Did I hear the word free?

My best friend, CrazyA, leaned over to me in church on Sunday.

"Bonnie, do you want a free d-"
"Yes."
"What?"
"What?"

"I was about to ask you if you wanted a free d-"
"Yes."
"What?"
"Yes. I do.  I want it."
"But I haven't even told you what it is yet."
"Didn't you say it was free?"
"Yes..."
"Then I want it."

I texted Hubs (who was home sick with the flu).  "I scored free stuff!"  He didn't text me back.  I am still trying to teach him to share my love for "free".  He doesn't quite understand.  Just gotta give it time.  Time, my friends.

After sacrament I went out with CrazyA to the parking lot to examine my loot.  It was a small dresser that the owner no longer needed.  We peeked in through the windows of a truck.  And while I couldn't make out many details, I could tell it was black.  Perfect!  It'd match the furniture I already had in the apartment.  (Ok, let's face it, any color furniture would go with what I already have.  Not one piece of furniture matches another in my living quarters.  What do you expect?  It's not like anybody volunteered to match my furniture for me!)  The dresser would be ideal as a nightstand.  Score.

The rest of church I daydreamed about my new free dresser.  Say what you want, nothing makes you love something more than the fact that it was free.  (Which is why I love Hubs so much.  I didn't have to pay a dime for him!)  I was quickly falling madly in love.

I texted Hubs again.  "Make room in the bedroom!  I'm brining home a new dresser!"

This time Hubs texted back.

"Why did you get a dresser..."

Don't worry, I was not disheartened!  Yes, Hubs may have seemed disapproving in the text, but he was actually quite excited.  I just knew it.  I can read him like a book!

I rushed home to make sure the house was ready for the arrival of the new dresser.  "HUBS!" I called excitedly upon bursting through the door.  He lifted his head off the couch, looking utterly exhausted.  "The dresser's coming, did you clear a space out of th-" And midsentence the door knocked.  It was CrazyA with her husband and the dresser in tote.

Oh, the dresser! It was love, it was love, it was love.

"Alright, come on in!" I said enthusiastically.  Hubs rolled his eyes.  Then rolled over.  I directed CrazyA and her husband into the bedroom.  (Come on, like I was going to carry that heavy dresser when someone else was perfectly willing!)

Cody and CrazyA harassed Hubs for awhile until they could see he was clearly in no mood for company.  And so they left. 

I could hardly contain my excitement.
"Aren't you excited for the new dresser?!?" I exclaimed.
"I don't really understand why you got it."
Okay.... not exactly the answer I wanted to hear.

Still though, my optimism was not dampened.
"It's a new dresser!"
"But do we need it?"
"Of course we do!"
"I feel like you just got that because it was free."

Silence.
The boy had seen right through me.

Finally, I rebutted.
"It's not like it's something we absolutely need, but admit it, we could use more drawer space and this way each of us will have a nightstand on our side of the bed.  I think it's perfect!"
Hubs tugged the blanket tighter and closed his eyes.
"I just don't feel very well."

Hours later, getting into bed, I caught Hubs secretly eyeing the new dresser.  He gave it a long look over and then a very small, almost imperceptible nod of the head. 

Then, he spoke.

"I get the side with the dresser."

Moral of the story:  In a battle between free and anything else, free always wins.

Every time.
All the time.