Bambi Sings to Bingo

During our dating, Nyle and I made fun of silly people that were in love and calling each other foolish nicknames.  You know, like Snoogybuns, or Booie, (Nyle rented a room from a couple for the first year of their marriage.  They called him Baby Booie)!  lol

When we married, we started calling each other silly names as a joke.  OOOPS!  Poor idea as so many of them stuck.  Some where based on parts of Nyle's name...Nybrith, Nylie, Nyleanator, etc.
He pretty much just called me honey, honey bunny, or honeybunch.  Nobody told us that those names would stick and be repeated for 27 years of marriage.

Nyle came to our marriage with MANY nicknames all ready.  His beloved nephew called him Nagoo Nyoo.  Apparently that name happened when the nephew was too young to say Uncle Nyle.

In his family of boys, each had a nickname that rhymed with their first name.  Nyle's was Nyle the Pyle!  He, for obvious reasons, did not care for THIS nickname.  His family also called him "Dunky Doll," because he was admittedly one of the cutest little boys imaginable.

Nyle burdened himself with the nickname Bingo.  He played a tiny role, in a tiny play, in a tiny theater at his college.   Nyle was an ACTOR!  He was very proud of his chops as an actor and rightly so!  He was so embarrassed to be in this play, (with a tiny part) which his professor/friend had bribed him to be in, that he put his name on the program as BINGO SMITH.  That backfired....big time!  Imagine his surprise when he received an extremely prestigious nomination in college acting circles.  The "Irene Ryan Award."  Some of you may remember the actress as Granny Clampett in the show, "The Beverley Hillbillies."

Actually, NYLE Smith did NOT receive the nomination.  You guessed it, BINGO Smith received the nomination.  The nickname stuck.  Many dear friends remember him with that name.

Bambi?  Nyle and I faced many, MANY health crises in our life together.  We developed a "gallows humor," approach to living with the distinct possibility of death.  Between the two of us we faced cancer (both of us), Diabetes (Nyle), and many, many other life threatening illnesses.  So we would joke back and forth, "If I die, I want you to remarry."  He said it to me so many times I finally said, "Fine.  If you die, I'll remarry.  I won't remarry somebody wonderful because NOBODY could be as wonderful as YOU!  So, I'll marry a Stupid Stud named Steve!"  (Obviously we liked alliteration, but wait here comes the rest).  He countered with, "I'll marry a Blond Bimbo named Bambi."

Somehow, someway, Bambi became one of MY nicknames.  On a business trip, he sent me a postcard.  It was a picture of three, extremely attractive, brawny, ripped, and tan, men.  The postcard read, "Bambi, Heard the old man's out of town.  We should get together, signed, Steve, Steve, and Steve."

We adored to sing together.  One Karaoke night, Nyle excused himself.  I was chatting with our other friends at the table.  Suddenly I hear the DJ announce, "Now we'll hear a musical number from Bambi and Bingo."  I looked up, and Nyle was standing by the DJ beckoning for me to join them.  Of course, I did.

Nyle DID die before me, THE STINKER!  I will NOT be dating or marrying any Steve's.  I WILL be carrying on the best of the love we shared, and looking forward to being reunited with him in the world beyond this life.

I could NOT sing or speak at his funeral.  I was numb, faced with the reality of endless days and nights without my love.  In my mind I promised him that I WOULD sing a concert for him, and about our love and marriage.  This coming Friday, I will meet that goal.  I am also writing a book, "Happy Not Crappy," that is based on the true story of our courtship, romance, and marriage.  Please watch for that book.