All Comments on 'What Wasn't Said'

You used a refreshing and new approach to an age old problem. We could all learn from it. Well developed. The end was not predictable. A joy to read. <p> <p> <p> <p> But, please, let someone else read it next time before publishing it. There were too many "wrong words" and typos. They break up the smoothness of an otherwise classic.

they suddenly got back together. I would think the husband would still be upset and less than eager to go back with a wife that essentially betrayed him with an enemy. The characters were true to life until the sudden about face.

Really enjoyed the story. The turn-around might have been fast, but it seemed to fit with how quick the whole situation started in the first place. Did the daughters get added in the middle of the story? When drawing up the separation papers, you said no kids, yet when they have been married less than twenty years, they have two daughters, who are both out on their own. A small point, but it startled me when it came up.

good read, for a 5.00 that arrogant prick Richard needed another kick in the family jewels

This story was about two stupid people.

They were stupid because they didn't talk about what their real problems were.

They were stupid because the wife left the husband to make him miss her

They were stupid because the husband, hurt from the separation, wouldn't call her and beg her to come back.

They were stupid because the wife went out on a couple dates with a man she knew her husband hated

They were stupid because the "kids", who took the wife's side up front, told the husband how foolish he was being for not sitting on the sidelines waiting and giving their mother all the time she needed or wanted to come back to him when she was good and ready.

The story suggest that his ego was the only reason he didn't sit back and let her roll all him by telling him to be a good boy and wait until she was done figuring out if she wanted to be married to him?

And this was a "good" story by the commentors below me?????

Could you neuter the main character any more or make everyone call him even more of a smuck for not immediately running out the door, buying out a florist, sending her flowers every hour on the hour, and crying like a baby to everyone he met about how incomplete his life was now that she had left him and how it was all his fault??

My god you had everyone he met calling him a fool for not running after her after she left him. And could you gloss over her dating (going out with) another man again any more lightly? Wow.

My god! You should have put this in romance. That way it doesn't have to make sense. It just needs a happy ending and everyone is happy!!

A fine,loving,story(in the end). Thank you,S.

seriously, every character in your stories always side with the other person and then proceed to demean/insult the guy. how is it his fault? sure, he prob should have talked to her more but when she left, he was shocked and pretty pissed. so when he did call, she would sound annoyed that he was bugging her and his shit kids sided with her completely, even called him pathetic that he was upset that his retard wife was dating someone he hated. i want to make it clear, that he did try to talk to her and see whats up , but she shot him down and thats when he started not caring as much. like the guy said, why the fuck should he have been crying to anyone who'd listen that his life is so incomplete without wifey? hey, how bout you write a story where the man is such a fucking pussy? huh? where the man doesnt put up with everyone telling him how pathetic or stupid is, including his fucking family? where the man actually acts like a man? i mean seriously, enough is enough. yea, communicating is essential in every relationship, but when is the line crossed? because frankly, the straw the broke the camels back or however that saying goes, would be finding out your wife was dressing sexy to go on a date with probably the one person you hate and when confronted, acting like it was no big deal. fuck this and fuck you. im tired of your bullshit stories. i tried to read them, i tried to give you the benefit of the doubt, but you just kept on fucking up.

First, the situation is too stupid to be called absurd. It's convoluted and silly, and it's populated by idiots. No one acts this badly and then reconciles.

The writing itself doesn't even live up to the usual low standards for this author, a moron who can't differentiate between "your" and "you're," has a character upping the "anni" and putting "eleven gabs" on the lawn. Can't even take the time to proofread his own writing... damn.

Go ahead, flame away. I don't care. Anyone who thinks this is good writing is beneath my notice.

Sorry to say, the concept of the story was kinda contrived.

Hubby doesn't even know what the problem is (at least that's accurate!) --

and yet the daughters side with the mother

Wife doesn't want to talk about the problem ---

She's the first woman I've heard of that doesn't want to talk a problem to death. Let me introduce you to my wife.

Happens to bump into a psychologist in a bar who thinks her own husband is a complete asshole but says she loves him anyway --- but hangs around in a singles bar by herself. Uh, I don't know...

Once the ball got rolling, I suppose lack of communication would be one possible result of the separation. It was, after all, the cause of the separation in the first place.

Well written, as always. But the story didn't necessarily add up for me.

I don't know any couple that does not try to talk out a problem before it becomes unwieldy. In reality this marriage is over and eventhough it is temporarily revived, it will soon degenerate and the would be lover will still be hanging around and changing his tactics. As the husband was quick to realize, once their problems have reached this level, only the regret is left. He was letting her find herself and she did. She found herself dating again. It is also not suprising that mom had such a profound influence on her daughters that they could not see the problem either. There will be another time when something WON'T BE SAID.

First, sorry, I meant to rate this a 4 but accidentally hit 3.

You need to get another editor.

You mistakenly called the Dr. "Ann" rather than "Sheri" (I think that there is a law somewhere that states; "No one named Sheri, Sheila, Bubba, Barbi ... can be granted a Ph.D."). There were also a number of simple mistakes that should have been picked up.

I have known several couples who have had this issue. The wife expects the husband to act like a woman, i.e., to know how she feels, what she wants. So, she __________ (fill in the blank) to try to get to him. (If you put down, "explain", your answer is great but you're not having this problem!).

