Up and down we go, where it stops, nobody knows

[SirPrizeMe]

There is a couple I look at with admiration. The husband is a recovering alcoholic, and the wife has stood by him even during his bad phase. This guy had a bad childhood, his father used to beat him regularly, and that is no excuse but it is an explanation of sorts. he's a good guy, but got a raw deal, and then fell victim to the sauce. Anyway she is standing by him. It is nice to see. Did she deserve his behavior? No. But she's married, and is fulfilling her commitment. I love seeing that. How many other marriages are like this? Countless! It's just that we don't hear about them!

I meant to give you all an update. A friend of W and me, a college buddy, was in town recently. He was close with me but also very friendly with W in the college years. A good guy, eccentric, funny, smart. Anyway it has been 4 years since I saw him. He was in contact with W and actually stayed at my house while he was in town. I called his phone and he answered while walking through my house. (It's this kind of thing that makes me crazy).

Later he came out to lunch with me. We spent the afternoon just hanging out. He was shocked to hear what W had done, and with whom. Of course this buddy of ours knew the OM, too, we all were in college together. He said something I found very supportive - he told me, "I never liked him."

I was incredulous. What?!!? He explained, it wasn't that he disliked him, it was that he never really felt close to him. There was always something about him. He wasn't very trustworthy. It's the same way I felt about OM. It's the feeling I got when I heard he was stealing bicycles. The distaste for that kind of behavior. The slightly horrified feeling at his various escapades, like bringing drugs with him on an overseas flight for a family vacation, with 2 kids in tow. I heard a similar sentiment from several people when they heard the news. They never liked him. Why did we even hang out with him?, some asked me...

Anyway this friend of mine also expressed almost disbelief that W had done what she had done. First, gone to OM. Then, tried to take my kids from me. He told me the truth will all come out, someday. He hugged me.

It's funny because NOT ONE PERSON ever said the same thing about my wife. No one has said - you know, I never trusted her. Or you know, there was always something about her that made me not quite comfortable. Or, I never really liked her.

Everyone really liked her. She was a good person. She was honorable and beautiful and generous and forgiving and caring and conscientious and loving and strong. No one saw this coming, on her side. Everyone is dumbfounded.