One of my favorite stories about My Dear, Sweet Husband ™  was brought to mind just the other night when he took me out to dinner at the Hard Rock downtown, and then for a walk around downtown, which is always fun. 

     As we were on our walk, we passed these two guys sitting on the sidewalk, resting.  One of the guys called out to us:

Man:      “Hey, my friend, can I ask you a question?”

Rocky:   “Sure”

Man:      “How tall are you?”

Rocky:   “I’m 6’5”.

Man:      “No, shit, I knew you was tall, but DAMN Dawg.  I’m afraid of you.”

Rocky smiled and said “Thanks” and walked on, leaving the man to continue to rhapsodize in increasingly flowery language the numerous ways he imagined Rocky could fold, spindle or mutilate his much smaller frame, should he so choose.

     Not that he would, of course.  Rocky’s not that kind of guy.  A friend recently referred to him as a “gentle giant”…which isn’t exactly the case either.  I would say that he is a carefully and conscientiously self-restrained giant.  Not an important distinction for decent, upstanding people who don’t pose an immediate physical threat…but an accurate distinction nonetheless.

     But it got me to thinking about the other ways he throws people off.

     There was this record store in Wayzata in the 90’s that we liked to go to.  I don’t know if it is still there or not.  It’s called Down In The Valley.

     Years ago, Rocky stopped off at Down in the Valley to pick up a Corrosion of Conformity CD.  The kid with all the tattoos and facial piercings and half a shaved head was cashiering.  He took the CD, and looked at it…

     …then looked at Rocky in his three-piece suit, trench coat, and Stetson.

Punk Kid:  “You don’t look like the Corrosion of Conformity type…”

Rocky:       “Kid, I AM Corrosion of Conformity”

Punk Kid:  “Yeah…it’s you quiet ones you really have to worry about.”

Rocky (arching one eyebrow):  “You have no idea.”

That’s one of my favorite stories.