My wife and I read a book about understanding a man. The author explained how women have to explore all their feelings. His best friend (from infancy) and he do a lot together. Yelling at the tube during a ball game is their idea of exploring feelings.

I also suffer from "feeling/need blindness". Fortunately, my wife knows this and will patiently explain what I am missing. We are friends with a couple whose wife I once dated. She and my wife now laugh at how she tried to motivate me with hints.

I think that a number of earlier comments are correct. You do trash the husband quite a bit. Your stories usually have an omniscient friend/acquaintance who guides him back to the straight and narrow.

Actually, you had Steve act like 90% of us males. "You want space. How will that help? OK, I don't understand it, but I'll give it to you." Ann was being a conniving female totally ignorant after 20 years about how her husband functioned.

Now, assuming that Ann was honest (finally) with Sheri, what excuse did she have for dating Richard? Your story just lost a point here. If she was trying to reach her husband, why didn't she try? Then, to go out with another man for such a STUPID reason wasn't believable.

Now, Sheri must have gotten her Ph.D. from a crackerjack box. This line was a classic:

"So Steve, you showed her by shutting her out and refusing to talk to her, boy that sure worked didn't it?"

What the hey? She separates when he wants to talk. Excuse me, but doesn't a separation mean that you separate? I wouldn't want to have her as my therapist with her consistent derogatory attitude toward her own husband.

Thanks for writing. I do enjoy your stories.

-Ttom

I read the story and thought the beginning was a little like another story. I almost gave up but your reputation kept me going and I was rewarded. Thanks. I read the comments after the story and though I don't normally comment I just had to say, to many try to flame you for not covering every nuance. I point out it's fiction so let the writer have some literary license. Oh well those idiots won't read my comment so I'm preaching to the choir. Again thanks for sharing.

You Sir need to find a site written by professionals. This is an amateur porn erotic site in case you haven't noticed yet. It's free. You really must lead a sheltered life. People do stupid things and this story is believable. If you don't like the spelling and grammar why don't you volunteer your service to this site and help authors out that are in need of good editors. Now shut up, either enjoy the erotic stories on this site or go elsewhere where your particular needs are met. Author like always, good story, you came a long ways. Thanks.ML

well, i know a few couples who have stopped "talking" to each other. LOL. they seem to order each other what to do and not much loving. its sad. they stay w/ each other because they dont want to grow old alone. its really not that far off from reality.

I'll agree with most of the criticisms, particularly the suddenly appearing two daughters. That threw me. But those are editing mistakes. I've made them and I knew few writers that don't, especially if you don't use an editor or use a volunteer editor who actually has a life outside this web site. As with most of your stories, these mistakes or glitches throw the story off a little, but you have a great story sense. Like some others on this site, I think of the Wanderer or Hard Days Knight, you write stories that I just want to read to see how they end up, even if I don't agree with the logic or resolution or how you see the problem. Your stories grab readers. As to this one, you continue to take fairly realistic problems or situations and run with them. I'll agree with the point that the loving psychologist who hangs out in singles bars is kind of a stretch. I kept expecting them (she and hero) to fall into bed but you had different ideas. I also think that when you brought in the dates with the husband's hated rival, that put a new slant on things. I don't think the situation could have been resolved as easily as you make it out. Before the dates, yeah, but afterward, I don't believe her story or that the impact of that dating would have been as easy for the husband to get past. So I think you created a problem that you didn't really solve or address, but it was still an interesting story. Anyway, I have nothing but respect for the writing machine that you have become. You and Just Plain Bob have to be the most prolific writers currently posting on this site, and not only do you post but you post stories that are actual stories, not vignettes or fragments. I wonder sometimes how you manage to eat, sleep or go to the bathroom and turn out stories at such a frightening rate. Anyway, I liked the story and keep writing.

anyone? bueller ? McFly?

wife leaves. ... but he has no idea why. This entire Idea was hers.

yet at every plot turn in the story ONLY he gets blamed.

she wont tell him why. IF he is negelecting her because of too much work

that is ONLY the wife's fault

ONLY her fault. Men are not mind readers

she wont call. But HE and ONLY he -- according to the therapist is suppose to call. No one says its wrong for the wife NOT to call.

She is the one finding herself right?

the agreement says NO dating anyone,... yet the Husband gets blamed by the daughters?

did his so called loving daughters go back to the mom and say " Mom are you dating the Jerk Richard?,...How could you...!?

The authors patheological obession with bashing men husband is really ruining his writing

really. The END was NOT predictable..

are you really this fucking stuppid... dude its Slirpuff story.

what else is there ?

I enjoyed the story, especially the dialogue at the start involving the oncoming separation. The author really has quite an imagination when it comes to offering different plots for a readers pleasure.

Ironically that story sucked Moose cock too -- Just like this one.

and in the JPB turd of a story no matter what the wife did everyone ONLY blamed the husband. In that JPB she has a restraining order on the husband while she is fucking around

and he STILL wants to taker her back at the end of the story.

same thing here.

The ONLY person who worked at saving the marriage was the husband.

He called her. She ALWASYS shot him down... he was Blamed and ONLY him.

