Herkamer sat watching a baseball game on television when a commercial appeared that said, “Why are you sitting on the couch when you could be out with your family on an exciting boat?” Herkamer couldn't answer that question, but the idea was now planted, and Herkamer took the bait, hook, line and sinker. Gertrude was working on a craft in the other room, so Herkamer got up, yelled out that he was going to the store for a few moments, and left out of the house.
He drove directly to the boat store where there were many beautiful brand new boats with all the accessories: Captain chairs, twin outboards, safety equipment, fish finders, etc, and the sign said, “Ready for the Ocean today!” A salesman asked him a few questions, told him a little about the boat, and Herkamer said, “I'll buy it!” That quickly, without any conversation with Gertrude at all, Herkamer signed the papers, took the loan, hooked the boat to his truck and began to drive it home. It was only then that he thought about Gertrude, so he began practicing his defense as he road home. “It'll be a family thing to do; we never get out, so this will get us out; I bought this for you because you love the ocean so much...” Then, he pulled into the driveway.
Gertrude heard the engine of Herkamer's truck and looked out the front window of her house. Her eyes widened, and fear covered her face. “Oh no,” she stated, “Not again.” She opened the door to greet him, and as he got out of the truck as though there was it was no big deal she said, “Herky, what have you done now?” “Um, “ Herkamer started sheepishly proud, “I bought a boat.” “Take it back,” Gertrude said and continued, “How many times do we have to go through this? You and I agreed to have a no questions spend limit when we got married of twenty five dollars. Did this boat cost you twenty five dollars? Did you forget how we agreed that if anything we wanted cost more than twenty five dollars we would discuss it first? Did you forget, Herky?” Herkamer bowed his head and said, “Um, I forgot, but don't you like it?” Gertrude said, “I love it. It's just the principle of the thing. We agreed, Herky. We agreed.”
Herkamer looked at the boat, then looked into Gertrude's eyes. He looked again at the boat, and he looked again into Gertrude's eyes. The eyes won, and Herkamer said, “Gerty, I'm sorry, would you mind going back to return this?” “No,” said Gertrude, “Let me go inside to get my purse.” Herkamer smiled as he realized there was no boat ride in the world worth as much as getting along with his Gerty. She rejoined him, climbed up in his truck to sit beside him, and they drove the boat back to the store.
Stay tuned for more Herkamer and Gertrude stories. Same blog spot. Same blog time. Until tomorrow...Why Say More?
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