Speaker 1: I'm out of here, I declared, fine, and don't bother
Speaker 1: coming back. My wife shot back. Normally i'd toss out
Speaker 1: a go to hell as I stormed out, but today
Speaker 1: I aimed for more civilized parting words. We've slung similar
Speaker 1: barbs over our fourteen years hitched, but this time I
Speaker 1: won't be circling back. In a few days, she'll grasp
Speaker 1: what I meant this round. Over the past half year
Speaker 1: or so, Jenna, my wife, turned into a verbal wrecking ball.
Speaker 1: I couldn't figure it. Her jabs, to put it mildly stung,
Speaker 1: I started dodging her to keep things from boiling over.
Speaker 1: Each day, I'd stall longer in the car. Sometimes I'd
Speaker 1: slip back home after Jenna and carry our thirteen year
Speaker 1: old finished supper. I had to take care of me.
Speaker 1: Sometimes there'd be leftovers. Lately, though it seems they've vanished
Speaker 1: before I return. I go by Kurt Kaminsky. Technically it's
Speaker 1: David Kurt Kaminsky, but my old man's also a David,
Speaker 1: so they dubbed me Kurt from the start to sidestep confusion. Nope,
Speaker 1: not a junior. Dad's David John Kaminsky. Why he skipped
Speaker 1: the Junior bit, I can't fathom. I'd happily answer to
Speaker 1: Junior or even DJ, but nope, just Kurd or Nata. Yep.
Speaker 1: I'm Polish, well sorta an American with Polish roots. Heard
Speaker 1: all the jokes, well most of them. They keep churning
Speaker 1: out new ones each year. As the lone Pole I know,
Speaker 1: apart from Dad, in this ten zero zero zero strong town,
Speaker 1: I've become the punchline. Technically I'm half Polish. The other
Speaker 1: half from mom's side is German, French, Irish and English.
Speaker 1: But since I'm a Kaminsky, i'm Pole, my soon to
Speaker 1: be ex wife, aint who I thought. I only caught
Speaker 1: wind of this four weeks back. As I said, I
Speaker 1: was keeping clear of her due to the misuse. After
Speaker 1: a few dinners mi Ia one Monday evening, I hit
Speaker 1: a diner in a booth ready to order. I overheard
Speaker 1: two guys chatting in the next booth, caught a phrase
Speaker 1: with Pole, and tuned in. So, how long you've been
Speaker 1: with the Paulus missus since they tied the knot? Heck,
Speaker 1: I even betted her on their wedding day, and he's clueless.
Speaker 1: The first voice unknown, but the second I knew my
Speaker 1: best bud, George Carrey. I froze. They kept yacking, but
Speaker 1: I heard zilch until George spilled. Yeah. We rendezvous at
Speaker 1: least twice a month. Kurt's so clueless in the lot,
Speaker 1: he's none the wiser, dumb luck. Just then the waitress
Speaker 1: came to take my order. Quietly, I murmured, sorry, got
Speaker 1: a jet. I bolted, making sure they didn't catch sight
Speaker 1: of me. I couldn't wrap my head around it. Jenna,
Speaker 1: my wife with my closest buddy, the guy who stood
Speaker 1: by me at the altar. He's also my go to mechanic,
Speaker 1: and that's not changing anytime soon. Well, not officially my mechanic,
Speaker 1: more like an exclusive contractor I rely on solely to
Speaker 1: fix and inspect all my cars. In case you're wondering,
Speaker 1: I run a used car dealership. Yeah, I'm a used
Speaker 1: car salesman. Heard all the jokes and jabs, but business
Speaker 1: is booming. People trust they're getting top notch cars at
Speaker 1: fair prices, and if any issues crop up, I handle them.
Speaker 1: George has always been a top notch mechanic, and I
Speaker 1: keep him busy and compensated. Well. I wanted to bring
Speaker 1: him on his staff, but he cracked a joke about
Speaker 1: not respecting himself if he worked for a poll. Said
Speaker 1: it in jest, but I sensed he meant it. Still,
Speaker 1: I took him on as an independent contractor, though he
Speaker 1: wasn't all that independent. Truth is I was his sole
Speaker 1: source of income, and that fact will be his undoing.
Speaker 1: Leaving the diner, I cruised the streets, doubting what I'd heard.
Speaker 1: Was it true or just his boasting. They might have
Speaker 1: hired a PI, but if what he said was legit,
Speaker 1: their meetups were sparse, might end up a waste of cash.
Speaker 1: But I decided to snoop through her phone an email.
Speaker 1: Back home, Jenna was her usual self, fine by me.
Speaker 1: I needed the truth before talking to her. Once she
Speaker 1: dozed off, I checked her email clean. Her phone was locked,
Speaker 1: but it didn't take me long to crack it our
Speaker 1: daughter's birth date. Found a few sketchy messages, but nothing
Speaker 1: from George. His name in her contacts. Wasn't odd considering
Speaker 1: he was my pal. Maybe he was just talking trash,
Speaker 1: I thought, Yet her recent behavior hinted some things amiss,
Speaker 1: perhaps not with George, but someone else. I hit the
Speaker 1: hay restless. It was past two forty three am. When
Speaker 1: I finally drifted off the next day at the dealership,
Speaker 1: George cracked his usual polish jokes. I usually let them slide,
Speaker 1: but today I snapped, George, what do you even know
Speaker 1: about Poland? Bet you couldn't find it on a map
Speaker 1: if your life depended on it. You joke about poles
Speaker 1: being dim, but I'm sure they could locate the US,
Speaker 1: maybe even our state. Get to work. George stared, lost
Speaker 1: for words. He knew I was onto something. He wasn't
Speaker 1: the academic type, more street smart, good with engines, not textbooks.
Speaker 1: I guess that's why we hung out in high school.
Speaker 1: I'd help him with his studies, ensuring he graduated. Now
Speaker 1: I'm reconsidering our friendship. He got me thinking about picking
Speaker 1: a spouse. I retreated to my office, shut the door,
Speaker 1: and mulled over how to gather evidence. Confronting them both
Speaker 1: head on wouldn't fly. They'd just brush it off. I
Speaker 1: needed solid proof. I rang up a PI in Santa
Speaker 1: Fe and laid out my worries. He reckoned. Monitoring them
Speaker 1: would cost a pretty pain, given their sporadic meetups. You
Speaker 1: could slap a tracker on her phone at least you'll
Speaker 1: know its whereabouts when you check or set up cameras
Speaker 1: at home. But unless they're top notch, and by that
Speaker 1: I mean pricey, they'll likely get spotted, even with fancy gear.
Speaker 1: If she's alert, she'll probably catch on. If I were you,
Speaker 1: I'd tag her phone and hope to catch them red handed.
Speaker 1: He suggested a tracking program and waved off payment. Consider
Speaker 1: it a freebee, he said. Everything I told you is
Speaker 1: online anyway. Still, you came through with valuable advice. Expect
Speaker 1: to check. I insisted. If you ever swing by Silver City,
Speaker 1: drop by Kaminski's lot. He offered. I don't usually venture
Speaker 1: out that way, but if I do, I'll look you up.