The therapist at the singles bar ( om my god..) never says "gee how is she suppose to find herself and work on the marriage if she wont talk to you?..."

Instead what we get is this :

"Why don't you just talk to her? I've never seen two more stupid people. Each one of you are playing tit for tat and trying to push the envelope as much as you can. You two are going to end up divorced and you'll have only yourselves to blame. I even talk to my asshole husband when he steps over the line..."

laughable.... DATING his arch enemy while finding herself is NOT playing tit for tat. WHO is this therapist Lucy van Pelt from the Charlie Brown comics?.

then there is... after he tells the so called therapist that he caught her datying his arch enemy

"And you could have called her. Don't forget Steve, I know the facts. Didn't I tell you that if you two didn't start talking you'd end up divorced? Well, I guess my premonition has come true; I guess you owe me dinner or something."

The therapist thinks they are divorcing because they dont TALK to each other ??

funny I thought it was her dating other men....

The wife "dating" Richard would have killed it for me. She had to know how her husband would feel if he found out. A total lack of repect for the husband on the wife's part in another of your stories. They also got back together waaaay too easily.

to say the least. I don't want to comment on the story, it's written and we all think about it or react to it from our own mind. I just believe I wouldn't have given in so easily. Ther must have been more to her leaving and the remarks from that psych make no sense to me.

The easiest way to develop tension in a story is to have two idiots who don't communicate arguing and yelling at each other. It also makes it the dumbest of stories. You write with energy and your stories really move. Some of your stories are really good, and generally you have improved a lot. But dumbing down your characters to create a plot is not the way to go unles you want to create a comedy. You know, like "Dumb, Dumber, and Dumbest." I will continue to read your stories because you periodically break out with something really fun to read. This was not one of them.

This is to the moron who chastised me for pointing out how bad an author SP is, and berated me for not volunteering as an editor. For your information, doofus, I've begged and pleaded with SP to allow me to edit his work. He's too damned stubborn, and I've just given up.

And I notice you didn't acknowledge the *specific* problems I mentioned. I don't just write, "You suck," anonymously; I analyze and criticize because I care about writing, not because I want things necessarily to be "professional."

I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, though; your reaction was poorly-worded and barely more literate than good ol' SP. Come to think of it, most people who react to me write at your level.

Gotta love the educational system in this country.

Yes there is, you've been dating another guy you stupid MARRIED broad.

Two times too many, too. Has this world gotten soooo dumbed down that it really, really doesn't matter, even alittle, that the wife moves out and begins to romantically date another guy? A simple I'm sorry and everything is OK??? WTF. We're not talking meeting for lunch after the PTA, or for shuffleboard. We're talking dating a married woman having problems at home trying to make an impression to get into her pants type dating. AND THIS WIFE RUNS WITH IT!!! Yep, my wife dates other guys all the time. She comes and goes as she pleases, moves in and out dating all kinds of strange men all the time. So does everyone else's wife I know. Doesn't everyone's? And none of the husbands seem to mind that much either, just like here. And if there's ever a dispute, why we just have a short spat over some food, hug and its back together like neither of us ever lied or had cheated on the other, just like in this story. Why my wife moving out, dating and kissing another guy, no big deal. Right? Author are you crazy? This wrapped up and hubbie got over it way too fast. I think alot of guys might say, "Do you think I expect a kiss from Dawn tonite, or does she feel obligated to give me one? Dear, condition #1 of dropping the divorce, if there was nothing going on with this guy, you bring him to me and have him tell me why you two were going out and what happened. If it was so innocent, there shouldn't be a problem. Right??. Can't/won't do that? He kissed you, you kissed him. My point exactly, not so innocent."

She may have been looking for space, but dating Richard, knowing her husbands opinion was just plain stupid. Her goal was to get him to pay attention to her, not get so pissed as to decide to end the marriage.

The daughter has some issues too. She take Mom's side, yet never says anything to Dad... just does not add up. RC

You have been one of my favorite authors for some time. However lately your story lines have taken a distinct dive. I hope the well hasn't run dry and this is only a temporary thing.

This story suffers from the disease known as "Implausibility Syndrome." There are quite a few stories with this disorder; unfortunately, this is one of them. The way our male "hero" is portrayed, it would appear that he really did try to talk with his wife to find out what was wrong and why she needed to find herself. She left anyway. Then she got angry with the details of the separation agreement but signed it out of spite. Of course, she violated it by dating. Our hero violated it by spying on her movements but by that time, the marriage appeared dead anyway. Finding out about the dating, the kissing, etc. would have been the end for most men, and justifiably so. Yet our guy gets beaten up over his "poor attitude," which makes no sense. Then he takes her back and hops into the sack for make-up sex, which makes even less sense. Putting a band aid on a problem does not solve it. Thanks for writing.

