The Lies.

     I define a lie as a willful and intentional misleading of the truth through omissions or fabrications of what is true in order to persuade another person or persons to encourage a false belief. Keep that in mind as you read the rest of this story.

     We were sitting around with Mark and Dizzy, talking about movies we enjoyed, and I brought up Boondock Saints. Aside from its gratuitous violence and graphic language, the movie is one of the best lower budget films I've ever seen, the action sequences are astounding, and Wilem Dafoe is great. Catie and I have watched the movie together many times and talked about its message of vigilantism, what it means to sacrifice for the greater good, and how Edmund Burke was right all along when he said that all it takes for evil to thrive is for good men to do nothing. This is when our friends admit they've never seen the movie. Well, Dizzy made it through the first few minutes, but just couldn't get into it.
     I was floored! How could they have not seen/not enjoyed such a cinematic great? Sure it didn't get big budget advertising, but it's been around for a while and they're making a sequel, plus, I know for a fact they've had the opportunity to watch the movie over at my house! Then I realized that Catie was being suspiciously quiet on the subject. For someone who had participated in as many conversations about the movie as she had, one would imagine she'd have some input. Then I remembered Dizzy saying she really couldn't get into it. Finally, yesterday, it clicked: There's a really good chance Catie doesn't like the movie at all. I'm sure there's parts or theme's she likes, but for the most part, she may be just as happy at an asphalt tasting contests as she is watching that movie. So why has she watched it with me so many times? Why has she participated in passionate discussions about it?
     There's only one possibility: She loves me. She loves me so much, she's willing to watch movies she doesn't like and talk about them with me because she knows I like them. She's never told me she hated the movie, but let's be real, she's probably not as big a fan as I am. But because she loves me more than her own desires she faked it. Maybe lies aren't always bad. Kant would disagree, but he's dead so there's not much he can do about it. I just hope I will continue to notice when my wife lies to me out of love. And I certainly hope I'll be able to lie the next time she asks if I want to go shopping. Not just lie, but do it passionately, because as much as I hate shopping, I love her much more. Catie, this is your letter.

     Here's a free tip, if you do go shopping on Labor Day, stay away from Wal-mart. It's bad. Really really bad.