Speaker 1: I replied, and I sensed he meant it. A big
Speaker 1: part of my sales success came from making folks feel important.
Speaker 1: Early on, I learned folks crave validation. I opted for
Speaker 1: the tracking software, saving cash and hassle on cameras Jenomite spot.
Speaker 1: That night, when everyone was out cold, I sneaked up
Speaker 1: and installed the tracking APPP on her phone, sinking it
Speaker 1: with mine. It'll run in the background unbeknownst to her. Finally,
Speaker 1: I slept soundly. Next day at work, I kept tabs
Speaker 1: on the app. Jenna worked part time at the Uni bookstore,
Speaker 1: fifteen to twenty hours a week. She called her earnings
Speaker 1: mad money and splurged at the salon. She hit the
Speaker 1: grocery store and later was back home. George was home
Speaker 1: most of the day, but whenever Jenna was in, he
Speaker 1: was out working, So at least for that day, I
Speaker 1: figured nothing had gone down. That evening, I tried being
Speaker 1: more civil to my wife and daughter, suggesting dinner out.
Speaker 1: My wife seemed somewhat responsive, our daughter, typical teen, hesitated,
Speaker 1: but I insisted dinner went smoothly. I casually brought up George,
Speaker 1: and Jenna shifted uncomfortably, swiftly changing the subject, fueling my suspicions.
Speaker 1: I want to find out if George's words hold water.
Speaker 1: I've got to get to the bottom of this somehow.
Speaker 1: That night, I refrained from checking her phone. My attempts
Speaker 1: to peek at her calls or texts came up empty.
Speaker 1: Either she swiftly deleted them or didn't make any at all.
Speaker 1: Into bed, I thanked Jenna, thanks for joining us for dinner.
Speaker 1: Thank you, Kurt, it was a nice surprise, She replied,
Speaker 1: meeting my gaze. You might be in luck tonight. It's
Speaker 1: been a while, and like I mentioned, we haven't been
Speaker 1: getting along lately. After her usual nightly routine in the bathroom,
Speaker 1: Jenna nestled beside me. I felt conflicted about the possibility
Speaker 1: of closeness with her if she had been unfaithful, did
Speaker 1: I even want it? I resolved to let her take
Speaker 1: the lead until I had solid evidence I wouldn't initiate.
Speaker 1: We did end up being physically engaged, but it was
Speaker 1: rather ordinary, no need for specifics. Well, at least I
Speaker 1: enjoyed it. Throughout the week, I kept tabs on her
Speaker 1: phone's location, finding nothing out of the ordinary. On Saturday night,
Speaker 1: while she slept, I checked her phone for any messages
Speaker 1: or calls, yet again finding nothing. I was close to
Speaker 1: convincing myself that George was just blowing smoke, trying to
Speaker 1: impress someone with his tales of conquests. This wasn't the
Speaker 1: first time I'd known him to do so since our
Speaker 1: school days. I tossed and turned in bed once more,
Speaker 1: my subconscious refusing to let me sleep. At two a m.
Speaker 1: I lay there staring at the ceiling, unable to drift off.
Speaker 1: I decided to go downstairs for a drink, hoping it
Speaker 1: might help me relax. Sitting with a glass of Jack
Speaker 1: Daniels and coke in one hand and her phone in
Speaker 1: the other, I decided to check it once more. Entering
Speaker 1: the password our daughter's birth date. I opened her phone
Speaker 1: to the homepage. Suddenly it hit me like a bolt
Speaker 1: of lightning. Our daughter's birth date was the key. Jenna's
Speaker 1: pregnancy had been challenging. We had feared losing her several
Speaker 1: times due to complications. There was an issue with her
Speaker 1: rh factor not matching Jenna's, causing her body to reject
Speaker 1: the baby. Jenna spent the last three weeks of the
Speaker 1: pregnancy on bed rest to insure the baby's safe delivery,
Speaker 1: and indeed, Carrie was born exactly nine months after our wedding.
Speaker 1: We were overjoyed at her health, but she proved to
Speaker 1: be a demanding child. She cried incessantly, had trouble sleeping,
Speaker 1: and struggled with nursing. It was tough going. In Carrie's
Speaker 1: second year, Jenna firmly declared we weren't having another child.
Speaker 1: It saddened me, but truthfully, the baby had drained much
Speaker 1: of the joy from our lives. I mentioned that she
Speaker 1: was born nine months after our wedding. They call such
Speaker 1: children wedding night babies because they're conceived on that night
Speaker 1: or during the honeymoon. A light bulb went off in
Speaker 1: my head. If George's claims were true, then there was
Speaker 1: a strong chance Jenna was already pregnant before our wedding night.
Speaker 1: Jenna was on the pill. No, we didn't wait until
Speaker 1: marriage to be physically engaged. It was a significant part
Speaker 1: of our relationship. The doctor speculated that the stress of
Speaker 1: the wedding might have interfered with her hormones, rendering the
Speaker 1: pills ineffective. Well, if the pills failed that night, they
Speaker 1: likely failed that day too. Now I know what to do.
Speaker 1: There's a fifty fifty chance I'm not the father. You
Speaker 1: know the saying the early bird gets the worm. Well,
Speaker 1: George might have been an early bird, but in his case,
Speaker 1: it seems the early worm gets the Birdie. I got
Speaker 1: off the couch and headed to the bathroom, where I
Speaker 1: found some cotton swabs. It was fast asleep in her room.
Speaker 1: She finally settled into a good sleep routine at four
Speaker 1: years old. Before that, it was a struggle. She lay there,
Speaker 1: snoring with her mouth open, it was simple to gently
Speaker 1: swab the inside of her cheek with a que tip.
Speaker 1: She didn't even stir after sealing it in a plastic bag.
Speaker 1: I repeated the process for myself. Even if Carrie turned
Speaker 1: out to be my biological daughter. It still left questions
Speaker 1: about Jenna's faithfulness if she wasn't, but I pushed those
Speaker 1: thoughts aside for later consideration. Sunday was for chores, and
Speaker 1: we each had our tasks. I took my time avoiding
Speaker 1: Jenna and Carrie to keep my emotions in check. I
Speaker 1: was anxious to confirm my suspicions, but plagued by doubt
Speaker 1: all day. Something on your mind, Kurt, Jenna inquired. I
Speaker 1: needed a quick answer, so I replied. I'm planning to
Speaker 1: buy a bunch of cars at the next auction to
Speaker 1: stock up the lot. Money might be tight until I
Speaker 1: make some sales. Just don't overextend, she advised, always referring
Speaker 1: to the business as ours, though it was really mine.
Speaker 1: I'd set it up as a seven entity to protect
Speaker 1: my personal finances. Living in a religious community, I didn't
Speaker 1: want business decisions to affect my personal life. Negatively, I'm
Speaker 1: thinking of paying off the credit cards and keeping only
Speaker 1: one open to improve our credit. I told her it
Speaker 1: was a tactic to mask my strategy in case she
Speaker 1: found out about it later. Do what you think is best,
Speaker 1: she responded indifferently. The idea came to me in a flash.
Speaker 1: It's amazing what your mind can do when you let it.
