The One That Got Away…Is It A Rare Phenomenon Or Everyday Occurrence?
Surprisingly, I ran into three acquaintances, whom I’d be hard-pressed to recall their first names, who began to tell me their woes. And they were all the same! They were lamenting about the one who got away.
JIM’s REGRET
We’ll call him Jim. As I really do not know his first name. Jim’s retired, in his late sixties. He let me know he was feeling down. Now that he’s retired, he goes home to a wife that sits on the couch with the dog. He goes to the garage and thinks. He wonders about the “what ifs.” Once upon a time when he was a cocky twenty something, he dated a nice girl with a good family. Because he was full of himself, he broke it off with her, so he could play the field. He dated several girls until one became pregnant. He married her and the share a son. His wife centers her life around their son. This son has been in trouble with the law and now has another court date. Because she worked and retired also, she is footing the legal bill. Jim prefers not to be involved with that. He feels his son needs to learn his lesson. He finds himself fixated on finding his lost love. He put out some feelers, but old friends have lost touch with her. Since I’m younger and more tech savvy, I took the time to show him how easy it is to locate a previous address, phone numbers and family members online. He jotted down numbers and addresses. Afterwards I thought, “Is this common in longtime marriages?” Well…it maybe…
CATHY’s TRUE LOVE
Cathy’s story is very convoluted, quite melodramatic. An only child, who’s divorced parents passed her from state to state, she still pines for her High School boyfriend. She’s had umpteen marriages, looking more for a provider than love and companionship. In fact, several were “agreements.” Yes, she had at least one child with each marriage. One year, she made up her mind to return to the state of her High School flame. Though married, her intent was to find him, divorce her current husband and marry her old boyfriend. She succeeded. They were married seven years and had three children. But it fell apart. A lot of she said, he said. Much bickering, fighting – over money, kids and time. He found someone else and left her. Years passed and after a lot of name-calling, Cathy having words with his now wife, stalking on both sides, accusations of alleged drug use, he was found dead. Cathy was never told the cause of death, and no traditional funeral was held. Months later a “Celebration of life,” was held by invitation only. She was excluded. Cathy cried for days, and she still mourns seven years later. She told me that he “was the love of my life, he’s gone and nothing is important now.” Did I mention that she remarried years before he died and said this to me while her husband was home? Again, I said to myself “These are isolated incidences…” Perhaps…
CINDY’s SOULMATE
Cindy’s story is common; she married young to the first man who offered to take care of her. He promised she wouldn’t have to work or at least not hard. His family owned a business in an upscale part of town. He was 6 years older, appeared to be established. Unfortunately, after several years of marriage, the family business began to falter as the industry changed. He began to drink more, stay home more. She in turn had to really start working to pay bills and maintain the lifestyle she was accustomed to. But – wait she wasn’t accustomed to working. She divorced him. After looking for another “caregiver” and out with a friend of a friend, who happened to run into a buddy of his. Now these were working men out for a beer afterwork. And this buddy, good-looking BUT married, caught her eye. She made her play and wrecked his marriage. I know of this from several sources. Cindy insists he was a victim of abuse as he was a smaller man, and his wife would beat him. He divorced his wife, left his children for Cindy and they rented a home together. But Cindy wanted a provider, she wasn’t opposed to working one or two days a week but did so reluctantly. They fought, really fought, as his drinking and depression over child support, Cindy support and bills left him with no paycheck. They were losing the big home they rented; he couldn’t afford it. Did Cindy find full-time work? No. He committed suicide. Since then, every-man she tried to snag; men who appeared wealthy; who swore to take care of her, marry her-quickly reneged. As most men in their fifties are either married or going through a divorce. They need a companion, a partner, someone who cares and brings something to the table. Not takers. As for Cindy, she still talks about the one lost to suicide. How he was the perfect match for her – all the while living with her current man who will NOT marry her. Huh…




I’ve discovered the real Prosperity code. I’m sure all of us have endured school kids in their cliques. Why are the rich kids in one the middle class kids in the other and the poor ostracized? I believe through my personal observations what I’ve read and what have come to understand and I know the real Prosperity code.

