Love Wears Bifocals

Posted on January 27, 2017 by joey

Finally, after all the holidays and back-to-schoolness, we resumed date night. I searched for places more or less on our way home. I found a lil Italian-American place called Marco’s. When I saw the menu had so many things we like, I knew we’d have to go at least a dozen times. I made a reservation for 6:00 in the lounge.

I passed The Mister on my way down Keystone Avenue because he drives like a grandpa. Yeah, I know he’s a grandpa, but he drives like a grandpa from 1932, when cars didn’t even go fast. He calls me Marietta Andretti. I can’t tell if it’s with pride or jealousy, because when he drives, my job is to sit there and look pretty and when I drive, his job is to coach me to the finish line.

Once The Mister puttered into the Marco’s lot we were seated in the rounded curve of a corner booth, all candlelit and cozy. I said we could order the bruschetta, the maza plate, spinach & artichoke dip, stuffed mushrooms, crab cakes, or baked brie — he’d have to choose one. He chose the stuffed mushrooms, and they were delicious. We didn’t eat them all.
We both had the Caesar salad, also wonderful, more acid than pepper, and great parm. We neither one ate all of that, either.

The Mister needed a drink refill.
“I can’t believe I need another Coke before you do!”
“I drank a lot of water today.”
“I didn’t. I had Mountain Dew for breakfast and a DoubleShot at lunch.”
Caffeine overload doesn’t happen to him.

I ordered the spaghetti and meatballs and I have no regrets. GOOD meatballs are hard to come by. nom nom nom

The Mister did as he is wont to do. He ordered pasta and seafood in a white sauce. That’s his go-to dish. Then he picks out all the broccoli. I don’t know. He eats broccoli at home.
We chatted and laughed at picked at our meals.
Boxes? Yes, please.

Our waiter was Chad and we both enjoyed him. I liked him more after dessert. When I told him I wanted dessert, he said there were no pictures, I’d have to listen to him and then process it all and let him know.
Y’all, I liked the sound of every single dessert, too, and that’s sayin somethin. Creme brulee and tiramisu and cheesecake — there were more — those were the highlights.
I asked him about the tiramisu, how I do.
“Is it like someone’s gramma made it in a big ol pan or is this some artsy-craftsy, fancy-schmancy tiramisu?” i fuckin hate that pretentious shit.
He said it definitely wasn’t fancy, he’d put the finishing touches on it himself.
“I WANT THE TIRAMISU.”
“Coffee?”
“Decaf?”
“Cream?”
“Yes please.”
“ESPRESSO!” The Mister shouted. He turned to me, “I need more!”
I cackled.

And do you know when Chad brought my tiramisu, my husband began eating it?!? Big steady forkfuls. Like how he bites and chews chocolate. Kills me.
“Stop it! You don’t even love tiramisu!”
“I’m not crazy about it.”
“Well stop it! I am!”
so good for joeys. mmm savor. mmm yesss
When I’d had my fill, I let him finish my dessert.

Then Chad brought the check.

And this is where it gets funny for people of a certain age.
The Mister held the check closer and farther, squinting, blinking, and turning his head this way and that.
“Baby, I can’t read this. I’ve got my glasses on and I can’t read it.”
“Oh,” I took it and looked at the blur of digits, “Hmm.”
I left my glasses in my car, for driving home at night. If I held the check far enough away to make up for my lack of glasses, there wasn’t enough light from the candle to read it. If I held it nearer the candle, it was too close to read. so romantical

Headline: COUPLE SITS AT MARCO’S ALL NIGHT
Lead: Not because romantic, but because blind

I had to move the candle farther from me and extend my arm to bring the digits into the sweet spot. I am a klutz and I assure you this was a real feat for me. I didn’t even knock over my drink or set my sleeve afire.
“$68.58.”
“That doesn’t sound right. Are you sure that’s not 88?”
“$68.58.”

We chatted and laughed s’more.
Then came time to sign the receipt. He was still stuck on how surely that was $88, but I repeated, “$68.58.”

He began to math.
I said, “You give him $15.”
He gave me that look. He always gives me that look, because he’s never waited tables, but he always leaves what I tell him to leave. but baby, it’s chad. we love chad.
He wrote it out and began to add.
I could barely read it but I checked his math, because I can’t math and he works in finance.
“Good job, Baby.”

“i am made of stone now.”

 

We’ll definitely go back to Marco’s and I will definitely wear my glasses.

 

This Just Jot it January post is brought to you by LindaGHill, aging, and Happy Friday Everyone!

PS: CHECK YOUR SPAM FOR VALID COMMENTS

 

About joey

Neurotic Bitch, Mother, Wife, Writer, Word Whore, Foodie and General Go-To-Girl
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53 Responses to Love Wears Bifocals

  1. Manja Mexi Movie says:
    January 27, 2017 at 11:46 AM

    Mmmmm. Love everything about this post, but especially the fact that my amore is Marco too, that your amore loves sea-food pasta alla bianco (I used to order this every time too before coming to Italy. Here it’s just not possible), and the photo of you in glasses. And tiramisu!! Was it really as good as he said?