The premise of this story is that there was a failure to communicate, on both sides. Bullshit. I will grant that Steve sometimes let his feelings get bruised a little easily. However, most of the time he was quite justified about being upset. Ann wants to leave him without any real explanation. Guys tend to be fixers. Tell me what is broken and I'll fix it. But Ann gives him NOTHING to work with. That can make you crazy. Of course the whole "I'm not going to talk to you" stuff, from both of them, is immature. Her going in his house without letting him know is a violation of trust. I would have been furious as well. And then the BIG one. She just figures "Why not?" about going out with a guy she KNOWS Steve detests and has had problems with (to the point of a fight) in the past. IS SHE A COMPLETE MORON?? He did not overreact! She pissed in his face and she deserved whatever he did in response. She KNEW what she was doing and did it to get a reaction out of him. Well, he reacted. She was furious that Steve was on a dinner date. Ann knew nothing about Dawn and yet assumed all the worst. But Steve KNEW the guy she dated was a pussyhound and had been sniffing around her in the past. Again, he did nothing wrong. His kids were morons as well. The only communication problem was that his wife didn't tell him anything and seemed to want him to figure out what the problem was all on his own. Understandably, he was pretty frustrated with that. When she FINALLY told him about the bug up her ass he VERY quickly resolved everything. Isn't that amazing? She talks openly, he listens, problem solved. Too bad SHE didn't take that approach to begin with. The theme here seems to be that women are dumb, quirky, and emotional creatures and whatever they do is justified by their nature. It's up to the poor dumb guy to understand no matter how stupid the woman is. Sorry. I don't accept that premise. In fact it's rather insulting to women AND men. And psychologists that try to distribute blame equally to everyone, no matter the facts in evidence, are useless. Dawn's patients lives are probably all in the same pathetic condition Dawn's marriage is in. "Experts" being stupid are a very poor story device.

....wish author would use an outline to avoid the behavior and character switches.I wish the Bruins could go back in time and I wish Rajon could be cloned.I wish Tom would dump Giselle and I wish I wish I wish.....

if you suspend your image of society a bit. The funny part is that I initially thought it was a republish of an old story until he failed to include a once a month date in the agreement to separate.

By the way the children are mentioned in the eighth line of the story,

"Well, you can tell the kids you moved out, not me."! and the agreement only states that there will be no sex with others, but then we do have the Clinton principle off stage.

The way they got back together did not convince me, but up until that point I was entranced. The kids were given some stupid lines in this one.

But thanks for something to read....

Slirpuff writes stories of women doing shitty things and finally the man condoning all that. Clearly no man would be able to look himself in the mirror after suffering so much shit from a woman and still getting back with her.

The type of mental abuse the wife and the psychologist are showering upon the poor guy and he taking it all down without a murmur! My god, Slirpuff has to be a woman to have this type of worldview.

Well written story with a nice ending. So many problems come from not talking it out or assuming things are happening when they are not. Just misunderstandings. I can understand Ann's feeling but how she got the idea that separating was going to solve their problems beats me. At least she should of had a day a week to use as a date night between them so maybe they would talk with one another. The daughters were like acorns that didn't fall far from the tree in that they couldn't of cared less during this separation and placed all the blame on the husband. Anyhow it was well written story that unfortunately happens all too often. Thanks for sharing.

x

...dating Richard was really stupid for a woman of some intelligence. Having been married for 20 years and experienvcing a lot of emotional trauma of friends (normal) and the incident with Richard, you would think..., she wasn't stupid and she didn't know that hubby was going to find out so...huh? And, what is with the other guy in the detective report, Mr. Regional Manager?

The story was good, I enjoy your writing and I like happy endings but - even assuming she left for the reasons you wrote, a few angry phone calls, seeing 2 guys...something doesn't ring right here!

Excellent writing and a good fast moving story. Interesting to read through out.

Thanks

Many others have made comments about implausibility. I can accept some implausibility (willing suspension of disbelief and all that), but the lack of sympathy for the husband's point of view is disappointing. Not only doesn't the wife say a word in explanation, but the outraged daughter doesn't, either.

If the story were truly a woman-sympathethic story, it would make a lot more sense being told from the woman's point of view. This story has a lot of potential, but misses some key components to make it work.

A little extream, but most stories here are, thanks.

With the PHD in the restaurant. But damn! These characters are stupid.

Story was on the un-believable side! But it was interesting to read.

Story had same edit errors as the rest of your stories but, whatever.

I still like too read it.

No sense in critiquing this the commenters have covered everything already.

Thanks for writing!

This has to qualify as the worst story you have written. The humor was not funny, the drama was not dramatic, the characters were simply lame...its only saving grace was Dawn. She was actually a great character, but not enough to save this.

You use that term of endearment in every story anymore. Also, it seems like in a lot of your stories that the husband's kids go on the attack against him. Mix it up sometime and have the mom be the one who takes the heat from the kids. Hell, she is the one that moved out to find herself (or to find Richard). Just some thoughts. Ohio, USA

Irony at its best. Good work for a quick story. But.... it still took a lot of effort to write. Good or bad revues I appreciate all efforts the authors share with us at Lit.

thanks

xtreme

Everything was working pretty well right up to the ending. The characters seemed real enough, with the exception of Dawn's habitual swearing. An occasional curse would be no problem, but she comes off sounding more like a longshoreman than a professional, career woman.

