As The Cupola Turns

Living in the mountains had its disadvantages at times. This was one of those occasions.

It was a fog filled commute from working the overnight shift at a local resort hotel as a shuttle driver or bellman. As Roscoe made his way home up the mountain he suddenly came upon a large fallen tree blocking out a large part of the road. He veers left swerving practicing his defensive driving, the vehicles side hits it anyways causing damage to his wife's vehicle. "Wow, Ruby is gonna kill me when she sees this mess!" he mutters under his breath. "I guess I should not have borrowed her vehicle since mine was already in the shop for repairs from an earlier accident." Roscoe mutters again shaking his head "Well, it's time to face Ruby."

Ruby was already hard at work fixing breakfast when Roscoe pulls into their driveway. The fog had already lifted fully so there was no way of hiding the damage to her vehicle from her view.

"Hi honey, I'm home! I need to show you the side of your vehicle, there was a fallen tree upon the road that I came upon unexpectantly. I regret to say I couldn't avoid it, thus the current damage to the side of your vehicle. Naturally, I'll gladly pay for the repairs dear."

"That's not the point Roscoe and you know it!" Ruby bellows at the top of her voice, tossing aside their breakfast and turning off the stove. "I should have never agreed to allow you use of my vehicle, I should've drove to pick you up instead! Give me back my keys!" Roscoe apologizes and complies, placing delicately Ruby's keys in her outstretched palm of her right hand.

Avoiding eye contact, Ruby proceeds outside while Roscoe was left in the kitchen to clean up the mess on the stove.

Ruby could be seen from their kitchen window overlooking the driveway inspecting her vehicle and the damage the tree had caused to her vehicle. Needless to say, Ruby was not impressed nor happy with Roscoe.

"I will call the autobody repair shop myself!!!" Bellows Ruby from outside knowing that she could be fully heard from their kitchen window facing their driveway. Dejected, Roscoe grimaces and flops down into his chair to eat his cold breakfast, alone.

Ruby drove to the autobody shop directly (it was already 8:40 am) signed and agreed to the quote along with the repair estimate. Once copy of the invoice for the repairs underway was generated then signed, a loaner vehicle was provided. By 9:30 am Ruby arrived back home.

"Here is the bill!" Ruby tosses the paperwork into Roscoe's face as he still sat at their kitchen table mumbling his heartfelt apologies with no effect.

"I will take care of this immediately!" Roscoe replies in a humble, defeated tone.

"Do that!" Ruby replies, storming out of their kitchen. "I'm going to bed, alone! You get the sofa." Ruby bellows. Roscoe nervously wipes his face with both of his hands in frustration knowing that there was not sense speaking to Ruby further on the subject knowing full well the further ramifications should he pursue this course of action while Ruby was in such a state.

Roscoe called the autobody shop in the interim, provided his credit card for full payment and asked how long it would be until it was ready for pickup. "Three days." was the repair technicians reply.

Roscoe took the opportunity to walk down to the repair shop which took about an hour in order to pickup his vehicle which was in for muffler and brake repairs along with a final paint job to to cover the damage from his earlier accident. He sat around the shop consuming coffee and looking at magazines until it was ready to drive home.

Surprisingly, Roscoe wasn't tired from a hard overnight shift at the hotel. It was now 3 pm when he realized that he had a 4 pm meeting at work! "Shoot!" Exclaimed Roscoe to himself, muttering that he would have to leave the repair shop and proceed directly to the hotel meeting prescheduled without delay. He proceeded to pay for his final repair invoice and left the repair shop in a great hurry.

The meeting went well. Roscoe was very thankful towards his bosses for his job opportunity. Being 53 years old, it's not easy to land full-time employment without an education. His three month probationary period was now at an end. "welcome to our hotel." Patricia his GM said in closing as they both shook hands. "See you tomorrow." Roscoe replied.

As Roscoe drove back up the mountain from the resort, he noticed that the tree was fully removed from the road and was being cut up and disposed of along the side of the highway as he drove on by. Shaking his head sadly he wondered what he could expect from Ruby upon his return home.

It was now 7 pm when Roscoe pulled into their driveway. "Home at last." Mumbled Roscoe under his breath shaking his head in sad frustration. It was time to face the dragon lady he joked to himself.

As Roscoe entered their kitchen, rather than seeing dinner ready their home was an utter mess! "What a pig pen!" Roscoe bellowed at the top of his lungs instead of his usual greeting with affection.

Ruby gets off the sofa from where she was watching television, "As The Cupola Turns" was heard from the television speakers, her favorite show on the life of a Shrine Circus Producer.

"First you trash my vehicle, then you immediately complain of the mess. I work hard to maintain and keep this place up and you show no appreciation at all! No flowers, no candy, no appreciation of any sort! You're a jerk Roscoe! I've got a headache and I'm going to lay down! Enjoy the mess!" Quips Ruby.

Roscoe realized he had been taking Ruby's efforts at home for granted over the past several years (because Ruby pointed it out to him) and felt horrible. Roscoe was determined to make things right. He ran out and bought her a diamond bracelet that he had always promised Ruby she would have someday, flowers, candies (her favorites) and picked up takeout Chinese food (also Ruby's favorite) brought it home, cleaned up the mess and staged a candle lit dinner for two.

"Ruby, dinner is ready and I apologize for taking you along with your efforts for granted over these last few years." Roscoe quietly whispered through the closed bedroom door. "I will wait at the kitchen table for you... oh it's Chinese, your favorite."

Five minutes had passed, Ruby came suddenly into the kitchen with a shocked look upon her face. "So you do care Roscoe!" Cried Ruby. "You cleaned the place for us, you bought me flowers and staged a fancy dinner, I'm impressed!" Ruby was now smiling with tears of joy falling down her cheeks.

Roscoe replies, "That's not all!" He presents Ruby with the diamond bracelet he had bought specifically for her and kisses Ruby gently on her cheek. "Please sit and eat."

"Thank you Roscoe, you're forgiven." Ruby replies ass she sits in her place at their table wearing the bracelet upon her left wrist.