Something Rotten

"Something is rotten in the state of Denmark."

--Marcellus, Hamlet

While reading in bed the other evening, I was visited by one of my cats. He nestled himself on my pillow next to my head and placed his front paws across my shoulder. I continued to read; however, I soon noticed something afoul in the air.

"What is that?" I exclaimed. My wife said nothing and continued to read next to me.

Thinking it was the cat, I quickly shooed him off the bed and onto the floor. The smell soon dissipated and I turned my attention back to my book. The next evening, I grabbed my book, plopped down on the bed and picked up where I had left off the night before. My wife came into the bedroom and joined me on the bed.

"Sweetie," she said.

"Yes," I answered.

"You know that smell last night?"

I nodded affirmingly, not wanting to break away from what I was reading.

I heard her chuckle. I glanced at her and a wide smile broke across her face. Her chuckle turned into a full laugh--the laugh soon became a guffaw. Tears of laughter streaming down her face, she said to me while pausing her laughter: "It was me!" At that point, she was thrashing about the bed in laughter. When she finally calmed down, I simply picked up my book and continued reading. A gave her a slight smile and a wink of acknowledgement and appreciation.

My wife--the gas master.

How lucky am I?