The ending was really rough for me, I just couldn't buy it. The date with Richard escalated this skirmish into a war. Dawn says, "nothing happened; read my lips, nothing happened." WRONG! Ann proved that she no regard for her husband's feelings whatsoever. She knows her husband passionately hates this man. She knows Richard's history of hitting on her. How can this possibly help her marriage? She doesn't care how it looks and she doesn't try to hide it. What reason does she give for dating this man? Oh,yeah, he calls her up and she thinks, "Oh, what the hell." And then she get's indignant because her husband gets pissed that she's kissing his enemy? That's an awfully short step away from, "It didn't mean anything honey, it was just sex." She dated this guy for one reason, she knew her husband would hate it. Even if he never found out about it, she would have this delicious little memory, she would always have the last laugh.

As I said, I don't think it's your best work, but I appreciate your efforts and thank you for sharing with us. I look forward to your next story.

The agenda in this story is obvious. It has one plot point only: Women's feelings are everything and decides how the world should turn; men's feelings are pathetic, irrelevant, and plainly in the way.

This story made me lose a lot of respect for the author.

How can anyone not accept that the wife is a lying and shallow bitch. Any honest husband would be done with such a witch. And for the kids..yeah, they have shit for brains.

always attack the anonymous posters. As if those useless names of theirs mean anything.

Well written, well conceived build up, then a complete shift of character for both Ann and Steve so that the story can come to an end. It is plausible that the couple reconcile, but not without some soul searching together. As written, Ann suddenly has no need to "find" herself, or reassure herself that Steve is in love with her. Steve is suddenly happy to have Ann back regardless of why she left or what she did. A little more development of the denouement, which Slirpuff can clearly write, would make this an excellent srory.

Why she left? why she dindt tell him any thing but lyes.

I am not sure she did not got to bed with the other guy. Why she kissed him?

No way man .lyers are allways layers no good persons,less wifes.

I like the vagueness of their separation (the wife's), the mutual resentments and growing animosities (the husband's), and above all the no-shit Truth-Sayer Dawn (you are terrific with characters like that one). But the story cracks with this line:

"Not likely, you two were on a collision course and didn't have a clue where to even start. And Ann, what on God's green earth were you thinking when you went out with Richard?"

They were not on a collision course. They were on a further separation course. And Ann's "explanation" why she went out with Richard evades the whole point of the question -- why with the one person certain to imnfuriate her husband. The reconciliation that follows is then equally untrue -- irrelevant to the original problem, the "you never pay attention to me any more" seems drawn out of a hat.

You are splendid on domestic antagonisms, and you know ways they might resolve themselves, but more often than not unpersuasive when getting people back together. So WHY do you try for happy endings so often when you could be contemplating the lachrimae rerum, the tears at the heart of things, the fact that there are often wry, sad, meaningless, maybe unnecessdary unhappy endings, sometimes tragic endings, and showing that fact with greater integrity and feeling.

does not even make sense, the Dawn charater is annoying- now just re-read your story and you will see why it does not make sense

- When he tells Dawn that he now knows for sure that his wife is seeing somebody and he took action, what she says - "You're more stupid than I gave you credit for," Dawn yelled at me. "I thought you were going to cool it?"

- When he tell his daughter , wheat she says - "That's it, your ego is bruised isn't it. Your throwing everything away because mom's been seeing someone you don't like. You're pathetic."

got my point? it does not make even sense, reading it I recall my old neighbour family they were all dumb, they even could not even speak properly whole family , can you believe it? but there character in this story are worse that them. And thats not enough he apologized after that. WTF - whet did you expect a husband to do when his wife sees some man (likable or not, would it be alright if she was seeing his best friend?) - "Honey you are seeing some Mr, Please stop otherwise I will cry"

She's a lying slut trying to play !

That his daughters betray him should at least give him an idea what his wife is doing and probably will do in the future. Kick all the bitches to the curb along with the psuedo marriage councilor Dawn.

I've read many of your stories and loved most of them. WHAT WAS THIS CRAP!!!!!! You're better than this!

If this was a real life story they wouldn't have solved anything the way you wrote it. They were both stupid and needed to divorce. Blame both of them if you wish. But 5 minutes of therapy at a restaurant couldn't mend those fences. Try again!!

She does remind me of some real shrinks I have seen, not an exact science you know. I gave you a one star on this, I've seen you do much better. R.T.

I liked your story. I can vision this happening in real life. Sometimes couples do forge to tell each other what they are thinking. Sometimes they even act without thinking.

Slirpuff ... after all these stories you'd BETTER have good communication with your wife!!

Sorry.

Interesting exploration of lack of communication and taking relationship for granted almost leading to disaster. Add to the problems of a stale marriage is a wife who plays head games and a husband who is reactionary. I didn't like the way that hubby's friend talked to him. Or the daughter, for that matter. Daughter(s) must have known what was the issue with wife. When shit hit the fan, why didn't they intervene with the story? At the point things got to, it seemed unlikely hubby would believe a word the wife said. But, he just accepts what she says as true? I didn't buy it. Dating and kissing a guy while she is still married? Fucked up and against the rules (maybe not of separation agreement, but of marriage). The fact that it is with a lothario who wife knows has put the moves on her years ago, and a guy that hubby HATES, is really disrespectful. What did she think might happen if hubby even happened to hear that she went out to dinner/dancing with him? I just cannot buy the reconciliation going down like it did (even if I accept the absurd set-up and that wife was honest in the end).

tomes to read on all lacks by mates, TK U MLJ LV NV

Thanks for sharing.

