Long Distance Viewing

Have you ever lost an afternoon to a TV marathon? For us, it happens like this: we’re on our way out, or we’re getting up late, or we’re just getting home – whatever it is, it ends (or should I say begins?) with one of us turning on the TV and, lo and behold, it’s an episode of such and such reality show or of that one sitcom that we especially love, and – bang! – six hours later, we’re unmoved. We’ve 26.2ed it through more shows than I care to count. We are, as they say, experts.

And tonight is no different.

We’re watching Project Runway and we’re considering adding to the night a round of tequila shots. We don’t have any limes, though, and this lingers as a possible deal breaker.

“I’ll find some limes,” I say.

She laughs. “Where exactly are you going to find limes – in your secret stash of produce?”

I tell her I’ll find them somewhere. I even offer to go to the store. But she tells me it’s not really about the limes.

“I have a headache,” she says. “I just want to watch this and go to bed.”

It’s funny how the bottom can sometimes fall out of a moment. But then again, life’s not a party and sometimes there just aren’t any limes.

She falls asleep first and watching the light from the street ease across our bedroom, I can’t decide whether or not the night was a disappointment. We were together. We laughed. There were no shots, but it was low maintenance and rewarding enough. Plus, it was a Wednesday. Does that matter? I’m not sure that it does, or if it even should, but my conclusion on the matter is this: whether on DVD, bunny ears or cable, watching television shows marathon-style is something we have always done and will continue to do. Indeed, it is our sport. And when I look back at these childless, early-marriage years of our time together, I suspect I’ll remember this habit of ours with fondness. It’s nobody’s time to waste but our own, and as long as we’re doing it together, it’s really not a waste at all.

You can have your evenings out. We’re happy spending ours in.

And for the record, we’re gunning for Christian – the season is his to lose!