Because inside, tucked where the perfume should’ve been, Ray had hidden a glass vial about the size of my thumb, wrapped in a strip of chamois, with a cork in …

For Our 25th Anniversary I Saved for Months to Buy Ray the Fishing Reel — And All He Handed Me Was a Cheap Bottle of Drugstore Perfume Read More

Because inside, where the coffee should’ve gone, Della had hidden a key on a bread tie and a folded receipt from a title company in Summersville. Earnest money. Two thousand …

For Our 30th Anniversary I Splurged on the Diamond Earrings — And Della Gave Me a Ten-Dollar Green Thermos From the Hardware Store Read More

Because underneath where the felt lining had lifted, Earl had hidden a photograph of a woman who has my mother’s chin. Her name is Roberta. She is fifty-nine years old, …

For Our 20th Anniversary I Bought Him the Leather Boots From the Western Store — And All Earl Gave Me Was a Five-Dollar Flea Market Jewelry Box Read More

Because inside, where a sandwich should’ve been, Ruth had tucked away a brass tag on a boot lace and my father’s name stamped into it. Badge 411. Dubuque Malleable, gate …

For Our 35th Anniversary I Finally Bought Ruth the Sewing Machine From the Store Window — And She Handed Me a Dented Old Lunch Pail Read More

Because inside the hollow of it, packed in cotton batting, Walt had hidden my mother’s engagement ring. That ring was sold in March of 1987. My daddy was out of …

For Our 40th Anniversary I Saved All Year for His Recliner — And All Walt Gave Me Was a Two-Dollar Ceramic Bluebird Read More

Because down in the bottom of it, wedged where the coffee never reached, Carol had hidden a ring wrapped in a scrap of paper towel. My father’s wedding band. He …

For Our 28th Anniversary I Bought My Wife the Good Winter Coat — And Carol Gave Me a Fifty-Cent Cracked Mug From a Yard Sale Read More

Because behind where a photo should’ve gone, Dwight had tucked away the mat board, and he’d written on the back of it. Fifty-two lines. One a week for a year, …

For Our 22nd Anniversary I Got My Husband the Big Red Toolbox — And All Dwight Gave Me Was an Empty Thrift-Store Frame Read More

Because inside, where the hooks and lures should’ve been, Eleanor had hidden thirty-one months of paper. Layaway slips. Wentworth Marine, out on Route 15. The little carbon receipts they tear …

For Our 33rd Anniversary I Finally Bought My Wife the Good Rocking Chair — And She Gave Me a Rusted Tackle Box I Never Opened Read More

Then my mother said, “Wade, honey. You can’t sign what isn’t mine to give.” He laughed. He had that look men get when they’ve already been to the courthouse and …

The Cake Still Had Candles On It When My Brother Announced He’d Put Mama’s Store in His Own Name — Then Mama Set Down the Coffee Pot Read More

Then my wife said, “Denny, before you retire me — who signed the 2009 subscription agreement?” My partner said, “The what.” Ruth had it in her handbag. Of course she …

Twenty-Five Years My Wife Kept the Books That Kept This Company Alive — Then at the Christmas Party She Asked Denny One Question About the Stock Ledger Read More