[starbase]

His wife came outside and started berating him in front of all of us...The guy just stood there and took it.

I met another older guy who gave me a ride to town in Wyoming after my car caught on fire on the highway (long story). He was a truck driver and started telling me about his divorce. Said he used to have a million dollar company, now he just drove this one truck.

He said his business was running great and he got married to this woman with two daughters. At first things were OK, but by and by they all started dumping on him. He said the daughters would walk in and say "f*** you" to him, the wife treated him like crap too, did nothing about the daughters, then divorced him and got most of his possessions.

I asked him what was he feeling when the daughters talked to him like that, he said "I just wanted it to stop." I guess once the marriage is in place, and the attending financial obligations are there, then breaking it all up is a long and costly, and lonely, process that unscrupulous or nasty people can use as leverage against a man or woman.

I for one would recognize the fact that pain only would result from that behavior and would have it out at the outset. I'd say "Say what? Listen little Missy, you watch you crap filled pie hole or you won't be in my house for long. And if your mother doesn't like it you can take the b**** with you.".

Actually, understanding the stakes of marriage, I think I would have weeded people like that lady and her nasty daughters out of the mix long before I said "I do.".

[Mr. Jeeves]

Actually, understanding the stakes of marriage, I think I would have weeded people like that lady and her nasty daughters out of the mix long before I said "I do.".

Well, that's the key...and what a lot of men who get into these situatuons don't do. I maintain there are always plenty of clues about someone's character long before the "I do" comes to pass. Qualification on things other than physical appearance is essential.