Speaker 1: This would minimize fallout if my suspicions proved true. So
Speaker 1: bright and early Monday, I took the samples to Western
Speaker 1: New Mexico University and spoke with someone in the science department.
Speaker 1: They directed me to the department head, who welcomed the opportunity.
Speaker 1: I handed over some business cards and offered a ten
Speaker 1: percent discount to anyone working on the samples. He seemed appreciative.
Speaker 1: I've been eyeing a new car to replace my Camra.
Speaker 1: I might swing by and check out your selection. If
Speaker 1: nothing catches my eye, I'll work with you to find
Speaker 1: something I mentioned. Thank you, I'll keep that in mind,
Speaker 1: he replied. As I left the university, I knew I
Speaker 1: wore a smile, but it was tinged with worry. The
Speaker 1: test results could spell the end of my marriage. When
Speaker 1: I mentioned buying new cars to Jenna, it was merely
Speaker 1: a cover up for my troubled thoughts, yet the idea
Speaker 1: started to grow on me. I summoned Paul, my accountant,
Speaker 1: loan officer and occasional salesperson, into my office and shared
Speaker 1: my plans. We're going to make this work, I assured him.
Speaker 1: There's something else, Paul, I continued, I want to clear
Speaker 1: the mortgage on my house. Can we work out a
Speaker 1: lump sum payment. Let me crunch the numbers and get
Speaker 1: back to you after lunch, he replied, exiting my office.
Speaker 1: As he left, I pondered contacting my lawyer for a
Speaker 1: family law referral, but then I hesitated, thinking, hold your horses,
Speaker 1: let's see the results first. I've yet to find concrete
Speaker 1: evidence of infidelity. After lunch, Paul presented the spreadsheet and
Speaker 1: we discussed the next moves for both plans. The following
Speaker 1: two days dragged on, each moment filled with anticipation for
Speaker 1: the DNA test results. Late Wednesday evening, the department had
Speaker 1: phoned confirming the outcome and arranging to visit to discuss
Speaker 1: the car. When he arrived, I ushered him into my office.
Speaker 1: His expression set it all before he even spoke. The
Speaker 1: samples aren't related, he confirmed. I nodded, though The news
Speaker 1: hit hard, even though I'd half expected it. He gave
Speaker 1: me a moment before handing over the envelope with the results.
Speaker 1: When I glanced back up, my demeanor shifted. So about
Speaker 1: that car you were eyeing? I inquired, Well, it might
Speaker 1: sound cliche, but I've hit the big five point zero
Speaker 1: and I'm buying a sports car. Thinking of Mazda Miata,
Speaker 1: I shared, though I didn't have one in stock, I
Speaker 1: promised to scour the auction the next day for a
Speaker 1: well kept one. I'll ring you this afternoon with any updates,
Speaker 1: I assured him as he left. I've told Anna I
Speaker 1: might leave early, but I'll be reachable if needed, I
Speaker 1: thought to myself, knowing she wouldn't call. She rarely required
Speaker 1: my assistance. She handled most tasks herself. As I drove
Speaker 1: around the city, everything seemed different. I made a call
Speaker 1: to my lawyer, who, though saddened by the news, directed
Speaker 1: me to a colleague he trusted. After the call, I
Speaker 1: booked an evening appointment the next day. Over a snack
Speaker 1: at a restaurant, I reflected, have I truly squandered the
Speaker 1: past fifteen years? I couldn't even claim to have a
Speaker 1: child from this marriage. While I still regarded her as
Speaker 1: my child to some extent biologically, she wasn't mine. What
Speaker 1: to do next. I couldn't pretend ignorance any more. I'd
Speaker 1: been aware before, but now there was no turning back.
Speaker 1: One thing I was certain of. George would face consequences.
Speaker 1: It didn't matter that he'd been my closest friend for years.
Speaker 1: With friends like him, enemies seemed preferable. Jenet, too would
Speaker 1: face repercussions. I wondered if she was aware that Carrie
Speaker 1: wasn't mine. Even if she wasn't, she kept this truth
Speaker 1: hidden from me, the secret of her infidelity on our
Speaker 1: wedding day with my best man, my supposed friend. Now
Speaker 1: I had no reason to doubt what I'd overheard. She
Speaker 1: indulged with him at least twice monthly. Anger began to
Speaker 1: well up inside me, and before it spiraled out of control,
Speaker 1: I knew I needed solitude away from everyone. I should
Speaker 1: have called Jenna informing her I wouldn't be home that evening.
Speaker 1: Going home was out of the question. I feared I
Speaker 1: might do something that would land me in jail. She
Speaker 1: picked up the call, Hello, Kurt, Hey, I'll be spending
Speaker 1: the night in Albuquerque to prep for the auction tomorrow.
Speaker 1: At eight oh I responded flatly, well, okay, then have
Speaker 1: a safe trip. I rarely ventured to Albuquerque for auctions,
Speaker 1: so this deviation was notable. I wondered if she'd exploit
Speaker 1: my absence for the night, She'd have to come up
Speaker 1: with an excuse regarding Kerrie for my parents, which wouldn't
Speaker 1: be easy to explain. Nevertheless, I'd intermittently check her phone
Speaker 1: tracker throughout the evening to see if she ventured elsewhere.
Speaker 1: I navigated the roads to Albuquerque, aiming to purchase at
Speaker 1: least twenty cars, including a mas de Miada. I'd arrange
Speaker 1: for their pick up and delivery to my lot post auction.
Speaker 1: Now the dilemma was who to entrust for their mechanical inspection.
Speaker 1: I knew George wouldn't get any further business from me
Speaker 1: once his current routine inspections and repairs were done. Upon
Speaker 1: hearing I'd acquired two dozen calls ours, he'd likely envision
Speaker 1: dollar signs and inflate his charges, but that wasn't going
Speaker 1: to happen. I'd keep it under wraps until the last minute.
Speaker 1: I needed to consult with a local auction dealer to
Speaker 1: identify someone skilled and dependable to inspect them before shipping
Speaker 1: to our small town. Arriving at Albuquerque around nine a m.
Speaker 1: I checked into a Best Western hotel. Despite being the owner.
Speaker 1: I couldn't justify splurging on an expensive hotel using company funds.
Speaker 1: The room was comfortable, as was the bed, just what
Speaker 1: I needed. I'm a simple person with simple needs. Upon
Speaker 1: entering the room, I immediately checked Jenna's phone tracker, discovering
Speaker 1: she was still at home, or at least her phone was.
Speaker 1: Sleep proved elusive that night. I couldn't shake off thoughts
Speaker 1: about her actions and motivations. How could she justify her affair,
Speaker 1: especially on our wedding day and continue it for who
Speaker 1: knows how long? I started to reassess our marriage. It
Speaker 1: was never perfect, but I believed in our exclusive love.
Speaker 1: Now I realized it was a mistake from the very beginning.
Speaker 1: In the initial years following the word adding, things weren't
Speaker 1: smooth sailing. Naturally, we didn't anticipate a baby right away.
Speaker 1: Our original plan was to wait three to four years
Speaker 1: before starting a family. We had agreed on having three
Speaker 1: children before tying the knot. However, Carrie's arrival disrupted these plans.
