He stares off towards the other side of the room as he tells the tale of how he met his wife. Melvin Kizner’s relationship with his wife, Diane, is not what he would consider perfect. According to him, they fight on the daily and disagree about nearly everything. Still, their marriage has lasted for over 50 years.

He rests his feet on the uncomfortable wicker coffee table that she loves so much, just because he knows how much she hates when guests put their feet on her couch.

He offers to help with dinner, both the cleanup and the prep, even though he knows she will refuse.

He carries in the groceries from her car after she goes grocery shopping, even though he is eighty years old and just went through a major surgery.

He does everything with the small smirk that never seems to leave his face, the subtle smile that comes as a result of Diane’s mere presence. He tells of how they met with that same smile on his face. He tells of how he met Diane’s best friend, Judy, in college. He tells of how she knew from the moment they met that he would click with Diane. Sure enough, she was right, he exclaims.

Within a year they were married, but then Melvin had to go away in the army. They still stuck together.

Within four years they had their first child, but he passed away shortly after his birth. They still stuck together.

Within 40 years, a second child had passed away and Diane fell into a deep depression. They still stuck together.

Melvin vows to always rest his feet on the coffee table, offer to help with dinner, carry in the groceries, and whatever else he thinks may bring the same small smirk to Diane’s face. To him, it’s all just part of what sticking together means.

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