    Liked by 1 person

  2. coldhandboyack says:
    January 27, 2017 at 11:47 AM

    Sounds so familiar. We love date night ourselves.

    Liked by 1 person

  3. Benson says:
    January 27, 2017 at 11:57 AM

    Lovely post. I have only been to Marco’s for lunch but I love it as well. It may be time for Mister to get an eye exam. When your arms are too short it is usually time for the bifocals. Don’t hurt a bit. Glad you had a great date night.

    Liked by 1 person

    • joey says:
      January 27, 2017 at 12:26 PM

      I’m glad you like that place, too. I think next time, we’ll hit the apps and order TWO desserts 😉
      Love already wears bifocals, but I agree, he needs another eye exam.

      Liked by 1 person

  4. Maggie Wilson says:
    January 27, 2017 at 12:05 PM

    I was getting all anxious about the candle flame! Glad there were no incendiary incidents!
    We don’t do date nights. Hubby hates restaurants other than the golden arches. But I’ll be happy to join you on your next outing.

    Liked by 1 person

  5. Dan Antion says:
    January 27, 2017 at 12:24 PM

    I really enjoyed this post. I would also order pasta, seafood in white, with or without broccoli. At least you didn’t set the check on fire, trying to read it in the candle light. That would have been an even better headline 🙂 We just found an Italian restaurant that we have to go back to a bunch. Oh, and keep in mind two words…progressive lenses.

    Liked by 1 person

  6. meANXIETYme says:
    January 27, 2017 at 12:32 PM

    What’s with the broccoli thing? Hub is the same way…eats it at home and loves it but won’t eat it if we’re out at Italian or Chinese food restaurants. He’ll eat it at a steak place most of the time.

    Glad you guys got back to date night. It sounds like you had a fun evening and I know how that can really make a week better. The tiramisu sounded yummers…sounds like Chad steered you right! Always sucks when you have a good meal but it’s capped off by terrible dessert.

    Liked by 1 person

    • joey says:
      January 27, 2017 at 12:35 PM

      I don’t know! What IS it with the broccoli thing? Same. He doesn’t eat it in restaurants. A lot of times he doesn’t eat any vegetables at restaurants, Moo or I eat his. EXCEPT hibachi. He will eat his veggies at hibachi. But at home, he eats all of them, just less of the carrots…
      Some weeks, date night is everything!

      Liked by 1 person

  7. marianallen says:
    January 27, 2017 at 1:16 PM

    OMG I can’t even — Charlie calls me Marian Andretti!

    Your restaurant sounds dee-vine! You definitely have to go there over and over. And over and over and over.

    We don’t have date night, because Charlie hates to go out. Or maybe we have stayte night, where we stay at home and watch educational videos, talk politics until blood runs out my ears, and go to bed … and sleep. You two are a cute, cute couple. ❤

    Liked by 1 person

    • joey says:
      January 27, 2017 at 8:42 PM

      Marian Andretti! Why, we must be soul sisters! I wanna talk politics with you til blood runs out of my ears, too!

      Thanks! I’m sure you and Charlie are a cute, cute couple too — Staytes are good and we’ll probably have more of those when the people move out! 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  8. vanbytheriver says:
    January 27, 2017 at 1:37 PM

    “because blind”…cracked me up. We often end up sharing reading glasses, usually only one of us brings them. I love Italian food…but never order pasta. I like my own…and I understand how inexpensive it is to make. Eggplant, veal, seafood…works better for me as a treat. I love that you do date night…don’t give that up. 💘

    Liked by 1 person

    • joey says:
      January 27, 2017 at 8:45 PM

      Okay, sharing readers is so way cute! We cannot. Our vision isn’t even similar. Sassy and I can share glasses, but we don’t.
      Confession: I rarely make pasta. Gnocchi and ravioli now and again — and usually only for one or two. I agree it’s better fresh!
      We won’t give it up 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  9. bedlamanddaisies says:
    January 27, 2017 at 1:53 PM

    I’ve been lucky so far that I don’t need glasses, but my husband needs them to read. Inevitably we end up at a restaurant where he has forgotten them or left them in the car. I always ending up needing to read the price on the receipt. When we add the tip onto the receipt, I just fill it out and point where he needs to sign!

    Liked by 2 people

  10. Susanne says:
    January 27, 2017 at 5:50 PM

    Italian restaurants, in my experience, are mostly pretty damn reliable. This one sounds like a keeper, especially at those prices! Aren’t you two adorable? I had to put my specs on to get a good look and then hold my laptop far, far away, but then there you were all clear and full of good food. Yay for date nights!

