Of Dealing with the Budget Committee
by Steve Strain, Club President 1996-1999
November 1999
This is a husband thing. One of our members recently married and the
universal cry from the other married guys was "buy your toys now." Before I got
married I went to the store for groceries. I came back with a new receiver for the stereo.
Guys think nothing of this. My bride, who at the time did not have a title other than the
love of my life, just laughed about it. "He goes off for milk and comes back with
electronics." Things are different now. Certain items fall under the category of
husband toys and a loose list of them is as follows: electronic devices (any item which
can be used to watch football, watch Le Tour tapes, or listen to tunes), power tools,
sporting equipment and of course bike parts. The purchase of any of these items requires a
meeting of the budget committee. No naval admiral has it so tough when he wants a new
aircraft carrier.
In fact I was talking with the then fiance‚ of our newly married
Euro Trash boy Tabby T. She appeared as Tabby and myself and Bill Chambers and Danny Gork
were partaking of the spirits at Dirty Nellys in anticipation of Colorado Bill heading
west. We were discussing the political situation in the middle east when the ladies
arrived. They had been shopping. I was asked what for especially in light of the fact that
it was not my credit card on the shopping trip. They had been shopping for shoes. And for
"little shoes" no less. And I am not making up the answer. I looked around for
the bride. The purchase of "little shoes" (which doesn't translate into
"little price") does not require any sort of financial review by the husband. We
don't get to have the conversation about the fact that you already have little shoes and
won't they be sufficient for a time. "Do you really need new little shoes?"
I have been having new wheels fantasies after riding a set of Cane
Creeks in Colorado. They accelerated better and climbed faster than my current wheels. So
I have been talking to the boys at the shop and my other buddies about new wheels. I may
even have ordered new hubs in anticipation of the wheels but we are currently not
admitting to that. The question I have been asked by not only the guys at the shop is
this: "Have you cleared this with the budget committee yet." My answer to Dave
at Owen was to ask if he would make two receipts. But that doesn't solve the entire
problem. The bride has this bad habit of looking at bike catalogs. So she knows what
things cost. But the catalog folks don't give me a discount is the explanation.
So maybe I'll bypass the budget committee and just do it. After all
husbands have lived for years by the adage that it is easier to obtain forgiveness than
permission. Or maybe I'll just take the bride shopping for new Enzos (little shoes).
Besides, the wheels I want aren't expensive. Just look at this receipt.
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