Today’s marks my 10th wedding anniversary with my astonishingly amazing wife, Catherine.
Yet to me, Catherine is rarely Catherine. And to Catherine, I am rarely Jeff.
We are Earl.
She is Earl.
I am Earl.
We call each other Earl always. Like, all the time. I never use her name, unless I’m introducing her. She never uses me name, unless she’s introducing me. We’re Earl. Just Earl.
The story: On our third date, while both of us were living in New York City, we went bowling. It was one of those things where you have to type the names into the computer. She said, “Give me a good bowling name.” I typed E-A-R-L. She said, “That’s you?”
“No,” I replied. “That’s you.”
“So you’re Earl?”
“No, you’re Earl.”
Earl was born.
It’s cliche to say sense of humor is an important element of marriage, but, well, cliches can be true. If you find someone who agrees to be called Earl, and also agrees to call you Earl—on a PERMANENT basis—get married immediately.
It’ll last forever.
