Ten minutes to write. Less time to read.

Every Friday Earl and I go out to dinner. Sometimes it’s a casual place like Pauly’s in Benton Harbor; other times it’s more upscale like the Bistro at the Boulevard or Tosi’s. But wherever we land, we have a grand time.

It’s not that we don’t see each other or converse together during the week. With both of us working from home, it’s hard NOT to run into each other. But for some reason, having a couple cocktails and dinner in a restaurant on Friday night elevates our conversation to the level of a date. Even if we’re dog tired and have nothing new to say.

Maybe it’s the ambience of eating out instead of eating at our dining table at home. Maybe it’s being served instead of having to cook it ourselves. Maybe it’s just a habit we’ve gotten into, one that works.

I don’t know yet where we’re going tonight, but I’m already looking forward to it. We drive to some restaurant, leave worries in the car, and for a couple hours every Friday night revel in simply being together. Like the credit card company says, “It’s priceless.”