A Valentine to my Couple Friends

You weren’t expecting today to be a romantic day in the mountains together, right? Good – because it snowed a bunch and you two are my favorite ski buddies. Bacon sounds great, I’ll drive if you make the breakfast sandwiches!

Today, it felt only right to ask you to be my Valentine. First, I wanted to say thanks. I mean, sure, I put up with a lot. I listen to you two bicker about whose fault it is that the dog has diarrhea or accuse one another of hiding ski socks (I think they’re at my house FYI). I put up with arguments about driving techniques (I can settle this – you’re both bad drivers), water bottle size, and so much mundane unimportant crap that sometimes I want to stuff your faces in the snow and yell, “IT’S THE UNIVERSE’S FAULT YOUR DOG ATE THREE STICKS OF BUTTER OFF THE COUNTER, DUMMIES!” But I don’t, because you guys put up with me in return. I know that hearing the unending minutia of my dating life is probably pretty boring. There’s days when you might want to be able to make out on the skin track without someone making gagging noises and yelling to “get a room”. You might not want to always let me have the middle seat on the three person chairlift because it’s “snugglier”.

But that’s part of the appeal of this relationship, right? We’re at an age where it’s equally acceptable to be sending out wedding invitations as it is to be re-declaring your undying commitment to your ski set up. Hanging out with you two makes me remember that being in a relationship isn’t all loving googly eyes, built in adventure buddies and unicorn rainbow farts. My singleness probably reminds you how awful it was pre insert-significant-other-here. It’s pretty great to wake up each morning and say to the love of your life, “What adventure do you want to get into today?”,  isn’t it? Good – make that plan, then call me too.

I want to thank you for not making it weird. Thank you for loving me in all my indecision and crazy with all your partnered, committed selves. Is it strange that sitting in the backseat of the car while you two bicker about nonsense makes me feel kind of warm and fuzzy? There’s something about being welcomed in to the most intimate act of arguing about nothing that makes me know you trust me. I feel that love, even as I roll my eyes and try passive aggressively to change the subject. I’m so glad you haven’t slowly morphed into the “couple that only invites other couples” couple. I’ll admit, I was nervous – particularly when dogs started getting adopted and shiny engagement rings started getting tossed around. But you still make me feel like the smartest, funest wheel on the tricycle. You guys are the best. I’ll clean up the dog diarrhea, don’t even worry about it.

Some of you I met as couples. Others are stuck with me because your significant other and I made friends earlier in life and I have sea urchin like attachment and a lack of boundaries that ends up in inviting myself over for chocolate chip pancakes on a regular basis. To those of you who inherited the sea urchin along with your now girlfriend/boyfriend – a biggest thanks to you. YOU have become my favorite Valentines, you sweet extra bonus human attached to my already favorite friend human. I know you didn’t have much choice in our friendship, but I sure am glad it’s worked out. Wiggling myself into the love laser beam crossfire between you two is the sweetest even if, well, see earlier comment regarding boundary issues and breakfast.

Anyways, I guess on this day of all days I should make my own bacon and let you have a little private time. But we could still catch a half day up on the mountain…

Cheers to you, Valentines!

 

Category : Essays, Friends, Snowstorms
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