TV Show

I admit my surprise when the caller introduced himself as the producer of the Steve Walker show. I had seen part of a few episodes on YouTube and understood the premise. Someone, usually a wife or girlfriend, would be accusing their partner of something and bring them on the show to take a lie detector test to prove their innocence or guilt. Whatever the topic, it's always some kind of confrontation. The guests seem to be a step above those on the Jerry Springer show but it's a baby step at best.

The producer said he couldn't tell me anything other than my wife had called the show. I told him to call back in a few days after I had an opportunity to talk to my wife. He reluctantly agreed but kept pushing with a promise of a free round trip to Cincinnati, meals, $500 spending money, and a chance to be on national TV. None of which gave me any motivation. When my wife, Julie, came home that evening I would talk to her about it.

"The Steve Walker show called today."

"Oh good. When are we going?"

"I told them to call back in a few days after you and I talked."

"About what?"

"About why we're going to be on the Steve Walker show."

"I assumed you knew."

"Wrong assumption. Why?"

"Oh for heaven sake. Think about it."

"I have no clue."

"It'll be fun to be on TV."

"Okay, have fun. I'll be right here at home."

"If I tell you it will ruin the surprise."

"I don't care for surprises in front of an audience."

"It's not a big deal."

"What, the TV show or what you are confronting me with?"

"So you do know."

"No I don't."

"Think about."

"Unless I know beforehand what it's about, I won't even consider it."

She huffed and I went out to the back porch for a smoke. Julie joined me about thirty minutes later.

"Why not?" She asked.

"Why not be on the show?"

"Yes."

"Those shows are all about confronting someone. If you have something to accuse me of, why not just do it?"

"I wouldn't know if you are telling the truth."

"You don't trust me?"

"Not about this."

"What is it?"

"Come on the show."

"You're trying to ambush me with something."

"If you're innocent you can prove it."

"Guilty until proven innocent?"

"Or until proven guilty."

"Marriage needs to be based on mutual trust."

"I trust you."

"Then why a lie detector on national TV?"

"It will be fun to be on TV."

"They either want to make someone out of a liar or make people look stupid. I'm neither."

"Knowing you are telling the truth will make our marriage stronger."

"I didn't realize it was weak."

"It isn't but this will make it stronger."

"I suspect it could destroy it."

"Only if you fail the test."

"I haven't done anything to fail a lie detector test."

"Then you have nothing to fear."

"Yes, I do. I fear that your lack of trust and a desire to expose something on national TV will tear our marriage apart."

"Not if you pass."

"Yes, Julie. Even when I pass I know you didn't trust me and tried to expose me to the entire world. Tell me what it is."

"Go on the show."

"Julie, it will likely destroy our marriage. I don't want to do that."

"Not going on will destroy it for me."

"Knowing you don't trust me really hurts."

"If you pass, I will trust you again."

"By then the damage will be done."

"Going on the show is the only way to save our marriage."

"If I don't go it's over?"

"Apparently so."

"I'm an honest man. I'm telling you now that this show will very likely destroy us."

"Not if you pass the test."

"Yes, even when I pass the damned test it will be over."

"I'll take that chance."

"You want to drag me on TV, try and make me out a liar and embarrass us both. It will destroy us."

"Not going will too."

"Fine, but don't say I didn't warn you."

"You'll go?"

"I'll go, but it's not going to turn out well in the end."

The call from the producer came two days later. The show was scheduled for the following week. He refused to tell me what the accusation was but did ask for my permission to administer a lie detector test and reveal the results on the show. Twice before we flew to Cincinnati I tried to talk Julie out of it. She refused to budge.

When we arrived we were taken to the studio to meet everyone and to get my test. The topic was obviously about infidelity. They must have asked about at least fifteen women. I answered everything honestly. When the test was complete, we were taken to the hotel. The show would be taped the following morning.

On the morning of the show the staff split us up until I was called to join her on stage.

"You're going on TV. Make this interesting. Get mad and raise your voice. The audience loves that stuff. No physical fighting. Understood?"

