the many paths our lives might take in the coming months, I accidentally signaled the end of our discussion, as I often do, by clashing in tone with my much more earnestly speculating wife:

J-: I mean, it'd be really hard on both of us. You'd be alone with the kids all week, day and night... you'd basically be a single parent.

Me: Does that mean I could date?

J-: ... No.

Fellas, I highly suggest you try this one at home yourself next time you're tired of being taken so seriously as an adult having a serious conversation at the end of a long workday. It's totally worth it!

8 comments:

Badass Geek said...

I will have to keep this in mind the next time I'm looking to spend the night on the couch.

unmitigated me said...

Ha ha ha. NO. I would have replied, "Sure. As long as it's mutual."
No train ride available between said 'burb and current school-ish? Every car commute in Chicago sucks.

Mama Dawg said...

I'm surprised she actually let you live to write this blog post.

Unless you're doing it from the hospital.

Kori said...

Ha. Single parents don't date anyway.

Ron said...

That might go over like Hitler at a bar mitzvah.

Ironically I used to be a sales manager for one of the largest homebuilders in Chicago so I know exactly what you're all talking about.

Plus I used to commute from Lakeview to Hoffman Estates. Made me want to poke my eyeballs out with the gear shifter. But it was worth it to be so far away from the office that they couldn't call you in spur of the moment.

The Stiletto Mom said...

My husband loves that line, but as soon as I say, "sure if it means I can date..." he pretty quickly changes his tune.

Good luck on the house, that is just not an easy call on timing and moving is always such a mess!

Leslie said...

I suppose you were just trying to avoid the possibility of a third baby, right?

Irrational Dad said...

HA! I feel that I've got the opposite of a filter. I tend to spit out whatever inappropriateness enters my thoughts. Glad to see it may be a Y chromosome thing, and that it's not just me.