Speaker 1: Learning that my best friend was the cause of this
Speaker 1: disruption made all the struggles seem futile. Fourteen years of
Speaker 1: effort seemed wasted, despite the good times we'd had being
Speaker 1: overshadowed by this revelation. If Jenna hadn't been involved with George,
Speaker 1: perhaps she would have conceived with me. Maybe her pregnancy
Speaker 1: wouldn't have been as difficult, and we wouldn't have had
Speaker 1: such a challenging child, leading her to not desire more children.
Speaker 1: George shattered my life when he seduced my future wife
Speaker 1: on our wedding day. Now he entertains her at least
Speaker 1: twice a month, all the while likely mocking me the
Speaker 1: oblivious poll He must face consequences, I thought. As I
Speaker 1: lay down, attempting to calm myself and drift off to sleep,
Speaker 1: Anger simmered within me once more. I needed to regain
Speaker 1: composure or risk a sleepless night. I turned on the
Speaker 1: TV to watch a mindless comedy show. Laughter helped soothe
Speaker 1: my nerves, and by eleven I was ready to doze off.
Speaker 1: Looking ahead to a busy day. The auction went smoothly.
Speaker 1: I snagged some excellent cars at favorable prices and networked
Speaker 1: with dealers in the Albuquerque area. Spotting no miatas at
Speaker 1: the auction, I inquired with other dealers. Two of them
Speaker 1: had one each, one red and the other black. I
Speaker 1: negotiated potential deals pending confirmation of my client's preferred color. Naturally,
Speaker 1: both dealers agreed, assuring me they'd handled the transaction once
Speaker 1: I provided details of the cars on my lot. I
Speaker 1: should have frequented this auction more often. Interacting with fellow
Speaker 1: businessmen in the same industry inspired me to expand my
Speaker 1: operations and provided a welcome distraction from my personal troubles.
Speaker 1: Later in the afternoon, during my meeting with the lawyer,
Speaker 1: the news wasn't encouraging. I faced losing half of my assets,
Speaker 1: along with alimony and child support payments for a child
Speaker 1: who wasn't even mine. In that moment, I decided against
Speaker 1: pursuing a divorce. Instead, I resolved to leave her with
Speaker 1: George's child, paying off the mortgage on the house. She
Speaker 1: could remain there, but with only my name on the mortgage,
Speaker 1: she wouldn't be able to sell it. By continuing to
Speaker 1: cover taxes and utilities while living elsewhere, she wouldn't have
Speaker 1: the option to resign and claim the house. However, I
Speaker 1: needed to make a decision regarding my business. Although it
Speaker 1: was registered as a corporation, I had a gut feeling
Speaker 1: that without proper protection I could risk losing it. Consulting
Speaker 1: my business lawyer became a priority. Arriving home utterly exhausted
Speaker 1: from a demanding day, I informed Jenna of my fatigue.
Speaker 1: I'm beat. Planning to shower and hit the sack, I muttered,
Speaker 1: making my way to the bedroom. Want dinner, she inquired, No,
Speaker 1: had a late lunch, I replied, at least she cared
Speaker 1: enough to ask. The shower was blissful, almost like my
Speaker 1: troubles were washing away. While problems persisted. I found solace
Speaker 1: in devising solutions. Minutes after my head hit the pillow
Speaker 1: sleep envelop me. The past week had been stressful, but
Speaker 1: with a plan and motion, I finally found mental reprieve.
Speaker 1: Rising early, feeling rejuvenated, I headed to the office before
Speaker 1: Jenna and Carrie stirred There amidst spreadsheets and financial reports,
Speaker 1: I orchestrated my next moves. I brief Paul on the
Speaker 1: twenty three car purchases and instructed Anna to cease assigning
Speaker 1: work to George, emphasizing the need for secrecy. She eyed
Speaker 1: me quizzically. You're the boss, she remarked, Thank you, Anna,
Speaker 1: You're invaluable. At nine sharp, I phoned my business lawyer,
Speaker 1: seeking advice. Your business is registered, but she might still
Speaker 1: force a sale to claim half its value. Consider selling preemptively,
Speaker 1: he suggested. I can't. It's my life, I retorted. Let
Speaker 1: me mull it over and get back to you by
Speaker 1: week's end. This news hit hard. I'd poured sweat and
Speaker 1: tears into building my business, akin to raising a child,
Speaker 1: Unlike Carrie, I thought bitterly. Rage threatened to consume me again,
Speaker 1: But as a seasoned business man, I knew to compartmentalize.
Speaker 1: I refocused on my business agenda. First up, contacting Doug,
Speaker 1: who confirmed George's claims. Doug Kurt Kaminski. Here, I've got
Speaker 1: intel on two miatas you might fancy, Red and black.
Speaker 1: Still interested if the price is right, he replied, which
Speaker 1: color do you prefer? Let me show you both. We'll
Speaker 1: crunch numbers afterward. Even if we can't agree. I can
Speaker 1: sell it easily, I assured, And your pick, he pressed,
Speaker 1: Red makes a bold statement, but fades faster. Black's elegant,
Speaker 1: but heats up quickly here planning to garage it. Yes,
Speaker 1: he affirmed, Read it is, then when can we meet
Speaker 1: Monday or Tuesday? Perfect call upon arrival deal. After hanging up,
Speaker 1: I dialed the dealer with the red Miata to negotiate
Speaker 1: a swap. He showed interest in the BMW sitting on
Speaker 1: my lot for three months, recognizing its better prospects in
Speaker 1: a larger city. Meanwhile, George showed up with several cars
Speaker 1: still awaiting repairs. As an independent contractor. His flexible scale
Speaker 1: jewels suited my needs, despite my simmering anger toward him.
Speaker 1: Overhearing salesmen discussing the impending arrival of twenty three cars,
Speaker 1: George inquired about the schedule. Hey, Kurt, when are these
Speaker 1: cars from the auction coming in? I want to plan
Speaker 1: my repairs, he queried. The auction house will handle the delivery,
Speaker 1: likely late next week or early the following I informed
Speaker 1: him tersely. Struggling to keep calm in the presence of
Speaker 1: this betrayer, I managed to chuckle as he departed. That weekend,
Speaker 1: I distanced myself from Jenna, occupying myself with yardwork and errands,
Speaker 1: checking her phone tracker no longer concerned me, I harbored
Speaker 1: only contempt for her raising another man's child felt unforgivable.
Speaker 1: Monday found me back at the car show. I arranged
Speaker 1: to trade the BMW for the Miata, setting off to
Speaker 1: Albuquerque to finalize the deal. We'll grab lunch upon your arrival,
Speaker 1: the dealer suggested, informing Anna of my day long absence.
Speaker 1: I instructed her to hold the fort Got it, boss?
Speaker 1: She affirmed her reliability shining through. A raise was in order.
