Shannon's Brain - closed from 5pm-6:30am

Every evening Gary calls me to tell me he is on his way home. It is nice because I get to hear a summary of his day and relief in his voice because he gets to come home to us. It also lets me know when I should start dinner and let's face it, a little warning so I can make sure the messes of the day are cleaned up. This evening's call was a little scary and then very funny. I do not remember it word for word but here is the gist.


Ring...Ring...Ring


Shannon: Hello?

Gary: Hey, I'll see you tomorrow.


Now as soon I heard this I thought to myself "What? He is not coming home? And no explanation? He CANNOT leave me here alone with the kids. What can he possibly have to do?" I gathered my panicked thoughts enough to question what I heard.


Shannon: What?

Gary: What?

Shannon: Did you just tell me you will see me tomorrow?

Gary: Um, no. I was saying goodbye to Mark.

Shannon: Oh I thought were saying that you were not coming home tonight. I was getting ready to freak out.

Gary: (laughing) Yeah that would not be so good would it?


I read through this and the retelling is not that funny. I just thought it was interesting that I was really more concerned that he would not be here to help me wrestle the kids into bed than I was that he had somewhere else he would rather be. Sometimes by the end of the day I am so tired that the last tasks of the evening (baths, pjs, teeth, bedtime story, bedtime song etc.) seems too much. My brain could not even fully process the thought that my husband might not want to come home to me. I cannot process life changing news between the hours of 5pm and 6:30am. I am sorry my brain has left the building.