Cheers




We watch Cheers. It’s one of the things we do together. There’s no real rhyme or reason to it either. We have a subscription to Netflix. One evening after scrolling past the Cheers selection, I made a comment about it the show to my husband. Xavier then told me he never watched it much. I remember watching it often as a kid. It was on WPIX- Channel 11 in New York City. So I suggested we watch a few episodes. With nothing better to choose in mind, we did.

That was 5 seasons ago. Like many Americans who watched it nightly in the eighties, we sort of became hooked on it. I even made sure we sat through the theme song at least once, because Cheers and its theme song are synonymous.  So when we have time, we sit down and watch the cat and mouse chase between Sam and Diane. We watch Norm sit around and make sarcastic witty remarks about Vera, who we are never privy to see. Cliff,Carla, then Woody add their own piece of flair to the bar scene. And the best part, in my opinion, it’s all good clean TV for a show that takes place in a bar.  Not something I think I’d be able to find if a similar story-line was on television today. But I digress.

I have this bad habit of watching cheesy Christmas Romantic Comedies on Netflix when I can’t settle on anything else to watch. So I was watching such a movie today on the couch while both boys slept this afternoon. That alone is a rarity. To add to my pleasure and delight, I had a homemade late in hand and my house was clean. (It’s the simple things that make me happy.) I was watching a movie called Holiday Engagement.The mother of the main character in this movie is played by Shelly Long, who also plays Diane Chambers in Cheers. I didn't recognize her at first. It has, after all, been 20 years or so since her role as Diane. Then suddenly she made a facial expression that seemed all too familiar, and I knew I’d seen that look before. Then I paid attention to the sound of her voice, and sure enough, an older, matronly version of Diane Chambers appeared before me, still as snobby and stuck up as ever. I was so surprised and amused I knew I had to share this same experience with Xavier

So later tonight, I pulled the movie back to a scene with the mother of the main character of the movie. I fill in the general synopsis so Xavier knows a bit of what going on. The scene starts, and I ask him if he recognizes the woman in the scene. He watches her through a few lines and says “She seems familiar. But I can’t remember from where.” Then after a minute I said, “Ok, now close your eyes, and listen to her voice.”  He did so and immediately said, “Noooo!! Is that Diane??”  He opened his eyes and looked at the screen, with as much surprise and humor as I did earlier.  It was so funny to relive my own surprise and moment with him all over again.

Being able to share a moment like that with Xavier is what makes being married to him so much fun. Also what reminds me just how well suited for me he is. He isn't perfect. But I do believe he is perfect for me. I tell him he’s the love of my life, because it’s true. Few people in my opinion, can live with me for this long, daily, and still enjoy life with me to such a degree in spite of my shortcomings. Few people can put up with my incessant talking and my annoying optimism when things are looking bleak. Few people love me as wholly and generously as he does and choose to stay and smile about it. And to that I say, Cheers!




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