Speaker 1: The journey and lunch were pleasant, forging a new camaraderie
Speaker 1: with the dealer. Driving back in the Miata, wind tousling
Speaker 1: my hair, I relished the freedom. Deciding to splurge further,
Speaker 1: I resolved to procure a black car, realizing I didn't
Speaker 1: need more than a two seater. Soon I pulled into
Speaker 1: our driveway in a fiery red sports car. Jenna glanced
Speaker 1: out the window and exchanged words with Carrie, prompting them
Speaker 1: both to step outside to observe. Why do you need
Speaker 1: this car, honey? We need something with a back seat
Speaker 1: for Carrie, she remarked, patronizingly, just picked it up from
Speaker 1: Albuquerque for a client. Thought you might want to take
Speaker 1: a ride, I responded, No, honey, I'm not a fan
Speaker 1: of small cars. Jenna retorted with a hint of disdain.
Speaker 1: Carrie I called, motioning for my daughter to join us. No, Dad,
Speaker 1: I'm already teased enough because of my last name. I
Speaker 1: don't want to be seen with a Polish used car salesman.
Speaker 1: Her words stung, typical of a teenager's bluntness. I was
Speaker 1: taken aback. Where did this disrespect? I come from? Glancing
Speaker 1: at Jenna, I realized she was treating Carrie's remark as inconsequential.
Speaker 1: Now both the women in my house were showing disrespect.
Speaker 1: Teenagers might not always be close with their parents, but
Speaker 1: the hurtful manner in which she spoke made me question
Speaker 1: the authenticity of my family life. I'm going for another drive.
Speaker 1: I'll be back soon, I announced, shifting the car into
Speaker 1: reverse and driving off. Fueled by frustration, I navigated the
Speaker 1: roads of Silver City until I returned home around nine
Speaker 1: point thirty. Heading straight upstairs, I took a quick shower
Speaker 1: and crawled into bed. When I didn't emerge from the shower,
Speaker 1: Jenna entered the room, casting a bright light into my eyes. Squinting,
Speaker 1: I closed my eyes. Are you sulking because we didn't
Speaker 1: choose a sports car? Aren't you going to spend time
Speaker 1: with your family? You're not just polish, you're childish, she chided.
Speaker 1: Her sudden attitude shift puzzled me. I couldn't shake the
Speaker 1: feeling that it stemmed from George. Spending time with him
Speaker 1: had seemingly influenced her disregard for my heritage now passed
Speaker 1: on to our dogs. Yet she wasn't even my daughter.
Speaker 1: Despite supporting her, I needed to accept that fact. Looks
Speaker 1: like you and your daughter would rather do without a
Speaker 1: poll around, so you might as well just leave, I
Speaker 1: retorted heatedly. Her demeanor only fueled my anger. She would
Speaker 1: regret treating me this way. From then on, the atmosphere
Speaker 1: in the Kaminsky household grew cold and silent. The following day,
Speaker 1: I contacted Doug, who came over to inspect the miata.
Speaker 1: He was thrilled with it. After discussing the numbers, he
Speaker 1: was pleasantly surprised by the great deal. He received three
Speaker 1: zero zero zero dollars less than Kelly Bluebook. As he
Speaker 1: was finishing up the paperwork, he mentioned my best friend
Speaker 1: handles purchasing for the university and we rotate about sixteen
Speaker 1: cars every two years. It might not be much, but
Speaker 1: could you speak with him? Always happy to do business,
Speaker 1: and I'll ensure he gets a good deal. I replied,
Speaker 1: I'll have Jim reach out to you by the end
Speaker 1: of the week. Thank you, I said, That's how I
Speaker 1: expanded my business by treating people well and showing appreciation
Speaker 1: for their referral. On Wednesday, my lawyer called, hey, Kurt,
Speaker 1: I think I have a solution to your potential issue.
Speaker 1: Can you swing by this afternoon to discuss it. Absolutely,
Speaker 1: I'm eager to get started. The tension at home had
Speaker 1: become unbearable. At the meeting later that day, I heard
Speaker 1: the plan and was pleased with it. It would take
Speaker 1: about two weeks to execute, but if successful, it would
Speaker 1: be worth it. Over those two weeks, I gradually moved
Speaker 1: personal items and tools from my house to an apartment nearby. Meanwhile,
Speaker 1: George awaited the arrival of the two dozen cars to
Speaker 1: do some work, but I kept delaying him. During the
Speaker 1: past weekend, I did some yard work and cleared out
Speaker 1: my closet and drawers. When Jenna and Cary weren't around.
Speaker 1: Jenna did laundry during the week, so she didn't notice
Speaker 1: the emptiness of my closet. This brings me back to
Speaker 1: that Monday night when I told Jenna I'm leaving. She
Speaker 1: once again began to show rudeness and disrespect, targeting me
Speaker 1: for being polish and a used car salesman. In the past,
Speaker 1: I would go to a motel for a night or two,
Speaker 1: depending on my level of anger. Following Tuesday morning, I
Speaker 1: arrived at the parking lot early and gathered my employees
Speaker 1: in the conference room. It was a regular weekly meeting,
Speaker 1: so nothing seemed unusual. I began, good morning. As you
Speaker 1: all know, the cars I purchased a couple of weeks
Speaker 1: ago arrived yesterday afternoon. They've all been inspected and prepped,
Speaker 1: ready for sale. We won't be using George for any
Speaker 1: more work here. If he asks, just say we're going
Speaker 1: in a different direction. You've all been fantastic. You're like
Speaker 1: family to me, so it's tough to discuss what's next.
Speaker 1: Pausing to wipe a tear, I continued, I've sold the business.
Speaker 1: Surprised they looked at me, but nothing changes regarding your
Speaker 1: roles except Anna, who will take on some of my duties.
Speaker 1: And receive a corresponding raise. Despite their astonishment, they began
Speaker 1: congratulating Anna, recognizing her hard work and worthiness. Anna, please
Speaker 1: come talk to me after the meeting. There are some
Speaker 1: things we need to discuss, I said. I'll still be
Speaker 1: involved in the company, but only in an advisory capacity
Speaker 1: and may occasionally sell. I don't want to interfere with
Speaker 1: your sales, I assured her. They were all relieved that
Speaker 1: I'd still be around, even if only occasionally. After the meeting,
Speaker 1: As we exited, George stood there. Hey why wasn't I
Speaker 1: included in the meeting, he asked, Surprised because it was
Speaker 1: for staff only, and you're not an employee, I explained.
Speaker 1: He seemed taken aback. I see the cars have arrived.
Speaker 1: I'll get to work on them, he said, No need,
Speaker 1: They've already been prepared for sale. I replied firmly, leaving
Speaker 1: him stunned. But I always checked the cars, he protested George,
Speaker 1: I've sold the business and the new owner wants to
Speaker 1: go in a different direction, I informed him, holding back
Speaker 1: my anger. I'll save that for another day. I kept
Speaker 1: it brief, realizing sometimes less is more. I can't believe
Speaker 1: you sold the business, he exclaimed, making it about himself.
Speaker 1: What now you can pick up your check for the
Speaker 1: past two weeks work. It wasn't much. Anna rarely utilized
Speaker 1: your services, I stated bluntly. He'd been expecting to work
Speaker 1: on the cars, but he was out of luck. I
Speaker 1: felt no sympathy. I just wished I could tell him
Speaker 1: what I really thought of him. When I spoke with Anna,
Speaker 1: I asked her to keep our conversation confidential. Of course, Kurt,
Speaker 1: I'll never divulge anything you don't want, she assured me.