    Liked by 1 person

  11. Ally Bean says:
    January 27, 2017 at 6:37 PM

    I’m jealous that you have a local Italian restaurant that is so good. That’s one thing I miss living in suburbia, there’s no mom and pop Italian restaurant at the end of my street. I get the eyeglasses thing. I wear mine all the time, hence the title of my blog, but Z-D has been known to not have his on at the most ridiculous moments. Getting old requires so much planning.

    Liked by 1 person

    • joey says:
      January 27, 2017 at 8:48 PM

      It does.
      I am really picky about Italian, well, you know, cause Italian. I don’t wanna eat food I can cook better at home, and a lot of the franchises…
      I’m thrilled with this place 🙂

      Like

  12. Norm 2.0 says:
    January 27, 2017 at 6:43 PM

    Loved this post; it reminds me that we’re overdue for a date night too, but we’re doing a weekend get-away soon so maybe we’ll just make a new recipe together at home this weekend.
    We’re lucky enough to have a few favorite go-to Italian places. I agree on the Tiramisu – it has to be made by someones Nona, not some artsy-fartsy type 🙂
    What’s the standard tip rate around there? Here it’s 15-20% without the booze.

    Liked by 2 people

    • joey says:
      January 27, 2017 at 8:50 PM

      I don’t know if there’s a standard, but I’m a 20+%-er when the service is good. When the service isn’t good, I don’t tip well at all.
      The holidays slide right back into the grind. It’s easy to lose track of date night. I’m happy y’all will be doin a weekend away! Weekend getaways are awesome! Enjoy! 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

  13. Fourth Generation Farmgirl says:
    January 27, 2017 at 7:21 PM

    What a fun evening! Dinner and dessert sounded fantastic. Y’all are so cute! I know what you mean about the glasses, though. We’re both there, too. Reading the menu and bill is getting more difficult. 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

  14. loisajay says:
    January 27, 2017 at 7:42 PM

    The headline cracked me up…yeah, folks. They’re still sittin’ there….. 😀

    Liked by 1 person

  15. Joanne Sisco says:
    January 27, 2017 at 10:02 PM

    I want a date night too … with or without the Italian restaurant!

    Liked by 2 people

  16. Luanne says:
    January 28, 2017 at 12:06 AM

    That blurry stuff just happened to me this year (when I suddenly got cataracts in both eyes)! And all of a sudden daughter got diagnosed with 2200 vision in one of her eyes and needs glasses and son also all of a sudden needs glasses. It’s a freaken epidemic. The gardener just walks around blind. And then I stepped on my computer glasses today and the glasses store said they are now officially on their last legs, so to speak. So very topical topic for me.
    As far as the tiramisu goes, I have been known to stab the gardener’s hand with a fork if he goes near my dessert without permission . . . .

    Liked by 2 people

    • joey says:
      January 28, 2017 at 2:36 PM

      I thought about stabbing his hand with my fork, I really did, but I just sorta waved it around instead. lol
      We girls all got new prescriptions last summer. The Mister is overdue. He and the gardener can walk around blind together!
      I’m sorry your family is keeping the vision business cats fat, but sight is important!

      Liked by 1 person

      • Luanne says:
        January 30, 2017 at 3:05 PM

        And today I had to take Pear to the vet specialist for an ultrasound and they got me for cardio xrays, too. I was afraid to come home and hear about it from the gardener! When I did he said, “I love her, BUT!” Apparently HER eyes aren’t as bad as I thought they were. Just us hooomins.

        Like

  17. Phil Taylor says:
    January 28, 2017 at 7:14 AM

    I just read this in the morning and now I’m dying to go out to eat at an Italian restaurant. With my glasses. I’m like you and the Mister. Sometimes my order is then only thing that I could read on the menu without my glasses.

    Liked by 1 person

  18. tracikenworth says:
    January 28, 2017 at 9:31 AM

    Sounds like a nice place. I have a hard time reading the computer with my glasses these days, lol.

    Liked by 1 person

  19. reocochran says:
    January 28, 2017 at 12:16 PM

    I loved this post so much!! Joey and the Mister could be a comedy act, a play, a short story or romance novel! ❤ I want me some tiramisu! 🙂 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  21. Judy E Martin says:
    January 29, 2017 at 11:26 AM

    Sounds like you had a great night, Joey, good food and some laughs always go down well. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

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  23. Judy @ NewEnglandGardenAndThread says:
    January 31, 2017 at 12:05 PM

    I love good Italian food and being able to read. I remember the days of holding the paper out a ways until my arms became too short. Progressive lenses have sat on my face since then. 🙂 Just remember the changing of the lenses is the easiest part of the aging process. It’s down hill from there. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  24. Anxious Mom says:
    January 31, 2017 at 1:35 PM

    Mmm, you’re making me hungry. Sam and I used to go to a place also named Marco’s for date nights. It was a hole in the wall place and so damn good. And then the owner sold it and it was crap. And then we moved (but not because of Marco’s).

    Liked by 1 person

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