Most of you reading this don't know my Sweet Auntie Tonda. She is a very colorful, strong woman. (We often joke that she could have written Linda Blair's lines from The Exorcist…) She wants things her way when she wants them (where do you think I get it from?) and she has a tendency to tell you that. Some people call her abrasive. Vulgar. Mean. Whatever. We love her. And with all of that, she has found a devoted man who loves her and has loved her for about 25 years.
Rodney is a special man. He is a large man, big and tall. He has a deep booming voice, a strong presence. He does whatever Tonda wants him to do, willingly. If she told him she wanted tacos from Mexico, he would go there to get them and make sure they were still hot when he got back to the Bay Area to give them to her. He is awesome.
To many people, Rodney's devotion to my aunt seems like weakness. Her venomous verbiage emasculates most men, but not Rodney. Some folks may dismiss Rodney as a bitch, but I dare you to challenge him. And I encourage a man to try to take Tonda from him. He's clearly doing something right.
It takes a strong man to deal with a woman like her and humble himself so much as to go through what they've been through together. Tonda loves Rodney as much as he loves her and that shows me that there is a give and take in every relationship. I'd love a man who is strong enough for me to look weak to everyone else because it'll be proof that our relationship is real and not just about public appearances.
I haven't always been optimistic that my Rodney is out there. Thinking about it in these terms, I realize that my mom found hers when she least expected it. She met her husband when I was 5 -- 20 years ago. So my hope is renewed… He's out there and I'll be right here…
Comments
Post a Comment