Speaker 1: Here's the plan. I've set up companies registered in Nevada.
Speaker 1: One buys the parking lot, the other buys the company.
Speaker 1: I own all the shares in both. Eventually I'll divorce
Speaker 1: Jenna and ensure she doesn't get the business. Why, she asked,
Speaker 1: I've moved out. Jenna doesn't know yet, but I'm not
Speaker 1: going back. She had an affair with George. In fact,
Speaker 1: Carrie isn't my daughter. I suspect she's George's. I'm not
Speaker 1: sure if Jenna knows, let alone George. They'll find out soon.
Speaker 1: I won't divorce, but I'll keep paying utilities and taxes
Speaker 1: for our house so she can't claim abandonment and take
Speaker 1: everything if she files for divorce. I don't want her
Speaker 1: to take over the business. That's why I agreed to
Speaker 1: the company being bought twice. Let them figure it out.
Speaker 1: The proceeds will be spent by the time she gets
Speaker 1: the divorce done. Plus, I barely make anything from consulting
Speaker 1: and a few commissions. Anna, you can handle daily operations.
Speaker 1: I'll be available for questions, but I trust you and
Speaker 1: your judgment, I explained. Anna smiled at the news of
Speaker 1: the new owner, but when she heard about Jenna and George,
Speaker 1: her expression turned deadly serious. This woman was someone I
Speaker 1: deeply admired and respected. I have one more task for
Speaker 1: you before I go. I need you to order a
Speaker 1: new sign and letter head. We're changing the business name
Speaker 1: to Helpless Car. This will reinforce the idea to George
Speaker 1: and Jenna that the business is under new ownership, I explained.
Speaker 1: I spelled out the name to ensure she got it right.
Speaker 1: She looked puzzled. I'll explain the name choice some day.
Speaker 1: For now, just know it tells the whole story, I
Speaker 1: told her. Though she seemed puzzled, she trusted me enough
Speaker 1: to follow through with that. I bid farewell to everyone
Speaker 1: and headed out. I got into my Audi and drove
Speaker 1: towards Albuquerque. About two hours later, I received a call
Speaker 1: from Jenna. I hadn't expected her to call so soon.
Speaker 1: This was a familiar pattern. I'd leave for a day
Speaker 1: or two, she'd call, we'd talk, and i'd return. Things
Speaker 1: would change briefly, then revert to how they were before.
Speaker 1: We'd have another argument, and the cycle would repeat. I
Speaker 1: decided to answer the call, curious to hear what she
Speaker 1: would say this time. Hello, I spoke through the car's speakerphone, Kurt,
Speaker 1: what's going on, she asked, sounding hesitant, Nothing much, just
Speaker 1: heading to Albuquerque. I replied, flatly, Why are you going there?
Speaker 1: She inquired to pick up the car, I stated, without emotion,
Speaker 1: So what I heard must not be true. George must
Speaker 1: have called you figuratively speaking, Perhaps he asked your mistress,
Speaker 1: what's going on with her husband? She speculated, I don't know.
Speaker 1: I responded, what did you hear? She pressed, George called
Speaker 1: and said you sold the business? She revealed. Why would
Speaker 1: he call you, I questioned, perplexing her, She corrected herself,
Speaker 1: he's your best friend. He was curious if I knew
Speaker 1: best friend? What a joke. I was a joke to him,
Speaker 1: the silly poll clueless about what's happening with his own
Speaker 1: wife behind his back. Apparently my family felt embarrassed that
Speaker 1: I was a used car salesman. So yes, I sold
Speaker 1: the business. Now you won't have to bear that stigma anymore.
Speaker 1: Shouldn't we have discussed this first, she worried, likely concerned
Speaker 1: about our livelihood. This is my company. I owned it
Speaker 1: before we got married, and I can sell it whenever
Speaker 1: I want. I just hope the new owner treats my
Speaker 1: former employees. Well, did you get a good price for it?
Speaker 1: She fretted about her standard of living. I didn't care.
Speaker 1: I just knew I needed a change. I'll start job
Speaker 1: hunting after I take some time off to relax. What
Speaker 1: about the mortgage, she panicked, I use the money to
Speaker 1: pay off the house. You only need to worry about
Speaker 1: utilities and taxes. Now, what about food, gas insurance? She
Speaker 1: almost hysterically asked, Guess I overlooked those. Do you think
Speaker 1: you could work more hours? I suggested? When are you
Speaker 1: coming home? This is the moment of truth, she pressed,
Speaker 1: I won't return, I said, casually. Remember what you said
Speaker 1: when I left that evening. Don't worry, I'll figure out
Speaker 1: how to cover the bills so the power won't be
Speaker 1: shut off. You can't do this, Curve. You need to
Speaker 1: come back, she pleaded, desperation evident in her voice. No,
Speaker 1: I really don't want to, I responded impassively. Kurt, Please
Speaker 1: don't do this, she cried, I've already made my decision.
Speaker 1: What about your daughter, She tried to appeal to my emotions.
Speaker 1: You mean Carrie, the girl who's ashamed of her last
Speaker 1: name and the fact that her old man is or
Speaker 1: was a used car salesman. Kurt, She's just a thirteen
Speaker 1: year old girl. You can't take this to heart. I retorted, Well,
Speaker 1: it doesn't matter anymore. I won't be back again, so
Speaker 1: none of you will be embarrassed of me. With those words,
Speaker 1: I hung up and powered off the phone, letting her contemplate.
Speaker 1: I knew she'd try calling me back and grow frustrated
Speaker 1: when I didn't answer. After calming down from the call,
Speaker 1: I tried to enjoy the leisurely drive to Albuquerque. I
Speaker 1: assumed her next move would be to contact her lover
Speaker 1: for more information and to relay what I'd said. Upon
Speaker 1: reaching my destination, I switched my phone back on and
Speaker 1: noticed five missed messages. I listened to them, three from Jenna,
Speaker 1: one from George, and one from Anna. I immediately dialed Anna. Anna,
Speaker 1: sorry my phone was off. I've been getting unwanted calls,
Speaker 1: I explained, Yes, I know. Your wife and George called
Speaker 1: me to find out where you were. I told them
Speaker 1: you don't own this place anymore, so you won't be
Speaker 1: coming back. Hope everything is okay, Anna informed me great.
Speaker 1: I replied, they hassle you too much. Tell them you'll
Speaker 1: call the police for phone molestation. I like that, she said, Kurt.
Speaker 1: You might feel like you don't have family or friends anymore,
Speaker 1: but trust me you do. We're your family and always
Speaker 1: will be. Thank you, Anna, you know just what to say.
Speaker 1: I hope your husband realizes how lucky he is, I remarked,
Speaker 1: trust me, he does. He tells me all the time.
Speaker 1: Never take that for granted, she assured me. I won't,
Speaker 1: I promised. After ending the call, I debated whether to
Speaker 1: call my unfaithful wife or that idiot Nah let them stew.
