Bird or Beast
My husband often has problems retrieving the names of things. He’s always been that way, otherwise I might worry he’s developing dementia or something. Fortunately for us it just seems to be one of those things about him.
At times it can be pretty frustrating, and we’ve ended up in more than one argument simply becuase I have no idea what he’s talking about. But over the years I’ve developed quite a talent for figuring out what he means. For example, he’ll ask for “one of those things you eat with.” That means a fork.
Occasionally his loss of, or misuse of names will result in something quite comical. Last night as we were driving was one of those times I found very amusing.
He says, “I just saw an emu. It wasn’t in a fence or anything, just back there next to the road.”
I was a little distracted at the moment, and this really didn’t catch my attention quite yet. There are fields here and there in our neighborhoods where you do see different types of animals. I probably just answered, “Hmmm.”
Then he says, “It might have been a llama, I’m not sure.”
Now I’m focused, because something just isn’t right here. “An emu? Or a llama?”
“Yes,” he says, “I’m not sure which one.”
“Honey,” I ask him, “Do you know what an emu is?”
Now he’s catching on that maybe he made a little goof. “Uh, well, I guess not.”
“Big bird, kind of like an ostrich.”
“Oh. I guess it was a llama.”
