‘We’re Too Old to Date!’ Man Mocks Wife of 43 Years, Spots Her with Another Man – Story of the Day

Laura and Henry were a sixty something year old couple who had shared 43-years of marriage together. Over the years, however, their spark had seemed to fade. After Henry denies his wife the acts of love that once brought them together all those years back, circumstances force him to relearn the art of romance.

Laura sat on her small rose garden patio, looking through a photo album containing all the most valuable memories of her youth. She flipped through the pictures of her and her husband of 43 years, Henry, and their many captured moments of blissful romance and love.

As she visited each page, she plunged into nostalgia, remembering how she started dating Henry and how beautifully he courted her. But with each passing photo also came the agonizing realization of how much that romance had fizzled out in their union.

Laura and Henry were both almost 70 years old now. Over the years, attention had deviated from what they shared for each other to what they had built together. Laura loved her children and their grandchildren as much as her husband did, but after their children were all grown and out of the house, she had hoped it would give them the time and space to focus on each other.

“Are you crazy, Laura? We’re almost 70 years old! We’re too old to date!”

Unfortunately, that was not the case. They came from taking pictures on every silly date and milestone, to them not even celebrating their anniversaries. The one particular anniversary that came to mind was their fortieth.

Henry had always been a hopeless romantic. That was one of the things that drew Laura to him. He would make the most romantic gestures and dates for Laura. The sort of dates and gestures that took a good time to plan.

But now, that was all a thing of the past. Laura shed a tear as she remembered Henry’s words to her on the day of his proposal, saying:

“All I ask of you, my dear, is to allow me the privilege of growing old together. And the second thing I ask, I ask of the Lord. May He provide us the grace to forever remain young at heart for each other. May we honour each other and treasure the gift of each other’s joy.”

As Laura remembered Henry’s words, she came across a dead, dried rose within the pages of the photo album. It was a rose from the first bouquet that Henry had ever given her. As she gently tried to grasp it in her hands, it immediately crumbled.

Laura looked around at their little rose garden and then back at the crumpled rose before her. She suddenly realized that Henry hadn’t given her flowers in years. He had started the garden himself a while ago, but not once had he given one to his wife. She decided, there and then, that she would take it upon herself to reignite the spark in their marriage.

That same evening Laura approached Henry as he was sitting on the couch watching a sports game. She snuggled up next to him affectionately before finally speaking her mind.

“So, I was thinking…” Laura said, gazing at Henry, whose eyes were glued to the television.

“Uh-huh?” Henry replied nonchalantly.

“How about we get in touch with our younger selves and take ourselves out on a date?” Laura suggested. Henry immediately scoffed before bursting into an arrogant chuckle.

“Henry!” Laura cried, nudging him. “I’m serious!” she added.

“Are you crazy, Laura? We’re almost 70 years old! We’re too old to date!” Henry said smugly before finally noticing his wife’s dejected look. “Look, my dear. All I’m saying is we’re past that phase now. Okay?” Henry said, tapping Laura casually on the wrist and then getting back to his game.

“Henry, what happened to staying young at heart for each other?” Laura exclaimed, her frustration building.

“Yes, my love, that was the intention. But we’re not newly weds anymore. We’re in a 43-year-old marriage. And the fact that we’ve made it this far has to be good enough,” Henry explained.

“Good enough? Are you even hearing yourself right now?” Laura cried.

“All I’m saying is let’s be realistic. What you’re asking for is ridiculous,” Henry concluded.

Laura tried to get her husband to see things her way, but he simply wouldn’t budge. She finally gave up, overwhelmed by a sudden despair for the marriage both her and Henry once cherished so dearly. His words left her heartbroken. It felt as if expressing the same love they used to express so effortlessly had suddenly become a chore.

After the game was done, Henry went to bed while Laura stayed up the whole night crying as she watched romantic movies. With each of the hopeless romantics she saw in them, she remembered what once was between her and her husband.

“Where have you been? And in fact, where do you go every Wednesday?” Henry interrogated her.

A few days later, she finally found the courage to try again. This time she had devised a cunning plan to try reignite the spark in her marriage. She bought herself a new dress and asked her husband if they could go to the mall to run a few errands. And while she was disappointed that Henry had nothing to say about her new dress, she still had hope that he would have a change of heart once her plan fully came to light.

