Oh, Nothing

(Remember that whole list of warnings about dating a writer? This should totally be on that list.

September 29, 2010 5:45 am
(FGB comes back from the bathroom and gets back into bed. He checks his phone.)
Princess: You’re awake? What time is it?
Fairy GodBoyfriend: Like quarter to six.
Princess: Whatcha thinking about?
FGB: Nothing
Princess: That’s always fascinated me.
FGB: What?
Princess: People who can think about nothing. I read this book as a kid called How To Be A Perfect Person in Just Three Days, and one of the things you had to do on the last day was Nothing. All day. You couldn’t do or think of anything. The point was that nobody’s perfect…but every time someone says they’re thinking of nothing, it reminds me of that book.
FGB: I meant nothing of importance. That’s what people usually mean. There’s always random junk going on up there.
Princess: Oh. Oops.
FGB: Oops?
Princess: So the other day when I told you about how poetry magnets made me wonder what your old house would look like with the kitchen wall knocked out…you didn’t actually want to know that?
FGB: Well sure, if it was important.
Princess: It wasn’t that important. I didn’t realize the question implied a level of importance.
FGB: Oh.
Princess: If it was important, I wouldn’t be quiet about what I was thinking. I would tell you.
FGB: Maybe you’re thinking about something you don’t want to tell me. Maybe my feet stink.
Princess: So why do people always ask what other people are thinking? They’re really desperate to know some horrible thing about themselves?
FGB: Dunno.
Princess: And it’s a tradition that’s gone on for ages!
FGB: Mmmhmm.

(There is a moment of silence as I snuggle into FGB’s shoulder. He puts his arm around me.)

Princess: Hon?
FGB: Mmmhmm
Princess: How does the internet work?