the message
I got a voicemail on my mobile phone, apparently about a guy I met who had presented himself as single and available. The message went something like this, “Hi, this is Mary Beth. I wanna know why you’re calling and texting my boyfriend of 13 years. Ah, I want to know how he met you. This isn’t shoot the messenger, but I’ve been with this man for a long time. If you want to put up with all his bullshit, you can have him, if you’d like to support him and feed him and wash his clothes, you can have him. This jackass is never gonna get his life together, I thought you should know. Please call me back and let me know if you want this dirtbag.”
Her voice escalated as she went on. Mad, desperate, disgusted all at once, screaming and calming herself — the whole time on the verge of tears. At first I was afraid, but I understood the pain; the guy had lied to us both. What? Do I want him? No.
