What passes for decision-making in the Pom Household, or The Cape Cod Two-Step:
Tuesday, sunny and clear:
Mrs. Pom: I am so jonesing for the Cape! I need to be at Nauset!
Mr. Pom: It would be nice....
Wednesday night:
Mr. Pom: We are so going to the Cape! We are getting on the road, baby!
Thursday night:
Mrs. Pom: Can you believe what a glorious day it was? It was 62 - I can't wait to leave for the Cape!
Mr. Pom: I know!
Mrs. Pom: I know, too - I could leave right after court! How early can you leave?
Mr. Pom: I can't leave early, you know that.
Mrs. Pom: For pity's sake - can't you have a dentist appointment?
Mr. Pom: No - I actually have one next week. Fridays are bad, I can't leave early. Don't start a big thing.
Mrs. Pom: Then let's take Monday off.
Mr. Pom: Mondays are bad. I can't take Mondays. Don't start.
Mrs. Pom: I'm exhausted. It's too much to run up there Friday night and back on Sunday. And Cucciolo never sleeps when we are there. Can we kennel him?
Mr. Pom: Are you crazy? We kenneled him two weekends ago, it's a fortune!
Mrs. Pom: We always get there at 11:00 p.m. and the dog is now wide awake and then we make him go in his crate, and he wakes up at 6:00, and we're grouchy and exhausted all weekend.
Mr. Pom: All right, let's just stay home. It's too much pressure.
Mrs. Pom: Hmmmpf!
Friday morning:
Mr. Pom: I just walked the dogs, it's 30 degrees and raining like crazy.
Mrs. Pom: Do you still want to go?
Mr. Pom: I dunno; I guess.
Mrs. Pom: I'll call you when court is done.
Later:
Mrs. Pom: I'm done. If we leave now, we'll miss the heavy rain.
Mr. Pom: I don't know, it's horrible out, I'm tired, my back is killing me.
Mrs. Pom: Let me call you after lunch.
Later still:
Mrs. Pom checks email from Mr. Pom:
"We have to go whether it's fun or not because we have to make sure the house is okay."
Mrs. Pom calls Mr. Pom: So we're going.
Mr. Pom: I'm not sure, what do you think?
Mrs. Pom: I can barely keep my eyes open.
Mr. Pom: We need to go, but I can't leave early and you have to drive part of the way because of my back.
Mrs. Pom: What?? I don't feel well. Then we have to leave early because I can't drive for 4 hours in the dark and rain. Let's go Satuday morning.
Mr. Pom: I hate that! Drive up one day and back the next? Only if we leave at 4:00 a.m. so we can be there by 8:00.
Mrs. Pom: 4 a.m.! Are you out of your mind? 6:00!
Mr. Pom: Then we won't get on the road until 8:00! We should go today.
Mrs. Pom. I work to do , this is getting nowhere, I'll see you at home.
Later still:
Mrs. Pom: Hey - I left work, I took the dog for her check up, and now I'm home, let's go.
Mr. Pom Go where??
Mrs. Pom: To the Cape!
Mr. Pom: What? We agreed to go tomorrow, you were too tired.
Mrs. Pom: Well, now I'm home and packed and if you leave we could hit the road.
Mr. Pom: Are you kidding me? This is nuts. Now I don't know what to do.....
Mrs. Pom: (clenched teeth) Decide!
Mr. Pom: You convinced me to go tomorrow.
Mrs. Pom: Then you have to pick up the other dog because I'm already home.
Mr. Pom: What?? If I have to drive all the way up there then we might as well leave now.
Mrs. Pom: NO, I need to take a nap, I feel awful.
Mr. Pom: Oh my lord. I'm hanging up.
Mrs. Pom: Hmmpf.
30 years, friends, and yet, it never gets old. Love you, Mr. Pom!