When Laura and Henry finally arrived at the mall, she led him into a store that Laura said was a bakery with some recipe’s she’d like to try out. However, to Henry’s surprise, when the got there it wasn’t a bakery at all, but a dance studio.

“Laura, what is this? I thought you said we were going to a bakery?! Are we lost?” Henry said, confused.

“No, my love. I brought us here because I wanted us to try out some dance classes together. I remember how we used to tango all night until the sun came up, and I figured we could—” Laura started, but before she could even finish her sentence, Henry was barking at her.

“You figured what? That you’d trap me into a date after we specifically talked about this?!” Henry snapped.

“Oh, come now, Henry. This used to be our thing,” Laura said, swaying her hips in a dance motion, trying to loosen him up. But Henry was having none of it.

“We’ve already talked about this, Laura! We’re not in our twenties anymore! Come! We’re leaving!” Henry exclaimed, grabbing her hand. But just as Henry started making for the door Laura pulled her arm away.

“You can leave if you want to! But I’m not going anywhere,” Laura said with a stern look.

“Alright. Suite yourself! If you want to act like a child, then go ahead! But you’re not going to drag me into it!” Henry concluded. He stormed off, leaving a devastated Laura behind as she watched him go.

A few weeks later, Henry began to notice a newfound glow in Laura. She would smile blissfully, humming and dancing as she did chores around the house. Furthermore, she started mysteriously going somewhere every Wednesday afternoon and coming back late at night.

Henry began to grow suspicious of his wife’s behaviour and decided to confront her. So, one Wednesday evening as Laura returned from her escapades, she returned home to find Henry waiting for her in the living room.

“Where have you been? And in fact, where do you go every Wednesday?” Henry interrogated her.

“If you must know, my dear husband…dancing,” Laura said casually, paying no mind to her husband's dramatic antics.

“Dancing? With whom?” Henry asked, his tone sounding even more interrogative.

“With my friends, Henry. Since you wouldn’t go with me, I asked my friend Sylvia and the ladies if they were keen and they all agreed. So, now every Wednesday, we tango,” Laura said, cheerfully doing a little dance which only seemed to agitate Henry even more.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Henry asked.

“Henry, I love you. With all my heart. But you clearly weren’t interested and I was not about to let you stop me. Plus, it’s been really good for me. I’d advise you to try it but we both know where you stand,” Laura concluded, gently kissing her husband on the cheek.

Henry finally calmed down, accepting his wife’s answer. He even felt a little ashamed and stupid for being jealous after all these years he and Laura had been together.

“Oh…well, I’m sorry for my tone, my dear. I just wish you could have told me beforehand, so I wouldn’t worry,” Henry said, sincerely.

“It’s alright. So…would you consider going with me next time?” Laura asked hopefully.

“Laura, we’ve already had this conversation. How many—” Henry started but Laura quickly cut him off.

“Alright. Alright. No need for us to get worked up, my love. I for one am tired. Phew!” Laura said, walking off, still with a little rhythmic sway in her hips.

“How could you, Laura? After all these years! 43 years Laura!" shouted Henry.

A few weeks passed, and it was yet another Wednesday night. Henry was doing errands around the mall where Laura went for dance classes, so he thought he would surprise her and give her a ride home.

As he parked outside the mall, he suddenly saw Laura stepping out of the mall entrance with a man. His heart sank to his stomach as he watched them stroll cheerfully, arm in arm. What made matters worse was her friends were nowhere to be seen.

Henry decided to follow them and see where they’d go. His heart pumped furiously within him as he saw his wife laughing and blushing with this strange man like a young girl. As he watched them, he remembered how she would act the same way when they were younger.

It had been so long since he had seen her beam like that, and the thought of it being with another man tore at his insides. After all these years, how could Laura cheat on me? he thought. He watched as the pair finally entered a café. Then, he finally made his move. Henry rushed into the café and headed to their table with guns blazing. Laura hadn’t noticed Henry enter as she continued to laugh with the mystery man.

“How could you, Laura? After all these years! 43 years Laura!" shouted Henry.

"Henry? What are you doing here?" Laura asked, bewildered.

