Couple

Couple: to connect for consideration together; to join for combined effect; to fasten together; to bring into such close proximity as to permit mutual influence; to join in marriage.

Mutual influence. I never thought about couples in this way. Sometimes I think the influence is not so mutual but is actually more one sided. This is a photo of Richard's parents. It is a photo of Kathryn and Owen before marriage. I think Owen was the stronger influence. Kathryn learned to love to shoot a gun, bait a hook, and participate in anything that would take her outdoors and eventually connect her to her three boys. She was unafraid of critters and creatures. One time, after Richard and I were married and trying to grow something or anything in our first yard, I ventured into the woods with Kathryn to look for wild fern to transplant. I asked , "what shall we do if we see a snake?" I am terrified of a snake or anything resembling a snake. She said we would run. Of course we saw a rather large snake and I ran for the truck. I turned to see her beating that snake with a stick. She was remorseful and did not want me to tell Richard she had killed that snake because it was one of the good ones.

To join for combined effect. Sally and Jimmy were like that. They were especially like that when they danced. Watching them dance together was a magical experience. They danced with fire in their eyes and smiles on their faces. I don't think they knew another soul was witness to their dancing. I think they were happiest when they danced together. Their bodies moved so well together. Their steps never looked old fashioned or out of style. Their moves seem to fit whatever genre of music was faddish at the time. I have seen them look at each other just as they are in the photo a thousand times. I can't remember when they stopped dancing together. The last time I remember them dancing was twenty years ago one New Year's Eve. Mom would have been about my age. She fell that night on the dance floor and broke her arm. She had a fit at the hospital because they wanted to cut her new sweater in order to get to that arm. I know dad thinks about those dances with mom. I am sorry that style of dancing went out of fashion. I would love to see that combined effect one more time.

To connect for consideration together. Richard and I are so young in this photo. He was my best friend. An older guy that gave me advice.It is so ironic that one piece of advice was do not get married to anyone until you finish college. I thought he was quite handsome and so smart. This photo was taken the day he left for California to go to Coast Guard boot camp. In that day we still wrote letters. I have often thought that Richard and I fell in love compliments of the US Postal service. I still have poetry I wrote to him, letters he wrote to me. Photos back and forth as if we thought the change in six months would be too drastic. He finished boot camp. I finished high school. He was to be sent to Corpus Christi, TX. I have always thought he was just plain lonely in Texas. I can't even remember how marriage came up. The wedding. The hottest day on record in June ever. The trip to Corpus. We both did a lot of growing up. Especially me. I had never lived away from my family. I started college and was married all in the same year. We grew up together. I think this makes each more considerate. Richard had given me a copy of "The Prophet" by Kahlil Gibran. Gibran describes marriage as two trees with joined roots but that shade one another and allow growth. I think our marriage has been like that. We are connected for consideration together.