Not plausible to believe that this couple could have reconciled without extensive LEGITIMATE counseling. Even then, she had broken his trust and respect by dating his worst enemy. Why would she date at all? Once she broke that marriage bond, this story was pretty much over except for the divorce.

His wife went on two dates while they were separated. For me, that would tell me she's moving on and he should serve the divorce papers.

Her complete disrespect in dating his enemy was so over the top. I agree with the author that both of them not talking but just guessing at issues is incredibly stupid. Them just jumping into bed without resolving core anger issues is way to unreal.

While this story is put together fairly well I have some problems getting from point A to point B to point C, etc.

just a bunch of BS psycobabble, she left yet he's wrong for wanting to protect himself. she goes on a date with his enemy, but he is the one overreacting. at ever turn everyone is blaming him for her choices.

This story? 5***** !

there are some serious flaws in you character's behavior. Let's assume her purpose for the separation was true. She showed total disrespect for him when she dated a guy she knew he absolutely hated and had to know it would drive him over the edge. Going out in public they were bound to be seen by someone who would tell her husband, which makes the PI angle unnecessary, photo notwithstanding. If the whole purpose was to get her husband to appreciate her and realize how much he loved her then this was very counterproductive and illogical for the character.

She was very unwilling to talk to her husband preferring a separation, but apparently was eager to talk to someone she knew only in passing about her problems because he said he would be there for her. Again very illogical. I realize that you have to further the plot, but having your characters behave as though they were brain dead is not the way. This lack of internal logic dooms a good story, IMO. This is why I rated it so low.

She went out with another man...gave him a kiss goodnight and everything is fine...WTF. Slirpuff you are better than this, what happened.

1. She starts out as an uncommunicative bitch. He becomes an reactive mushroom (kept in the dark, fed BS).

2. No communication. He is getting frustrated and digs a wee bit. Discovers her and his worst enemy.

3. He reacts; files for divorce. He feel extreme frustration. She is still an uncommunicative bitch. Kids support the bitch, confront the reactor - more fuel for his reaction.

4. Confrontation. Advent of mediator Dawn. All is hunky dory.

6. Yeah I skipped 5 as I am now lost.

Does ANYONE think if Hubbie moved out, for some half-assed emotional reasons like Ann did, or ANY reason, and then Ann got some pictures of Dawn and Hubbie necking she'd EVER let him return home again? Maybe if Dawn went to Ann and confessed it was only some brother/sister type kisses; anyone think Hubbie should therefore insist on some sort of comparable apology from Richard? And men are supposed to be the ones with the pride problem.

She is just trying to justify wanting out and hoping for a fall back if shit didn't work

I found the psychologist incredibly disagreeable. Every time I read this story, I detest her just a little bit more.

You know what? I think she IS a smart woman to be sitting alone in a single's bar regularly. Because that is her future. When she INTRODUCES her husband as 'that dumbass' publically and in front of people whom they are supposed to interact with regularly...well...I don't care if she sucks his cock daily (unlikely), if she dresses like a whore however he wants (VERY unlikely), she cooks like Betty Crocker, and she keeps the home spic and span. That public trashing of hubby's reputation means that his spidey sense would be looking for someone (ANYONE) who actually offers him a MODICUM of respect and loving.

When she says (paraphrased) "tell him he is lucky to have me and maybe ball his eyes out" while her lips are still tingling with the words 'dumbass', 'asshole', well, she's just delusional in her worth.

I know the writer was trying to go for a laugh here. What married couple DOESN'T think they married an idiot once in a while? We all do. It is the constant PUBLIC denigration which will likely ruin her marriage.

So...either this guy has a 12 inch penis, used to be a Navy SEAL, makes enough money to buy God, and has skin as thick as Godzilla's....

OR....she married some guy from a Matt Moreau story. That's it, right? She married Red Clayton? That has to be it.

You tell them you love them everyday, work like a dog to give them all the crap they want but don't need, they use sex like a sniper rifle - do this and this or no more sex! They expect you to be a mind reader - if you don't know what's wrong, then I'm not telling you! Yeah, they'll tell anyone who will listen, but not the one person they're supposed to communicate with. No matter what you do, what you say, tell them you love every 15 minutes, you get: "You don't pay enough attention to me". Try not thinking about yourself 24 hours a day, and give old hubby a thought once in a while.

The wife in this story LEFT her husband "to see if I still love you". She said they had problems, so decided to leave good old hubby hanging for 6 months "to find herself". Oh and why not a little cheating on the side with hubby's worst enemy, that'll fix the marriage. She told hubby she loved him, but wasn't in love with him - be still my beating heart! What was he supposed to do? Sit and pine away for her while she decided if she even wanted him? Then every woman in the story made like this was all his fault for not doing his manly duty to follow every order, sit up and beg - good boy!

And if you don't see her kissing another man when she's in a relationship as cheating, then I feel sorry for you. Too many people see cheating as having penetrative sex only and everything else is fair game. Well its not. When you make a commitment to someone, all your attention, love and intimacy is reserved for that person alone. If you want something more, then at least have the decency to break up first and then move on!

