Teardrops. Running Down My Face.

A woman awakens during the night to find that her husband is not in their bed.

She puts on her robe and goes downstairs to look for him.

At the foot of the stairs, she can see him sitting at the kitchen table with a hot cup of coffee in front of him. He appears to be in a profound reverie, staring longingly off into the distance.

She watches tenderly as he wipes a tear from his eye, then bucks himself up and takes a sip of his coffee.

"What's the matter, dearheart?" she whispers as she steps into the room, "Why are you down here at this time of night?"

The husband looks up from his coffee.

"Oh, I was just remembering when we first met 20 years ago and started going out. You were only 16. Do you remember back then?" he inquires solemnly.

The wife is almost reduced to tears herself, beholding such a caring, sensitive man--her husband!

"Yes, of course I remember, darling."

Searching for the words that come so reluctantly, the husband goes on: " And do you remember when your father caught us in the back seat of my car?"

"Oh yes, sweetest, I remember so well," murmurs the wife, lowering herself into the chair beside him.

The husband continues. "And do you remember when he shoved that shotgun in my face and said, 'Either you marry my daughter...or I'll arrange for you to be taking it up the ass in the men's shower at Atascadero for the next twenty years'"?

"Well, yes, of course, honey, how could I forget--"

He wipes another tear falling inexorably down his cheek.

"I would have gotten out today."