Couldn't Iron Out Our Differences

It's strange how certain stories stick in our head and only need acasual associations to bring them to the forefont.

As I glanced at the section of the paper that just offers mostly fluff pieces, I came across the daily tips section that brought back memories I had repressed for ages.

It was in the How-To section titled "The Right Way to Iron". I just briefly glanced at it since I had been ironing my own shirts since before I was a teenager. However, it reminded of the girl I date in high school and college and the roller-coaster ride we called a relationship.

While she had other redeeming qualities, ironing was not one of them. In high school, she bought me a dress shirt for Christmas. She tried to iron it before she put it in the box for wrapping. But I really couldn't tell if she ironed it or just knotted it into a ball and left it in the bottom of the closet for a month before she put it in the box.

Years later, she asked me to teach her to iron a shirt. I broke my standing rule of not showing the girl I'm dating the "proper way" to do anything. It may be Neil's Way, but it may not always be the right way - something about a million ways to skin a cat. Anyway, to fast forward to the end of that doomed exercise, she walked away feeling frustrated, castigated, and chastised. Apparently, I am not a good teacher when it comes to showing another how to iron a shirt. While I was trying to show her my way of ironing, she took my instructions to mean the only way.

And stubborn to a fault (both of us), the home economics session ended up a heated argument hotter than the iron.

While there were more serious reasons our relationship ended (too many to enumerate, in fact), the story above was mentioned in The Final Discussion.

Like I said at the beginning, it's strange the stories our memories choose to store.

And by the way, I've been working on two different entries that I've kept in storage until I can finish. So, for upcoming attractions, you'll soon read about this year's adventures at the State Fair last Saturday.

I also have some pictures I need to get developed to post. So stay tuned.