all the king's men

i can't really explain why this is taking me for such a ride. or maybe i don't want to understand why, and therefore refuse to dig too deeply... i just don't know. i know it's none of my business, and despite the fact that i'm usually pretty good about letting those kinds of things roll off, this one is particularly sticky.

backstory: Brian is one of the resident nice guys around here. super-friendly, easy-going, and generally just a kind, good person. the kind of kind, good person that you want to see win all of the rounds, every battle. karma should play robin to his batman, and there should always be a happily ever after. married to his high school sweetheart, with two of the cutest kids anywhere. life is perfect, isn't it?

why would you do anything to lose it?
why would you let it go?
why not fight for it until the last drop has dried up?

...or did you?
was it her choice?
was it she who left you?

i discovered, via the infamous Facebook this weekend, that B's status has changed from "married" to "it's complicated." today i realized: he's no longer wearing his wedding ring.

so sad!
what happened?
what now?

upon further investigation (stalking? potato, potahto), there appears to be someone new in his life.

the usual, mousy, cutesy homewrecker-type...
why do they always look the same?

and then i remember back a few months ago, the private phone calls he took in his car, or out behind the office. seemed off at the time, but everyone needs to make an embarrassing appointment from time to time, right? marital debates happen at all hours of the day, and so who am i to question these actions?

only happened a few times anyway.

but now it's weird. do i say something? no, of course not. it's less my place to say a word than it is to play judge.

i mean in terms of support. want to talk?

no. not me. not this time. who am i to assume that roll?

it's just so disappointing.

oh poor you. like it's your marriage that's ended.

i know. thank God.