"Yes," I replied.

"Sign these releases. No need to read them. They're just routine stuff."

"Not routine for me. I'll read them first."

"Fine but it really isn't necessary."

I read every word and asked several questions in the process. They took me to another room where I would watch the show and finally see the accusations. I was apprehensive. Not about the accusations or lie detector results but about what was going to happen to my marriage after this. The show began.

Steve, the star was speaking.

"Today we are joined by Julie. She's been married to the love of her life. Recently, she heard rumors that her husband has been cheating on her. Not just with one woman but with multiple women and at least two men." The audience booed. "Here's what she had to say."

The screen changed to a close up of Julie. "My husband Art and I have been married for over fifteen years. I thought he was the cat's meow until recently but now I believe he's just an alley cat. He's cheated on me with at least ten women and even three men. I want the truth. My marriage depends on it." She was almost shouting. The audience let out loud boos again. Julie crossed her arms angrily and stared into the camera. The screen went back to Steve.

"Let's welcome Julie to the show." The audience applauded her. She came down the stairs and sat in the chair near where Steve was sitting. "Ten women and three men?"

"That's what I was told."

"Tell us about it."

"My husband taught my former brother-in-law to drive a stick shift. They were out together all day long. My sister, his wife at the time, said she found out they were with a couple of women having sex. She also told me that he's made multiple passes at her." The audience let their disapproval be clearly heard.

"Your own sister?"

"My sister, Steve."

"What else?"

"About twice a year my husband has to go to conferences for his work for a week each time. At least three times he has taken one or more of the women from his office with him."

Steve shook his head and the audience booed again

"How long has he been doing this?"

"The whole time we were married." Booing resumed.

"What else have you discovered?"

"Art was in the Air Force. About a year ago he went to an Army reunion for a week. His ex-wife, who was former Army was there. He was Air Force. Why an Army reunion unless it was to spend the week with her?"

Booing again filled the room. "Were there others?"

"He flew to Phoenix about a year later and was with her again?"

"Julie, why have you put up with this?"

"I love him, Steve."

"There's more, isn't there? Something about men."

"I have a cousin who is gay and married to another man. My sister said that Art had affairs with both of them - together. He worked with a gay man and they went out several times."

The audience went crazy.

"Didn't you say something about his sisters?"

"Far too close. The first time I met them I suspected something was going on. You should have seen them." The crowd lost it.

"You said there were over ten women. Who were the others?"

"He was with at least three of his patients. There were multiple nurses that he worked with at different facilities that called at all hours of the day or night."

"Julie, what happens if he fails our lie detector test?"

"I don't know, Steve. I really love him."

For the first time the audience booed her. Steve shook his head and stood. "Let's bring Art onto the stage."

The crowd stood and booed as I walked down the stairs. Steve greeted me with a handshake as one of the security men moved my chair away from Julie's then took up a position behind and between us.

"Your wife has told us a lot of things you've done."

"No, my wife has told you a lot of her suspicions. None of which does she have any actual evidence for and none of which can't be explained very simply." I turned to her. "Why didn't you just talk to me?"

"It was too much. I wouldn't have believed you." The audience applauded her. Steve looked down at the card he was holding.

"Let's talk about the escapade with your brother-in-law and the two girls."

"Nothing to talk about. There were no girls. I was teaching the idiot to drive a stick."

"That took all day?" Steve asked.

"Like I said, he's an idiot." The audience laughed.

"How about the hitting on your wife's sister?"

"It never happened. If she said that, she lied."

The audience didn't believe me. "How about the week long trips with the women from work?"

"Medical conferences. As professionals we all have to attend them. We rode together, went to the lectures together and stayed in the same hotel. The women and I were on different floors. I never entered their rooms and they never entered mine. Julie was aware of who was going and where we were going to be staying before we ever left. It was strictly business." The audience didn't believe that either.

"How about the ex-wife at the Army reunion and the trip to Phoenix later?"

