Just Like Steve's

A couple of years ago, Jeff's friend, Steve, bought a large plasma screen TV. Shortly after the purchase, Jeff went to Steve's house and played split-screen Call of Duty on it. To most of you, this means nothing, but a few of you have just begun to salivate. Well, that's what Jeff started to do as well and he came home that night with a dream.

"I want to get a 50 inch HDTV," he said.

"A 50 inch screen?" I marveled. "That's ginormous! It'd look ridiculous in our living room. Why not 40 inches?"

"Steve's got a 50 inch in a room smaller than ours and it's awesome! It's perfect for playing split-screen."

"People will think we stole a billboard," I said.

"HDTV..." responded Jeff.

"It'll look like an idol propped up on the altar of our entertainment center," I reasoned, piously.

"50 inch screen..." murmured Jeff, growing glassy-eyed.

"We'll have to leave offerings before it on the coffee table or it might become angry with us," I pleaded.

"Just like Steve's..." He was now nearly catatonic.

This tug-of-war between want and unwant went on for nearly two years, though, I must say, it was quite civilized. In almost 17 years of marriage, we've learned the mutual benefits of "respectful disagreement". Additionally, reality was on my side since we didn't have the funds to purchase such a luxury item.

Well, two weeks ago, as I was online, I saw something that allowed the starry-eyed-giggly-me to overpower the practical-logical-me, which is quite unusual since the practical-logical-me usually keeps the starry-eyed-giggly-me hog-tied in the closet.

This magical internet sighting was an ad for a 50 inch plasma screen HDTV at an amazingly low price. The cost, in addition to the facts that it was a trustworthy brand, had over 40 excellent reviews from other customers and the company was offering free shipping, was enough to make the starry-eyed-me begin to giggle.

I knew that Jeff had saved up a big chunk of his personal "fun" money and if I threw in a bit of my own, he could just about fulfill his two year old dream. Thus, I shared the ad with him.

You've already guessed what's next, I'm sure.


Now that's a happy man. :)

Here it is in all of its room-dominating glory:


Yes, it is a happy ending, but there's actually a little twist to the story which the practical-logical-me is determined to find amusing, you see...

...a couple of days ago, Steve himself came over to see our new technicolor behemoth.

"Wow!" he said. "That thing's HUGE!"

"It's the same size as yours," Jeff said.

"No, it's not," said Steve. As his next words exited his mouth and reached my ears, time seemed to slooooooow dooooown:

"Your TV dwarfs mine. My screen's only 40 inches."

Huh???










Oh well...

I love you, Jeffery! Enjoy. :)