Dear reader, this is a story of one man's attempt to change from reckless behavior to acting responsibly. Can he save himself?
--------
"You're drunk!"
She shouted at me as I took a leak in the closest flower bed.
"That's what happens when you drink that much in one sitting. You ought to try it sometime."
I put myself away and staggered towards the car.
"Get in the passenger side, Gary. I'm not letting you drive in that condition."
I didn't argue, she was right. She was always right about everything.
Sandy's boss was hosting this barbecue/pool party. The food was great but the booze was even better. Premium, top shelf stock for sure!
My clothes were still a little damp due to a little accident by the pool. I thought I had misjudged a step and fell in, she said I had staggered and fell in, semantics.
"Honestly, you couldn't have embarrassed me more if you'd tried."
"I'm sorry sweetheart but your boss has exquisite taste in Scotch. I can't afford good stuff like that."
"I asked you not to drink too much at these company functions. I've actually gone to a few events on my own because I'm embarrassed to take you. Tonight was an exception because it was outdoors and you wanted to come so badly."
"I said I'm sorry."
"Sorry isn't going to cut it."
"What do you mean?"
"I've had it with your drinking, your laziness and lack of ambition. We are supposed to be saving for a down payment on a house and you go out drinking with your friends three nights a week. You have three broken down cars that you won't fix or sell but you'll buy another old clunker off marketplace. You're irresponsible and tonight was the last straw."
"What are you gonna do about it, Miss Manners?
"For one thing you're not sleeping in my bed tonight. You can take the sofa. Tomorrow I'll have a better idea of where we are headed."
"Come on babe, you and the office girls prance around the pool in bikinis all night and I can't get any action tonight? Fuck that!"
"Just leave me alone tonight. I mean it."
She meant it. She locked the bedroom door on me. I was still drunk but that didn't mean I couldn't have a nightcap. I poured a glass of very inferior bourbon and hit the sofa to meditate on the benefits of having a wife with rich boss with impeccable taste is booze.
To tell you the truth, I have been a bit of an asshole lately. I have a drinking problem if you haven't gathered that by now. Sandy hates it when I get drunk. I know I should quit but I like being drunk, it's fun, unless you get sick.
I have had three jobs in the last year. I was fired from the first two and I'm on borrowed time right now. Sandy makes a damn good wage so there's no worries there.
Eventually I passed out. The morning broke like thunder. Sandy was putting bread in the toaster and the sound of plates being set sounded as loud as rifle fire. I wasn't sure if I was still drunk or just hung over. My guess would be a little of both.
Sandy came into the living room with some water and pain relievers for me. She had a coffee for herself.
"Ron, you disappointed me last night and it's the last time. I have warned you time after time and you refuse to listen or try to change. I'm done with trying to help you. I'm going to help myself. This afternoon I have an appointment with my lawyer. It's time we ended this farce."
"Sandy, don't overreact. I apologized didn't I?"
"You apologize every time you do this, and this was the last apology I want to hear from you. I want out."
"No, you don't mean it."
"Actually, I do."
She gathered her purse and left.
That didn't go as expected. She had to have been joking. I downed the water and the pills. I had dry toast and a coffee. I showered and shaved and put on my best pair of dress pants, a nice button up shirt and freshly shined shoes. I knew Sandy always liked this look on me. I wanted to make an impression on her because I'd never seen her acting the way she had this morning.
I found a parking spot about half a block away from her office. It was almost noon and I wanted to take her for lunch to say I was sorry.
I was almost at the entrance to the office when I saw her come out of the building, she wasn't alone.
The man she was with was tall, maybe six foot two, I'm five foot seven. They walked beside each other, they were talking. I saw her make an angry face and he put his hand on her shoulder to calm her. Somehow I had a sixth sense that I was the topic of conversation.
I followed them at a fair distance so I wouldn't be noticed. They went into a restaurant. I couldn't follow them in without alerting them. I was torn. On one hand I wanted to go in and rattle them, on the other hand I wanted to see if they would go right back to work after lunch.
They took a long lunch, ninety minutes. When they came out he held the door for her, then took her hand for half a block then put his arm around her waist for rest of the walk back to the office. When they came within sight of the office they broke their contact and just walked in.
I had snapped a couple of photos on my mobile. I was hoping against hope that I was wrong and this was innocent.
Sandy and I keep a mutual online calendar. I could see an appointment at 2 pm "L". Was that L for lawyer? I hung around and saw her walk up the street and went into a large office building. She took the elevator to the 10th floor. There was a board listing the tenants. The entire 10th floor was Lawson, Lawson and Philips Legal Services.
When Sandy got home that night I was in the kitchen making a lasagna and a salad. I had set the table, lit a candle and poured two glasses of wine.
"Hi, Sandy, have a seat. Dinner will be ready in a minute."
She walked into the kitchen and laughed.
"What the heck has gotten into you, since when do you cook?"
"I don't cook often enough, that's for sure but I thought you deserved it. Have a seat and enjoy the wine while I finish the salad."
She looked at me like I had two heads. I had seen that look before, many times before.
I served the lasagna, sat and raised my glass of wine, "enjoy!"
"So what was your day like Sandy, was it busy?"
"No, a little slow actually. There was lots of talk about the party last night, you were mentioned frequently."
"I was hoping this dinner would serve as an apology. I really need to clean up my act."
"Maybe for your next wife."
"Honey, you don't mean that do you?"
"Don't honey me! I meant every word. You are always doing this. You act like an idiot and then apologize for it. You have been warned a dozen times and you are incapable of change."
"Don't you appreciate that I've prepared your favourite meal for you?"
"Yes, it's delicious but it doesn't change the fact that we are simply incompatible anymore."
"I don't like the sound of that word."
"It fits, I was stupid enough to think that you would mature over the years but you haven't. You are still a willful child who can't help but act out. I had hoped to not have to do this but I think the time is right."
She pulled her briefcase over to the table, opened it up and pulled out a business envelope.
"These are the terms for a divorce settlement. We haven't got enough money for legal fights so this is about as simple as it can be. Everything split evenly, no alimony, you go your way and I'll go mine."
Holy shit, she was serious. I just stared at the envelope. This was no scare tactic or bargaining chip, this was dead serious.
