Taping the Tears

JUN 1992

Scott and Emily laughed together in the cramped, humid gift shop of the Central American town that was stuck somewhere between the verge of complete bankruptcy and a tourist trap gold mine. Emily disappeared into what little of the shop extended around the counter where a sweaty tenant counted money. Scott quickly exited the shop to visit the neighboring floral nursery with a goofy grin on his face. Many eyes were on him, identifying him as an obnoxious outsider– but the chance to profit off foreign stupidity kept the town going. 

Scott and Emily were competitive, but that made their love fresh and fun. They were about four roadside stops into their Mexico honeymoon when they decided to start this game at the next location they visited. Split up and find the strangest item in the store for under ten US dollars and gift it to the other. Whoever gifted the best souvenirs throughout the trip would win the pride and bragging rights to last a marriage. Scott found a rack littered with strange figurines of animals and knock-off movie characters. Picking up a bobblehead of a goat, Scott smiled and rushed to the cashier. Unamused, the cashier collected Scott’s money, returning the leftover amount. Impulsively, Scott handed the money back in exchange for three purple passifloras that were just freshly watered. 

Emily ran into view carrying a coffee mug with the Mona Lisa printed on it, her faded yellow baseball cap shading her beautiful face and worry-free smile. She looked at the flowers in Scott’s hand and had a moment of tender appreciation, then remembering the competition said, “You got flowers? Weren’t you supposed to find me a weird souvenir?” 

“Don’t worry, I’ve got your little bobbly-goat friend right here,” Scott said, shaking the figure in front of Emily which played a faded bleat sound. Emily laughed at the sight of the goat and smiled, wildly in love with the person who just casually bought her flowers on their honeymoon.

DEC 1994

Emily walked out into the cold winter night and waved as she saw her parents driving up to the front of her house. Each parent drove a separate vehicle, her mother the family Pontiac, her father a Cabrio Corvette– Scott’s dream car and surprise Christmas gift. 

“You better record his reaction, sweetie. I want to know how excited he is,” Emily’s mother said upon stepping out of the driver’s side door. 

“Oh, don’t worry Mom! I’m recording this thing every step of the way,” Emily said waving the video camera in her hands. Her mother smiled and greeted the blinking camera light as her father admired the car and situated the red bow that Emily had tied earlier. Checking his watch he turned to his daughter who was shivering in her penguin print pajamas and fuzzy slippers. 

“It’s already nearly four, we should get going.”

“Yes, thank you both so much for coming in the middle of the night, I promise I’ll record his reaction and show it-”

Emily was interrupted by the front door opening and a confused, sleepy Scott standing on the porch. 

“Emily? Oh God, you’re out here I was really worried for a.. Wait, what time is it? Emily, babe, why on Earth are you- oh. Is that your parents?”

Mr. and Mrs. waved, awkwardly watching the scene play out hours earlier than intended, not knowing how to hide the one-ton gift.

“Hello both! Sorry if I’m interrupting, I was just asleep and noticed Emily… Emily. Emily you did not.” Scott stared intensely at the car. “Is that what, is that…??”

“Merry Christmas, Scott,” Emily said with a laugh of excitement and slight defeat, “this was supposed to kind of be a morning thing.”

She looked at the surprise and joy awaken Scott’s half-asleep face, watched him run his hands through his matted bed hair and then run to pick her up in a fanciful hug. He meant everything to her.

“Everyone get in, I don’t care if it’s like three in the morning, I’m driving it! Em, this is even better than waiting until Christmas morning!”

Scott watched his wife hop into the passenger seat of his dream car. Suddenly the dream and excitement of the car wore off and was replaced by the dream and excitement of sharing it with her. Having her in the passenger seat always.

“Honey, let me take the video cam from you!” Emily’s dad said from the backseat as Scott turned on the ignition.

“Okay, dad, make sure it’s recording!” Emily distractedly said, staring and laughing at her husband’s excited face. The videocam recorded blurry shakes of the car in the handoff, and then abruptly went black as Emily’s father hit the record button, accidentally turning it off. He at first felt terrible for missing getting the ride on film, but over time everyone enjoyed it much better. They were able to revisit it in stories and fond memories, much more often than they would have pulled out the old cassette.

APR 2003

  On the swivel chair balanced a suitcase, closed but unzipped, plenty of packed clothes peaking out in poorly folded chaos. The hotel room photos of beaches and volcanoes on the wall told that this was a room from their Hawai’i trip. Shopping bags sat on the far end of the bed, with several small bags from strange roadside gift shops, one to represent each day of their trip. The rest of the screen showed the comforter of the bed the video camera laid on.

“Okay, Scott, but we are already past check-out time.”

“I can take care of it, I’m sorry love. I didn’t think it’d take that-”

“I need to get to the conference, you’re going to have to move all the luggage and check-in over there.”

Shadows from the couple moving in front of the vanity lights were the only bit of movement to be seen. 

“Can I trust you to do that, Scott?”

“Yeah.”

A hand passed into view dropping one last souvenir bag onto the little pile.

“I am really sorry. I just know you had enjoyed that spontaneity, I mean you said that.”

“Scott, I did. I mean, I do. Just not this trip. I want it to be like that too, but this is a business trip for me.”

“Yeah, and we came early so it could be that trip.”

“I know. I’m sorry, too. Maybe after the big days we can do more but right now we need to stick to a plan, we can’t just do whatever. You can though, if the conference isn’t interesting, you can, I don’t know, go out-”

Rippled waves ran horizontally along the television screen. The screen went dark save for the occasional flashes of white static the VHS cassette produced. Holding the remote, Scott sat on the couch looking into his distorted reflection on the black screen. He brushed his gray hair and headed for the door. He grabbed the keys off the counter and got into his Mazda, the car that replaced his beloved Corvette. It was a more realistic choice for his middle-aged years. 

He backed out of the driveway, looking out the passenger seat window to check for oncoming traffic. The car ride was nearly silent but Scott’s brain was most certainly not. He drove on autopilot. Driving, stopping. Driving, turning. Stopping and continuing on. It wasn’t until he was parked outside the office that he fully realized he had finished the drive. He stepped out of the driver seat and put on his brown pullover jacket. At the front of the office stood a woman wearing a purple blouse and a sun hat over her dyed brown hair which showed bits of her natural gray. 

Scott opened the passenger door and saw his purchase sitting on the seat. He had stopped at the store on the drive over. He knew he had something specific to bring that afternoon, but he had left it in his home. He might be able to blame it on forgetfulness. Or maybe, it may not be too late. Wouldn’t even be needed. 

The woman looked at him expressionlessly and he approached with a nervous and conflicted twitch in his step. He attempted to say a greeting but no sound came out of his mouth. Scott just nodded hello and walked up the steps to meet the woman, clutching his small bag and bouquet. 

Emily nodded back at Scott with a skeptical look, eyeing the flowers he held in his hand. He had nothing else, it was rather clear to see. Exhaling a breath of frustration Emily looked at Scott. 

“You got flowers? Scott, you know you were supposed to bring the divorce papers.”