"I was in the Air Force and at one two year assignment I was stationed at an Army Air Station. The Army has airplanes too. All the services do. I was the doc for the Army group. They invited me to their reunion. I found out later that my ex was going to be there. The very same day I told Julie and said I would cancel the trip if it would bother her. She assured me she was fine with it. I did see her there and we even had our meals together. There was no sex, nothing inappropriate at all."

"And the Phoenix trip?"

"When my ex and I were in the process of getting our divorce she was stationed in Germany and I was stationed in Illinois. We hadn't seen each other or communicated in over a year. She called and told me she had just given birth to a son. It wasn't mine. I met him once when he was two. The Phoenix trip was to pay my respects to him. He was a Navy Seal and killed in action in Afghanistan. Julie knew why I went and was actually the one who suggested it. I stayed in a hotel. No sex." The audience believed this part.

"How about what Julie said about the men?"

"Part of that was true. She does have a gay cousin who is married to another man. I did work with a gay doctor. We were in the same two man practice and worked together five days a week for about seven years. That's all that was true about it. I never had sex or did anything inappropriate with any of them." The audience didn't believe it.

"Julie mentioned your sisters."

"I don't know where that came from. It was asked about on the lie detector test."

"How about the patients she mentioned?"

"There were actually five of them." The audience booed loudly. "Steve, I'm an alcoholic. I haven't had a drink in over twenty years. Those patients were nursing home residents and they were also either alcoholics or drug addicts. I took them with me several times to my regular Tuesday night AA meeting. I took them out to eat once too. Julie went with us. That's the entire story."

"How about all the calls from nurses?"

"Completely true." The audience booed again. "Steve, I am a Physician. I take care of patients in about a dozen nursing homes. When I'm on call, two nights a week and every third weekend the calls are constant. Every call is either from a nurse or our office staff. When I'm not on call the phone never rings." The audience was quiet.

"Anything else you'd like add, Art?"

"After the results, Steve."

"Julie, are you ready to hear our results?"

"I am, Steve." A stage hand handed Steve a handful of papers.

"This was a long test. We covered each topic separately and will break it down the same way. We asked Art, when you said you were teaching your brother-in-law to drive a stick were you really out with women who weren't your wives? You said No. The test said you told the truth." The audience applauded. Julie and I were watching each other. "We asked, did you make any passes at your wife's sister? You said No. The test said you told the truth." The audience applauded again. "When you have claimed to go to medical conferences is that where you really were? You said yes. On these trips did you have any kind of sexual contact with anyone? You said No. All the results came back the same and you told the truth?" Again the audience applauded. "He's batting a thousand so far, Julie. Any comments?" She shook her head no. "We asked, during your Army reunion did you have sexual contact with your ex-wife? You answered no. During your trip to Phoenix did you have any sexual contact with your ex-wife. You said No. The results came back the same to both questions. You told the truth." Again the audience applauded. "We asked, have you ever had any sexual contact with your wife's gay cousin or his husband? You said No. Have you ever had sex with the gay doctor you worked with? You said No. We asked, have you ever had sex with a male? You said No. The results were the same on all three questions. You were telling the truth." The audience was now quiet. "We asked Art, have you ever had any sexual contact with either of your sisters? You said No. Have you ever had sexual contact with a patient? You said No. We asked, are any of the calls you get from people you have or are planning to have sex with? Again, you said No. The test determined you were telling the truth. We asked a final question. Since being in a relationship with Julie, have you had any sexual contact with anyone but her? You said No. You told the truth." The audience stood and clapped.

Julie stood grinning and started toward me. I held up my hands for her to stop. Her smile faded.

"Steve, may I say something?"

"I think you've earned that much."

"Thank you. Steve, she knew I wasn't cheating all along. Julie's goal with this was to embarrass me and make me angry enough that I would divorce her."

Julie shouted, "That's not true!"

"Steve, see the man in the far back row of your audience with the blue shirt and baseball cap?" Steve turned and looked. So did the TV camera. The man hid his face. "That is Dr. Michael Leavey, her lover." Julie lowered her head. I turned to her. "You didn't think I knew about it, did you?"

