I've been pondering the prep work I did yesterday for a new tile floor. I really think every single thing we do and say has at least two meanings.

On the surface...
Before you can lay tile, you have to have a smooth surface for a base. So you have to tear off the old layer, in this case a vinyl floor. That floor was worn and didn't match the beautiful addition to the house. Under the vinyl was a layer of something called luan, a plywood that reminded me a little of the balsa wood model airplanes that kids don't really ever get or play with anymore. That luan was stapled down securely. I am sure that whoever went staple-happy on that luan never imagined that one day it would all have to be torn up. It was hard work nipping out and hammering in those staples. Every bit of that stapled-down luan had to be picked off. If not, the new tiles would not lay flat. The uneven surface below would stress the tile, making it more susceptible to breaking. I suppose a less thorough contracting company might have let some sloppiness slide here. But not Michael's. He's seen the results of sloppy enough times to be sure we take the time to do it right.

Ok, now flip that info over and you have another layer of meaning.
Say you are contemplating a new relationship. You see some beautiful tile that would go well with the new life you're constructing. You think you might be able to live with that new tile for a long time. But if you want this new relationship to last, you have to take the time to pull up all the tacks from the old layer. You had high hopes for that first layer and put in a lot of fasteners that don't pull out easily. Removal is hard work. It takes time and can give you blisters and splinters. You will most likely need professional assistance and with any luck, someone to laugh with while you are pulling those suckers out.
If you try installing the new relationship without first clearing away the debris from the old, your new one will eventually crack up.

Do you think all the guys on the job yesterday were thinking about the symbolic significance of staple removal? It seemed so obvious to me. Maybe that's just the divorced ex-English teacher, construction girl, poet showing through.