When you asked if we were dating
I thought, “Shouldn’t you know that already?”
but I sighed and I smiled
and I said with the patience of a marm
that we were dating if you wanted us to be
and I guess that worked out kinda well
as we started seeing each other.

When you wondered
if we were in love
I answered honestly
to the best of my recollection at the time
and explained where we stood
and what we understood of each other
and how we felt
and where we might be going
if we could stand the strain
and go the distance.
I gave my long-range predictions
and you clearly liked the odds
since you stuck it out.

When you queried me
if we were getting married
and I thought,
“Finally! The kind of question
that OUGHT to be asked!
At last.
At last…”
and I gave you the words I hope you longed to hear
and I know I had been meaning to say
for at least seven days
(since I’d first seen the ring bill come up
on our shared account)
and all was good.

When you asked if we had ever seen Memento
I don’t know what came over me
but after that
all the questions
just came over and over again.

And over and over again.

And over and over again.

And over and over –