Unheralded

TERRY DULLUM: The Dullum File — 40 Years, Who’s Counting?

The picture above of Ginny and me was taken on a pretty cold day, as I recall, a little more than 40 years ago in downtown Grand Forks. Yes, it’s our engagement picture. Yes, we’ve been married for nearly 40 years. And yes, I know, I married “up.” Virtually every man does in my opinion.

When the topic of our anniversary came up with my rather youngish hairdresser the other day, she seemed stunned by the thought of 40 years together with someone. Getting married herself this fall, I think she was, in fact, rendered speechless for a second. To be honest, it’s a little hard for me to wrap my head around it myself.

Despite my many and varied flaws, I can honestly say Ginny and I have never had a fight serious enough for the word divorce to come up. Murder, yes. Divorce, no.

Ginny and I never go to bed mad at each other. We stay up until the problem is solved. Last year, we didn’t get any sleep until March!

Ginny and I are a team. I am not the captain.

I don’t try to run her life … and I don’t try to run my life.

And that’s enough of that.

OK, one more.

It’s not mine. It’s buddy Bob Zany’s. It continues to be a favorite. Introducing her at one of his comedy shows once, Bob asked Ginny how long the two of us had been married. Ginny answered with whatever the double-digit figure was at the time. Then, as only he could, Bob added, “God! Think of the sh*t she’s been through.”

We’ve never made a YUGE deal out of anniversaries, but we are going to be celebrating our “little” milestone (and a pretty big birthday for Ginny) with a cruise later this year.

In the meantime this weekend, we’ll have a quiet dinner together. That’s always the plan, anyway. When we set our wedding date all that time ago, we didn’t take into account our anniversary would land each year on what is for many area schools prom weekend. So, we’ve been fighting prom couples, many of them on their first dates, for restaurant reservations ever since. It’s almost become part of the fun.

We don’t usually exchange anniversary gifts with each other. We have enough stuff already. What we’d really like is another 40 years. Since that’s not likely to happen, we’ll settle for every single good day we can muster together.

To be sure, we’ve had lots of good days already, that pesky “in sickness and in health” part aside. No reason to think there won’t be tons more.

Oh, and thanks, Ginny, for going through all the sh*t with me.




4 thoughts on “TERRY DULLUM: The Dullum File — 40 Years, Who’s Counting?”

  • Nancy Hanson May 3, 2017 at 9:47 am

    Congratulations! What a couple of good-looking kids.

    Reply
    1. Terry Dullum May 3, 2017 at 12:32 pm

      Thanks, Nancy.

      Reply
  • Mike Brue May 3, 2017 at 9:49 am

    Happy 40th to you, Ginny and Terry. Enjoy! And enjoy many, many more.

    Reply
  • Terry Dullum May 3, 2017 at 12:33 pm

    Thanks, Mike.

    Reply

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