Pleasant

My friend and I are trying to spur each other into writing more often. We have a list of concepts that are meant to give us a jump start. Pleasant? I know what I think of as pleasant. Cozy. Comforting. Carefree. But, I had to look up the definition.

pleas·ant
/ˈplez(ə)nt/
adjective
1. giving a sense of happy satisfaction or enjoyment.“a very pleasant evening”

( Ahem) not to mention the lukewarm quality I have always attributed to the word. As my husband would say, “like kissing your sister.“ Meh! but I’ll be positive.

No. I can’t.

When an event or time spent is described with the word “pleasant”, it lacks passion – sometimes with intention. My daughter chose a pleasant movie on Netflix at the end of a busy and stressful day. I realize it fits the definition. Pleasant falls under the heading of “harmless”.

I remember the time when we were young-marrieds raising four little kids. Money was scarce and time was, perhaps, more scarce. We took our leisure time alone because we couldn’t afford babysitters.

I don’t know if it was his carefree attitude or resistance to life at the time but my husband was prone to overstaying his leave. When he was late my imagination would run wild. I could picture his car mangled against a tree. How could I cope as a single mother?

When he would turn up safe my anger would be just as untamable as my mind had been.

One night I was ironing when he returned. (A bad sign – I never iron unless I need an item of clothing or I’m really, really mad.) I’m sure he saw me through the window and grabbed a lifeline, he brought his friend in with him and introduced me, “This is my wife, and really, she is very pleasant.“

Grr!. You can tell how much it rankled because I still remember it with a certain amount of angst. Pleasant? “What did you tell him before,” I asked, “that you had to qualify your introduction?”

I prefer intensity. Love it or hate it. Have a ball or be miserable. It’s a gorgeous day or a horrid rainstorm. Don’t give me pleasant because I don’t have enough time left in life for half measures.

So there!

XXOO