“What am I doing here? I should be asking you that!” Henry snapped back.

“Sorry, sir,” the mystery man said, standing up apologetically. “But, I think there’s been a misunderstanding here. I’m actually—” before the mystery man could finish explaining, Henry threateningly grabbed him by the shirt. Just as Henry was about to hit him, Laura jumped in front of him.

“Henry, stop!” Laura yelled. Suddenly, Sylvia and several of Laura’s other friends rushed to the table. Henry stopped, looking around confused.

"What's going on here?" Laura’s friend, Sylvia, asked.

“Sylvia?” Henry said.

“Why are you holding my husband like that?” Sylvia said before turning to the man, concerned. “Dave, are you hurt?” Sylvia asked, limping as she hugged the man and kissed him on the cheek as Henry let go of him. Henry was in shock and did not understand what was happening.

“Calm down, Henry. Calm down and listen,” Laura said, ushering her husband to sit down. Henry sat down, dazed by what was happening around him.

Laura and her friends explained that the mystery man was in fact, Dave, Sylvia’s husband. Henry was familiar with Sylvia, but he had never met her husband before. It turns out that Sylvia had twisted her leg in one of their classes and Laura replaced her as Dave’s dancing partner.

“Laura, I’m sorry I’ve let the spark die in our relationship. God’s grace did see us through. But my selfishness held us back,” Henry confessed.

“I’m so sorry, everyone. I couldn’t have known,” an embarrassed Henry explained as they all sat at the table.

“Yes, but that’s still no excuse for violence, Henry. We’ve been together for 43 years like you said yourself. You should trust me more than that,” Laura said sadly.

“I know. But when I saw you beaming like that with him… It… It reminded me of how you used to smile with me and I just lost it,” Henry explained.

“That’s only because we had such a good time at dance class. We decided to grab a cup of coffee together afterwards. Sylvia and the others were already here, but they left to powder their faces and freshen up a little after an hour of sweating from class,” Laura explained.

Henry apologized again and everyone forgave him for the misunderstanding. They had a great time having coffee, and for a moment, Henry himself enjoyed being out with Laura outside of their normal routine. However, after her husband’s rash reaction to Dave, Laura worried that he had become callous with age.

Laura and Henry later went home, and Henry spent the evening apologizing to his wife. She soon realized that he was sincere and it was all indeed a misunderstanding. They finally kissed and made up.

A week later, Laura was going to attend the dance class again. As she was exiting the house, Henry popped out of the blue and grabbed her hand, his other hand hidden behind his back.

“Laura, I’m sorry I’ve let the spark die in our relationship. God’s grace did see us through. But my selfishness held us back,” Henry confessed.

“It’s okay, I’ve already forgiven you, my love,” Laura said.

“I know you have,” Henry said, pulling out his dance shoes from behind his back. “I stopped you because I wanted to ask if I could join you at class today. It’s been way too long since we last tangoed,” Henry said, swaying his hips jokingly.

“Oh, Henry! Nothing would make me happier,” Laura said, passionately kissing her husband. Henry pulled back suddenly, saying, “Plus, I can’t have anybody else touching my baby.”

“You’re a clown!” Laura said as they both laughed, heading out the door, arm in arm. They had a wonderful evening in the dance class and Henry started attending with Laura there every week.

A month later, Henry surprised Laura with a beautiful romantic date. He got together all the roses he had been growing in the backyard patio and put on an unforgettable display for his one true love. They took ample pictures, one for every day they missed in the photo album.

“And here you were saying you were too old for all this. What happened?" asked Laura. "What can I say? Once a hopeless romantic, always a hopeless romantic,” Henry said, holding Laura in his arms as they filled the photo album in together.

What can we learn from this story?

• True love and romance is essential even after countless years of marriage. Henry had forgotten the essentials of his partnership with his wife and it had begun to cripple their union. However, once he got his act together, he came to realize what he had been missing all along.
• Remember the little things and why you fell in love with your partner. And don’t neglect your partner's desires. Henry had neglected the foundation of his love with Laura. And as a result, he neglected her needs and desires. Once he finally opened up to making sure she was satisfied and happy, it rekindled his own happiness.

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If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about an elderly couple that got divorced after 56 years of marriage because the man thought they are too old for romance.

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