Scene 1, 1 month ago
Setting: A small condo unit. Living room. A couple is sitting on a couch, staring at the blank white wall across them. Below the white blank space they’re staring into, a TV sits.
Husband: What poster would you like to put there?
Wife: I think a painting would be nice.
H: Starry Nights by Van Gogh?
W: Nah, it’s something I’d choose for the bedroom, not the living room.
H: Hmmm. I know! Can I hang a framed poster of Hellboy?
W: No. He scares me.
H: What about Daredevil?
W: No! I don’t like Ben Affleck.
H: Spiderman?
W: No.
H: The Hulk!
W: He’s creepy and the movie sucked. No.
H: What do you like?
W: They say you should put a picture of something positive in the living room. Something you’ve been dreaming of and stuff. What about a picture of Italy?
H: (stares blankly at W)
W: A house in the countryside?
H: (shakes his head)
W: At this rate, we won’t have a painting up there. What if we have our Ninong paint us something?
H: That’d take him forever.
W: You’re right. This blank space can’t wait forever.
H: Why don’t we go shopping? There are some posters at Fully Booked.
W: Okay!
Scene 2, Later in the Day
Setting: Poster section of O, the record store at Power Plant. Husband and Wife are sorting through the posters on opposite ends of the poster rack.
H: The Simpsons?
W: No. Oh wow Justin Timberlake!!!
H: (stares at W)
W: I was kidding!
H: The Matrix!
W: Too dark.
H: Aww this is cute. Daisy and Donald watching the sunset.
W: That’s soooo cute!!!
H: Maybe some other time.
W: Yeah maybe.
H: (sorts some more and stops at one poster) Found it.
W: (goes over to H’s side) Woah! You sure this is okay with you?
H: You love this, don’t you? And you like him?
W: Well yeah, but what about you?
H: We’re both fans of the show. And it’s not like you don’t like the lead actor.
W: Are you serious? (squealing)
H: I’ll have this framed in a couple of days. You like this?
W: Yes!
Scene 3, 1 month after. Well, last night.
Setting: A small condo unit. Living room. Wife is sitting on a couch, staring at the poster across her, then looks back down at the TV. She is watching Star World. She glances back at the poster.
W: (looks at the poster) Ang gwapo mo!!! You’re so cute!!! (looks at the TV) Hayyy ang gwapo! (gets her phone and sends a text message to H) Hi hon. 1st episode ng Smallville tonight sa Star World. I’m watching it again.
The “compromise:”
Hi! I'm Toni Tiu,
and I've been blogging at
at Wifely Steps since 2003. This started as a blog to help newly weds adjust to married life. It has evolved into a home and parenting blog. I write about things close to my heart -- good eats, good reads, family, marriage, and the little things that make everyday happy.