A cunt writing to cover for another cheating cunt and blaming the husband who has been working like a field hand so his cunt wife and cunt daughters can turn on him like starving rats on a piece of meat.

And that cunt dawn stays with her husband because he is a wimp too.

Just crap.

She knew how her husband felt about Richard and not only agreed to dinner, but wore what (at least according to her husband) is her favorite dress for impressing others. If she didn't sleep with him that night then she had planned to in the future. And his daughter may have loved him, but she didn't repsect him. I fucking hate it when everyone blames the guy. Its predictable and bullshit.

Although I like the stories of this author but more than once they leave a bad taste after reading them. So, leats see what the author is trying to say here, my wife comes to me and tells me she wants a separation to find herself, she leaves and doesn't call, I don't know if the reason she left is true or maybe because of another man...and I am supposed to call her maybe every other day and ask her what is wrong or can we talk or can we go out knowing that she wanted to be away from me in the first place. is that it Mr. author, this is where the husband went wrong? and then out of the blue comes the other woman who finds herself having the right to badger the husband and ...they way she treats her husband is ...stupid, I mean partners can joke around and say bad things about each other from time to time, but this woman seems like doing it all the time and in front her husband and in his back. As I said good story with a bad taste. Thanks for sharing.

It seemed for a short time you really did a great job on your stories, however not any longer............

Alone the way Dawn references her own husband; if he had been me, I would have left her sorry ass on grounds of disrespect, etc. It is amazing that some women think it's okay to trash talk about their husbands. If you were married to someone, and they talked badly about you, called you names, etc. would you then want to be lovey and dovey, cuddly, warm, touchy-feely with your spouse? I think not; I know I wouldn't!

If my wife said she was leaving to find herself, I would have told her to have a good life. If she walked out the door we were finished. Adios

Where is the honor ?

Traditional wedding vows say "to honor and respect"

When you talk trash about someone you are not respecting or honoring them.

Had a wife that told me the same thing, Didn't see her again for two years, then she showed up and dropped off her 8 year old kid on my door step on Christmas eve, said she would be right back. Never saw her again. Oh, she OD'd that night.

The why you said she dropped off her kid that was 8 years old after not disappearing for 2 years you make it sounds as if the kid was not yours.

I like the story.

Another story where the husband is the cause of everything wrong. She left him for no reason-I don't consider "finding oneself" a legitimate reason. He had the right idea by making her leave and getting the paperwork started. When there was no communication from her and she started dating his worst enemy, I would have turned the separation papers into divorce papers. Even if there was no sex, the disrespect alone would have been enough to end the marriage. As to the daughter, she would have been an ex-daughter also. He did nothing wrong. She did! Do you really need your special sexy black dress to go out with an acquaintance? I am starting to think that Slirpuff is a woman and writes from the female point of view. The women can do whatever they want and blame it on the man-it is always his fault.

Dawn was another piece of work. She is giving advice on his marriage, but I think hers needs a lot of work. Her husband must have a nice loving something on the side to put up with her BS.

This husband acted correctly until he took her back and wimped out. Steve should have given her the rest of her life to find herself.

There is an old saying: "The enemy of my enemy is my friend"

As a corollary to that: The friend of my enemy is also my enemy.

She dated his enemy, yes it was a date as she dressed to impress.

and going home solves everything. TK U MLJ LV NV

This was a good story. Yes, both of these people were stupid. He was stupid for ignoring his wife, and she was stupid for thinking that her moving out was the answer to the problem. Women think that men are mind-readers and should just be able to "sense" when something is wrong with them. Ladies: we don't do hints. If there is something wrong, talk about it.

In her defense though, I kind of got the sense that this guy's strong suit isn't listening. She should have still tried though. A marriage counselor would have really helped them (in fact, one did). Ultimatums are not the way to go about getting a husband to listen. In fact, that is the quickest way to get him to back off more. Both of these people were too stupid to be married.

On another note, why is it that when a man senses something isn't right, every woman always wants to throw the "ego" card out there? When a woman does it, it is "women's intuition". She was lying to him about why she wanted to move out. Then, she goes on a date with a guy that he hates. This guy that she went out with had a history of trying to pursue her. She gets dressed up, goes out to dinner, and kisses him goodnight. If she wants her husband to believe that there were no "underlying motives" in this, then she is dumber than I thought. His "ego" was just recognition that something was not right about this. She may not have had sex, but she cheated. Cheating is not having sex outside of marriage. There are many open marriages and cuckold marriages that do just fine. Cheating is the betrayal that one spouse does to another spouse which ultimately ends up in sex. Cheating is the lying and the sneaking around behind the spouse's back. With the exception of a drunken one night stand, a person is cheating long before they ever have sex.

SHE wants a separation and won't tell him why and somehow HE's at fault?

What about all the kinky stuff they do now that she wouldn't do before and wonders why he "took her for granted?"

to think they lived happily ever after.... Betcha she screwed around before, during and after... she pulled the caper... he should have shown her the door.. the first day

First, it's like we're implying that women don't have egos... a person's ego is their sense of self, their self-esteem... if having your self-esteem damaged or attacked was such a MINOR thing, why should we care when children are verbally abused...?

