Love is a VHS player
“I have all these family videos on VHS that I wish I could watch. I haven’t watched them in like, 20 years” I said nonchalantly in the vicinity of my husband one day, a couple weeks ago. I had just seen where people are still buying VHS players and it reminded me of my dance recital and birthday party tapes.
I know you can get VHS tapes converted to DVD, but I never did it, because I also heard that sometimes the tapes get ruined/distorted in the process and there’s nothing you can do about it. So, I packed the tapes away and away they moved with us from state to state.
I looked over at my husband to see if he heard what I had said, and he just kind of went, “Yeah, I bet you could buy one on eBay or something, still” but that was the last we spoke of it.
Last night, I was making dinner and I get a text that says, “I got you an early Christmas present.”
Wh-wh-WHAT?!
I replied asking what it is and when do I get it, of course.
“I was going to surprise you, but I’ll give it to you when I get home.”
YAY.
I was told to go sit in another room while he and Owen would bring it in to me. O told me to close my eyes — and I always follow his instructions because he’s probably our future POTUS — and in they both marched. I was then told to open my eyes and when I did, I saw cables. AND…yep, you guessed it…a VHS player!
I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t even think he was really listening, much less planning.
We spent a couple hours after dinner watching my sweet 16 birthday party and a couple dance recitals (just my performances, obvs) and a birthday party at Guptill’s Roller Skating Arena. We laughed hysterically, watching Owen trying to copy my dance steps, at my 90s bangs and how funny little kids look on roller skates. My husband also marveled at my 16th birthday party tape mix, which was playing in the background, since he didn’t really know me back then. (hint: Soul Coughing, The Breeders “Cannonball” and Notorious B.I.G., of course, to name a few)
Honestly, it made me soooo happy. It also might sound a little funny or corny, but it was such a romantic gesture, I felt. I know my husband knows that I’m someone who can look through a photo album for hours, so the fact he willingly found a VCR I can use to watch old videos on, and he willingly watches them with me…well, that’s true love, isn’t it?
He wins ‘most thoughtful gift’ this year, and it isn’t even Thanksgiving yet.