My Second Husband

My mom taught me to be a gracious guest. She also taught me to care for others. These deeply engrained lessons have surfaced this past week as I lived with Jimmy, my "second husband." Jimmy was stationed in Korea with Josh, and they became good friends. Jimmy is stationed at Ramstein (where I work). Since Jimmy lives close to us, we spend a lot of time with him. He has also joined us on some of our trips. He has joked before that he is our child. In this past week, I've determined him to be more of a second husband... or a husband/child.

Jimmy offered to let me stay at his house whenever I needed to for work. His house shares a parking lot with my work... it is almost too perfect. In these next few weeks as I am working more, and working consecutive days, I decided to stay with him to save on gas money. This is where I should explain that Jimmy is a 22 year old bachelor (well, for the record he has a very serious girlfriend - whom I have met and spent time with, and yes she is aware that I am staying with him, but he is - for all purposes - a bachelor). I figured when I got to his house his fridge would be empty of everything but beer. I was correct. I had planned ahead and made a huge batch of black beans and rice and baked some chocolate chip cookies. Jimmy thought these were gifts I brought - and they were. However, I brought them more as a way to make sure I'd have food for dinner. While I was there this week I also made chili in the crock pot. Jimmy was excited to have hot meals made for him. I was happy to not have to drive for over an hour every evening when I got off work and to be saving on gas. It was also nice to have company while Josh was gone.

As I am busy doing the preparations for another work week, I have found myself switching into worry mode. Not only am I working to make sure all of my laundry is done, but I'm planning out some things to cook so Josh has meals in the fridge this week while I'm gone (for the record - Josh can cook. He's a very good cook, and is capable of taking care of himself. It's more of a kind gesture than a necessity that I cook for him)... and in my planning I realized I needed to plan some food to cook to take to Jimmy for him (me) to eat this week as well. Planning to feed the two men in my life.

I have forgotten what it is like to enter a bachelor pad. My bed at Jimmy's house is an air mattress. The cleanliness of... well... anything in the house is questionable. If I need something to cook with (spices, butter, milk) I have to go buy it because there isn't any. If the toilet paper runs out... I'm not really sure if there is any more. However. It is a free place for me to stay and save on gas/time with a gracious host who keeps a well stocked beer fridge AND who checks all the fluids in my car. This should make my busy next two weeks entertaining.