Someone might argue that an adult male should have an ego more capable of taking hits but everyone knows an ego is a fragile thing...

"Honey does this dress make my butt look big...?" Try answering yes to that...

"Do you think I've gained weight?" Does a woman REALLY want you to tell her yes...?

"I feel old..." Respond "You are and look it" to that...

And the worse thing about people who know us is that they know.exactly where to attack for the most damage...

And you know a great way to start an argument...? Say what a baby someone is FOR responding to an attack on their ego...

She wanted "space" - how was HE to know how much she needed...

And remember, she actually had expected HIM to leave so she could "find her space"...

Though none of his actions were sensible based on what she really wanted, he wasn't a mind reader so he didn't know what she was saying she wanted wasn't what she meant...

Those people that complain about ego are probably the same ones that excuse all manner of misbehavior by saying it is because of low self-esteem too.

Never underestimate human ignorance.

But I think it a little far-fetched that two minutes with a shrink telling them the same things all their friends, family and co-workers have been telling them for months would have some magical effect. Personally, I would be hesitant to take advice from a woman that had so little respect for her husband and went to bars without him.

As to the folks blaming him as well as her, look at the title of the story. She was the one not telling him what he needed to hear. She was totally the cause of their problems. He wasn't dumb and did nothing wrong. She was the instigator and as such, should have been the one to reinstate communication.

These two have to be the dumbest people you've ever written about; they truly deserve each other. 3 ***

I really get tired of stories that describe actions that place 80 - 90% culpability on the woman and then during the resolution the guy gets the lions share of the blame. She demands a separation, never really tells him what the bug up her ass is, never really tries to talk to him for months, then starts dating, and he's an asshole for getting upset about it. Now I'm just reacting to what was written. Reading some of these comments I wonder what some of these people were reading. I've been married 35 years ( 10 to 1st, last 25 to current ) and I catch my wife giving a goodnight kiss to her date and its over. For her to make like this was nothing is nuts.

Thanks for the offering. The following lines has to be one of the silliest I have ever read:

"That's it, your ego is bruised isn't it. Your throwing everything away because mom's been seeing someone you don't like. You're pathetic."

Your upset because your wife is dating someone else? Really? The kid, and wife, needed to be smacked.

the wife betrayed by dating richard. the wife was only nominally a wife. I don't get this the milquetoast ending. i'm not looking for slash and burn or BTB but there have to be consequences. she betrayed the marriage when she dated. she left for the most reprehensible of reasons. without real work (which i don't think either can do) this can not end well.

it's obvious that the daughter learned from dear old mom that dating while married is just fine. if she marries it won't last.

sometimes your bad. this really fucking sucked.

and the chutzpah to give ask her out to "talk".

He had the right idea when he said he would not leave and told her to find her own place if she wanted a separation. He got a signed agreement. He changed the locks. and then, when he found out she was dating, and giving goodnight kisses, he had her served.

But, what happened next? he caved, took her home as if nothing had happened, and accepted everything she had said and done. The last comment she made on behalf of herself, her daughters, and the psychiatrist, "Yeah, but if they'd just do exactly what we told them to do, it would make it so much easier." came true.

My only question now is, how soon does she call Richard?

sorry

So Dawn, a married psychologist just hangs around bars talking to random men while her husband sits at home? Sounds like a great relationship and the perfect person to be taking advice from. And all of a sudden he's going to believe Carol and Carol's going to believe him just because Dawn produces a business card that doesn't mean squat? What a horrible ending to a complete trainwreck. The reality is that they got divorced and moved on with their lives - separately. UGH!

I invariably agree with your comments, but the last comment to which you refer was made by Dawn. I think. The comment fits with the character the author built - a tough-talking, no nonsense woman who was very sarcastic. Those who know and love her understand her. Else, how did she and her husband become such good friends with our couple?

Tags - An awful selection. There was no anal, cheating, or divorce. And there was no porn - it was merely mentioned in one or two sentences.

Awesome start, great run, tripped at the finish. This ending wasn't out of left field, it came from another dimension.

Wifey suddenly, and without warning, tells him to leave his own house, with ZERO explanation, and then gets angry when he won't. Then she decided to work on the marriage, by completely refusing to talk to him, no matter how many times he asks. She tells him that she doesn't love him anymore, refuses point blank to tell him whats wrong. That's bad enough, and grounds for divorce, but THEN she not only breaks one of the few agreements they have, by coming into the house, (Yes, she had every right to, but she AGREED not to!), THEN she starts fucking dating! And not with just anyone, no, but with the man that she KNOWS FOR A FACT, her husband hates! And she makes out with him! And her excuse was priceless. They went on a date, because he offered to be someone to TALK TO! The very thing she was denying her own husband! She berates him for invading her privacy with Richard, while SIMULTANEOUSLY berating him for being out with another woman! A married woman, that's an expert on THEIR marriage, who is doing the same thing to her own husband! And SHE puts all the blame on him too, EXACTLY like Ann and the ungrateful daughters!

And then, shock of shocks, THIS WHOLE THING IS HIS FAULT! Everyone gangs up on HIM for being 'an asshole with a little ego!' She leaves without warning, won't say why, plays at being single again, breaks every agreement they had, and you STILL throw it back on him? Pathetic.