Speaker 1: Exiting the OUDI I entered the parking lot office, where
Speaker 1: the owner awaited, I have that audi, I mentioned, interested
Speaker 1: in discussing a swap, he proposed, let's see. He admired
Speaker 1: the car's condition inside out and under the hood. I
Speaker 1: could sell it in a week. Are you sure about
Speaker 1: the exchange? Feels like I'm getting the better end. You
Speaker 1: can return the favor sometime, he suggested. I'm not here
Speaker 1: to profit, just want a sports car. I replied thirty
Speaker 1: minutes later, back on the road, top down, relishing the ride.
Speaker 1: Now where to north sounded good? So off to Santa Fe.
Speaker 1: Over the next two weeks, I journeyed through northern New Mexico, Arizona,
Speaker 1: southern Utah, and Colorado. I stayed close in case Anna
Speaker 1: needed me. I checked in with her a few times,
Speaker 1: and once things seemed settled, I headed west. Of course,
Speaker 1: they kept calling, at first annoyance, then apologies, finally hints
Speaker 1: of resentment. I listened, but shrugged it off. When they
Speaker 1: reported my canceled credit card, I chuckled. George even called,
Speaker 1: branding me a villain for leaving Jenna and carry I
Speaker 1: chuckled some more. My lawyer texted me Jenna threatened legal
Speaker 1: action if I didn't return. I returned his call. Hello,
Speaker 1: Kurt speaking, So my wife made threats to you yes,
Speaker 1: but if you're still paying on the house, don't worry.
Speaker 1: She'll struggle to prove it, I assured him. I can
Speaker 1: offer something better, I continued. I have a recording where
Speaker 1: I declare my departure and she insists I don't come back.
Speaker 1: It's gold. Send it my way, he requested. If she
Speaker 1: causes any trouble, I'll take it to her lawyer. Let
Speaker 1: them sort it out. Thanks. I'll check in next week
Speaker 1: to see how it's going. I roam the southwest. The
Speaker 1: Miata wasn't the coziest, but it was a blast. Caught glances,
Speaker 1: even a few flashes from bared middle aged women, but
Speaker 1: I wasn't seeking that. After all, I was still hitched
Speaker 1: no matter what. Drove to Reno, then Lake Tahoe, the coast,
Speaker 1: Napa Valley, and zigzagged along Highway One, Yosemite, San Diego,
Speaker 1: Death Valley to Vegas, then Phoenix, No rush. Chatted with
Speaker 1: folks in parking lots. Some envied a guy in his
Speaker 1: thirties who could just hit the road. After approximately three
Speaker 1: months in covering eight thousand miles, I opted to head
Speaker 1: back to Silver City. Upon arrival at helpless Auto, I
Speaker 1: was warmly welcomed by my entire team, including a few
Speaker 1: new faces. They all expressed joy at my return. Stepping
Speaker 1: into Anna's office, formerly mine, she looked up, spotting me,
Speaker 1: Her smile widened even more. Rising from her chair, she
Speaker 1: walked around her desk and gave me a tight hug.
Speaker 1: After chatting for a bit, I inquired, do you think
Speaker 1: I can treat everyone to food and drinks at Wrangler's?
Speaker 1: Can you close the store by five? It was already three. Absolutely,
Speaker 1: I'll make sure of it. The whole team will be there.
Speaker 1: After bidding them farewell and announcing our meeting in two hours,
Speaker 1: I left them in high spirits. Next, I paid a
Speaker 1: visit to my lawyer during my travels. He informed me
Speaker 1: that Jenna had attempted to claim abandonment to seize my assets,
Speaker 1: but he managed to thwart her efforts. We discussed our
Speaker 1: next steps. At five, I joined the team at Wrangler's restaurant.
Speaker 1: We enjoyed a fantastic dinner and it was delightful catching
Speaker 1: up with everyone. As the evening wound down, they began
Speaker 1: to depart, leaving only Anna and me. She gazed at
Speaker 1: me and said, you know you might feel powerless and lost,
Speaker 1: but you're mistaken. You simply placed trust in those you loved.
Speaker 1: I met her gaze, so you figured it out. Yes,
Speaker 1: it took some time, but your mention of the new
Speaker 1: name telling the whole story, lingered in my mind until
Speaker 1: I grasped it. You may be polish, but those jokes
Speaker 1: never truly define you. They insult your heritage and who
Speaker 1: you are. Thank you, Anna, You're the primary reason I returned.
Speaker 1: I had to witness how you handled my responsibilities. I'm
Speaker 1: pleased to say you haven't filled my shoes. You forged
Speaker 1: your own path. I had an exceptional mentor. She expressed gratitude,
Speaker 1: we embraced, and then she departed to her husband, who
Speaker 1: appeared genuinely content. I headed back to the apartment I
Speaker 1: hadn't visited in three months. The air was stale, necessitating
Speaker 1: some ventilation. Opening the windows, I allowed the refreshing evening
Speaker 1: breeze to permeate the rooms. I grabbed a beer and
Speaker 1: settled on the terrace overlooking the pool. Several people were
Speaker 1: swimming and a family was enjoying themselves near by. My
Speaker 1: mind drifted to Jenna and me. We once harbored lofty
Speaker 1: aspirations and dreams when we tied the knot. Now they
Speaker 1: seemed to have vanished. Glancing at the wall clock, I
Speaker 1: noted it was around eight thirty. A realization struck me.
Speaker 1: It was time for a confrontation. I rose, hopped into
Speaker 1: my Miata and drove to my house, technically still mine
Speaker 1: since I purchased it before marrying Jenna and my name
Speaker 1: was the only one on the deed. Disappointment washed over
Speaker 1: me as I pulled into the driveway. The yard was unkempt.
Speaker 1: It appeared the landscaping had been neglected. The porch light
Speaker 1: was on, indicating Jenna was likely home. I approached the
Speaker 1: door and knocked. After a moment, Carrie answered. Her eyes
Speaker 1: widened as she greeted me, Dad, Hi, Carrie, is your
Speaker 1: mom home? She stuttered before yelling mother from the kitchen.
Speaker 1: I heard Jenna's tense, high pitched voice, what's the matter?
Speaker 1: Carrie continued to stare at me and loudly exclaimed Dad.
Speaker 1: Jenna appeared from around the corner, spotting me, and shrieked,
Speaker 1: where are you going? I opted to respond calmly to
Speaker 1: her outcry, traveling, I stated evenly. Just then George emerged
Speaker 1: from the bedroom in his underwear. Oh I remarked, the
Speaker 1: whole family is here, mom, dad, and child. What the
Speaker 1: hell are you talking about? Jenna retorted sharply, I guess
Speaker 1: George has stepped in to fill my role. After all,
Speaker 1: it's rightfully his, I remarked. Jenna appeared puzzled, while Carrie's
Speaker 1: tone turned visibly and raged. Actually, young lady, you seem
Speaker 1: to be misinformed, I interjected, knowing she disliked being corrected.
