Real Problems

The other night I was listening, as a man told some mutual friends his sad story.

His fiancé had broken up with him, well, taken a break really. But he had moved out, to stay with his parents for the time being. She had cited, as her reason, his recent loss of a job. There were cutbacks, he hadn’t been fired on bad terms or anything. We spent the beginning of our evening trying to cheer him up and I heard bits and pieces along the way. She claimed her need for stability. She gave back the ring. She was thinking about it. He was devastated.

Part joke and part serious, my girlfriend and I stopped at a table of women on our way to the ladies room. We pointed out the sad man and said he was a great guy and a lot of fun if anyone wanted to meet him. I kid you not, in unison, they all said “does he have a job?”

For an evening? For a few laughs? Is a job really necessary? Is that all a man is anymore?

When we returned to the table, sad man was replaced by sad me. I told the table what we’d witnessed and the men nodded their heads in agreement and then they said, “they want someone to take care of them.” In unison! This didn’t shock them at all.

So, fiancé left her man. A man she was going to marry. Because he lost his job. Missy, let me tell you about some real problems.

Sometimes your man is working that all important job, falls and is permanently paralyzed. He won’t hug or hold you ever again.
Sometimes you have a heart attack and your man has to sit by your bed and feed you supper.
Sometimes your man is an alcoholic and an addict and beats you black and blue for reminding him.
Sometimes your child is born brain damaged. He never leaves home. He always needs both of you.
Sometimes you get that phone call that your mother has passed away.
Sometimes your daughter is in an accident and twenty minutes later you say goodbye to a helicopter with her in it.

Some people have real problems. Permanent problems that cannot be fixed.

Jobs are easier to come by than a good partner.