In the late afternoon on the 4th of July,

Maria Rodriguez and Charles Foxworthy

stood before The Right Reverend James Wentworth

and Father Haroldo Perozo SJ

to proclaim their Declaration of Interdependence.

In front of friends and family they mutually forswore

making any future indépendant decisions about,

say,

separately assuming any new financial obligation,

fucking with new and fascinating sexual partners,

or the color of the walls in their new bathroom: Purple.

No longer will he watch LOVE IT OR LIST IT on HGTV

to his hearts content without asking her if there will be

a New York Giants game on TV, especially in December

or a Yankee double header against the Boston Red Sucks

especially in September.

She’s a BBG, you see. A Bronx Born Girl.

Thus, her Puerto Rican athletic prowess

and her passionate connection

to MLB and the NFL far exceeds his

since he’s from Des Moines, Iowa.

But, when it comes to upper body strength,

he’s a member of their gyms 300 Pound-Bench Press Club.

She lifts only 105, but then, she weighs only 114.

She bests him in a 10K

and is showered, partially dressed and reading in bed

by the time he arrives home from the race.

(But it must be remembered that he is training

for his fourth Marine Corp Marathon.

His personal best is 04:04:36 and he’s aiming to break that 04.

She brings dry socks and bananas.)

And there are OTHER THINGS:

They bring her to the brink,

every time,

together,

and then they both come and go off,

again and again,

and their favorite books to talk about are

SAPIENS, A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE WORLD and

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE

and she loves to be read TOO

and he loves to read TOO HER

so their kids will love to read.

They will see to it…

And their mothers agree

that though they are,

“Quite different”…

Maria will make a wonderful mother,

as Charles will make a great father.

And they both love blueberry cobbler

so there will always be some in the fridge

whenever they look

because they both love to cook.

And he loves to shop at Harris Teeter.

And she depend on that.

And, by mutual agreement,

cashew milk.