"Julie, is it true?" Steve asked. She didn't look up or respond.

"Steve, it's been going on for about six months. They want to make it permanent but Julie signed a pre-nup. I was very wealthy when we married. If I found out and divorced her for adultry she gets nothing. I have audio and hard core video of their trists. More than enough to prove my case."

"She brought you here so you would get mad and divorce her?"

"Yes. She knew that sooner or later I would find out about her affair and was trying to make me just dump her before I did. That way she gets half of everything. Since I know, she'll get nothing. Michael is using her to get our money. My money now. She wasn't aware of that. You gave the lie detector test to the wrong person."

"Julie, talk to us. Is this true?" The camera cut to Michael who was rushing to leave. "I certainly didn't expect this."

I handed Steve my airline ticket. "I won't be needing this. I'm not traveling anywhere with her."

"So what happens now, Art?"

"I'll be returning home and moving out. My attorney already has the divorce paperwork ready. I'm filing for adultery. She can stay in our house until it's final in six months then she'll have to leave. She will get nothing but her personal belongings." The audience applauded.

The camera turned to Julie who was still sitting with her head down. "Julie, you lied and cheated on your devoted husband. You used my show and blatantly lied to me and my audience. You're a loser and I hope things turn out just like Art said. You are a despicable human being and you can get the hell off my stage." The audience went wild as she ran off the stage.

I shook Steve's hand and left from the opposite side of the stage.

I walked in the front door of our home two days later to pack up some things to move out. Julie was waiting there for me.

"Can we talk about this, Art?" she asked.

"Did you get the divorce papers?"

"Yes."

"Then what's left to talk about?"

"Are you really going to leave me with nothing?"

"That's exactly what I'm going to do. It's what you deserve. You and Michael can start from scratch just like we did."

"He dumped me."

"You want me to be sad for you? I knew he would. He just wanted your money."

"Don't do this. I'm sorry."

"I didn't do this, Julie. You did."

"It wasn't supposed to turn out like this."

"No, you were planning on getting half of everything then you and Michael live happily ever after."

"Something like that. You knew about Michael for months. Why didn't you say something?"

"I loved you and hoped that it would pass so we could stay together. I really do love you."

"We could go to counseling."

"We could have but your final solution killed any chance of that."

"I could fight the divorce."

"Did you get the DVD with the divorce papers?"

"Yes."

"Did you watch it?"

"The first few minutes then I had to turn it off."

"You missed the most graphic parts. You should watch the rest."

"Why? I think I know what's on there."

"So you'll know what your friends and family will be watching if you fight the divorce."

"You wouldn't."

"Yes, Julie. I would."

"Art, you don't have to move out. The house is plenty big enough for both of us until the divorce."

"I can't stay. I've got an apartment. You have the house and I'll cover the utilities and things until you leave."

"Will you keep the house?"

"No. Too many memories."

"Art, I really am sorry."

"So am I, Julie. This was never what I wanted."

I got up and packed a couple of bags. I could hear Julie downstairs crying. When I finished I took the bags to my car then walked back inside to say goodbye. I stood looking at her from across the room but couldn't make myself approach.

"Julie?" She looked at me, still crying. "I love you." I turned and left.

The show aired the following week. The reviews were mixed. About a fourth of the comments ate me alive for exposing her. Word of what happened and the show got back to where Julie and Michael worked. They were both fired for violations of the company fraternization rules. Michael left the state. Julie found work in a doctor's office. She called occasionally just to talk but never brought up reconciliation and she didn't fight the divorce. I never would have sent the DVD as I threatened. I think she knew that.

The whole episode changed me. I really did, do, love her. I lost my faith in the idea of marriage. Who knows, maybe one day I'll meet someone but for now that sounds like a sick joke.

When the divorce was final I put the house up for sale and it sold quickly. About a month after it sold I took a leave of absence from work and have been traveling. As I sit here on the beach in Aruba writing this I have no idea where Julie is or what she's doing. I genuinely hope she's happy and that all her hopes and dreams are fulfilled.