June 26, 2021

My dearest,

You ask me what is the difference between “any time” and “anytime”.

There is the academic answer, or an attempt at it. My grasp of grammar doesn’t extend to unravelling its myriad rules; it’s one thing to know what to say and another to understand why we say it.

At any rate, I give you examples illustrating how one is a noun phrase and the other an adverb. Hardly sexy but it works. You have your A-ha! moment; you are satisfied.

Sometimes I feel you know what I am saying more than I do. You understand me more than I understand myself.

Which is what we do; we make up for each other’s shortfalls. We carry one another through it all, in deep conversation or wordlessly, for better or for worse.

It’s one thing to know what to say and another to understand why we say it. With you, what I say or don’t say hardly matters since you get me either way.

Any more questions, I ask. Nope, you tell me. All good. Well, I say, I’m here if you have more questions. Any time, anytime.

Yours, ever and always.