**The Real McCoy**

Chris has always been a huge Star Trek fan. Living in Romulus, I’ve started to enjoy that strange, beautiful sci-fi world more than I expected.

One night we were watching one of the movies and I asked him who he thinks he is on the show. The answer did not surprise me at all. Of course he is Spock. All logic. All intelligence.I asked him who I would be. I expected Kirk — the witty banter, the funny little outfits (I like to call it my toddler era).

His answer surprised me.

“No. You’d be McCoy. He’s all emotion. Kirk is supposed to be a blend of the two.”

There are things they don’t tell you about going into business with your partner. You think you have a very strong relationship. Then the work starts, and it shows you the real differences in how you deal with stress, with life, and with a wonky breakfast service.

The previous owner texted me once: “Sometimes that house isn’t big enough for 12 people, let alone 2.”

I have discovered that is sometimes the truth.

Like when Chris just wants to make his lunch in peace and, for some reason, I’m still doing things in the kitchen.The man of logic is a man of routine. The woman of emotion sees that and thinks, once again, I am in the way.

In our reactions to each other — and in our different ways of seeing the same moment — we have had to take a step back. Slow down. Really look at the other person. Notice the tone of voice you don’t even know you have. The face you make that you aren’t even realizing you make.

This business is a labor of love. The logical man sees that labor one way. His partner, who is mostly guided by emotion, sees it another.

So I have to stop and use a little more logic and a little less emotion.

He is realizing the same flip is helpful.

This house is becoming big enough for both 12 and 2. It is filled with love and respect. It is filled with our constant need to give guests the very best experience we can. It is filled with laughs and the new friends we get to meet every week.

We didn’t have an instruction manual. We are making our own. Blazing our own little trail.

Maybe one day I’ll be a little more Kirk — the mixture of the two.

Until then, I am proud to be the Real McCoy.

And I’m just as proud of my Spock.