Speaker 1: George never worked for me by his own choice, so
Speaker 1: I couldn't have fired him. Regarding bills, all utilities and
Speaker 1: car insurance are covered, Jenna interrupted, What about groceries and
Speaker 1: gas for the car? You had a job? Did you
Speaker 1: lose it? It used to cover expenses while I was away.
Speaker 1: Do you think you can just waltz back in and
Speaker 1: take over, Jenna challenged, No, I'll wait until you and
Speaker 1: your partner find somewhere else to live. It was clear
Speaker 1: they were staying together in my house, and Carrie seemed
Speaker 1: fine with it. Jenna retorted, I'm not leaving my home. Correction,
Speaker 1: this is my home. It was mine before we married,
Speaker 1: and only my name is on the deed. I asserted,
Speaker 1: you left, so now he's mine. Jenna, insisted that's not
Speaker 1: how the law works. Since I covered the utilities and taxes,
Speaker 1: I remain the legal owner. Even though I've been away briefly,
Speaker 1: it's still mine. Don't worry. I'll give you until the
Speaker 1: end of next month to find a new place. Just
Speaker 1: make sure you take your daughter with you. What do
Speaker 1: you mean your daughter? She's our daughter, Jenna protested. You
Speaker 1: couldn't have said it more accurately, I chuckled. Jenna looked confused.
Speaker 1: Turning to Carrie, I disclosed, Carrie, I know you dislike
Speaker 1: being called Polish, so here's some news. Your real father
Speaker 1: isn't me. It's George. Silence enveloped the room. After a moment,
Speaker 1: Jenna whispered, what, yes, Jenna, it seems your carelessness on
Speaker 1: our wedding day resulted in a child, but not mine. However,
Speaker 1: it's good news for you, Carrie. You can now take
Speaker 1: your real father's last name. And because Carrie, I wonder
Speaker 1: if perhaps Mom chose the name Carrie out of respect
Speaker 1: for her lover, I pondered aloud. Jenna and George exchanged looks,
Speaker 1: the color draining from his face. What about you, George,
Speaker 1: don't you want to step up as a father. Well,
Speaker 1: that's unfortunate. It's time to take responsibility. But look at
Speaker 1: the bright side, it's just four more years until college,
Speaker 1: I remarked. Jenna and George nearly echoed each other. I
Speaker 1: don't believe in that. With a swift motion, I handed
Speaker 1: them the DNA report see for yourselves. They snatched it,
Speaker 1: glanced at it, and then both collapsed. Carrie informed the
Speaker 1: lovebirds that your mom will be served with divorce papers
Speaker 1: next week, along with an eviction notice, I instructed before
Speaker 1: walking away. Throughout my absence, I couldn't shake the thought
Speaker 1: of whether this affair had been ongoing during our marriage.
Speaker 1: Did she choose me? Or was I just a pawn.
Speaker 1: I felt utterly helpless, ignorant, and vulnerable. George had mocked
Speaker 1: me behind my back and even cracked polish jokes to
Speaker 1: my face. Back at the apartment, I drowned my thoughts
Speaker 1: in beer. The next morning, I visited the lawyer to
Speaker 1: initiate the paperwork, despite knowing I'd have to sell the
Speaker 1: house and split the proceeds. Being a barely working person
Speaker 1: meant I wouldn't owe alimony or child support, especially with
Speaker 1: another man in my place. At least that's what I
Speaker 1: hoped for the betrayal by Jenna and George was devastating.
Speaker 1: Rebuilding trust, whether with a man or woman, would be
Speaker 1: a daunting task. Perhaps I should consider therapy. As the
Speaker 1: divorce proceedings commenced, I returned to work at the dealership,
Speaker 1: emphasizing to my colleagues that I was no longer the
Speaker 1: boss and only needed one sale per week to cover
Speaker 1: my expenses. I even insisted on just one. When faced
Speaker 1: with court ordered child support. I ensured that my bank
Speaker 1: accounts were emptied, leaving only enough for my basic needs
Speaker 1: at month's end. Jenna hired a lawyer, though I questioned
Speaker 1: how she could afford one. Perhaps he worked pro bono. Regardless,
Speaker 1: they'd be in for a surprise. Despite scrutinizing my accounts
Speaker 1: in the sale itself, they failed to uncover anything substantanchl
Speaker 1: I learned from my colleagues that during my absence, George
Speaker 1: visited the dealership almost daily for the first two weeks,
Speaker 1: trying to secure work from Anna. However, she consistently turned
Speaker 1: him down. Eventually he gave up. Now he regretted not
Speaker 1: obtaining his ASSE certification, as his only job prospect was
Speaker 1: at Valveleen doing quick oil changes for thirteen dollars an hour.
Speaker 1: I hoped Jenna would work full time or they'd struggle financially.
Speaker 1: I contacted the realtor and notified Jenna that I was
Speaker 1: listing the house for sale, anticipating a fifty to fifty
Speaker 1: split of our assets. Since she had already received an
Speaker 1: eviction notice, she needed to vacate before the sale closed.
Speaker 1: One evening, Jenna knocked on my door and I reluctantly
Speaker 1: let her in. What do you want, Kurt? Can we talk?
Speaker 1: She asked. I'm not sure it's a good idea. We're
Speaker 1: in a legal battle. I replied, come on, Kurt, it's
Speaker 1: just us, no lawyers. Can we have a civil conversation?
Speaker 1: She pleaded, all right, but let's go to Denny's. I suggested,
Speaker 1: there'll be witnesses. I thought to myself, I didn't trust
Speaker 1: her enough to be alone with her at Denny's. After
Speaker 1: exchanging pleasantries, I asked why Jenna. She hesitated before answering.
Speaker 1: I guess the simple answer is that I liked both
Speaker 1: of you and couldn't choose, so you were seeing both
Speaker 1: of us at the same time, I questioned. Jenna looked
Speaker 1: down and admitted yes. But George warned me not to
Speaker 1: tell you because he knew it would ruin your relationship
Speaker 1: with him. Then why did you say yes when I proposed?
Speaker 1: I inquired, because I loved you and George. She replied,
Speaker 1: I loved him too, but I knew he wouldn't make
Speaker 1: a good husband, so we ended things when you proposed,
Speaker 1: and I focused on us and our wedding plans. So
Speaker 1: on our wedding day, you were with him, I probed.
Speaker 1: Jenna started crying and confessed, yes, everything was a mess.
Speaker 1: Then what was it? I pressed further. I didn't want
Speaker 1: to lose him, and he didn't want to lose me.
Speaker 1: She admitted, Well, now you have each other and your child.
Speaker 1: By the way, she did a great job with the name.
Speaker 1: I didn't even realize until later during my travels. I
Speaker 1: didn't know Carrie wasn't yours, I revealed. Jenna looked at
Speaker 1: me and said, Kurt, I still love you. It's nice
Speaker 1: to hear, Jenna, but I'm not sure you understand what
Speaker 1: love truly means. I replied, I loved you more than anything,
Speaker 1: and clearly you can't say the same. She retorted, I
Speaker 1: loved you, but now I feel nothing but contempt, I
Speaker 1: stated firmly. Jenna realized our relationship was over. There would
Speaker 1: never be an us again. Before she left, I had
Speaker 1: to ask one final question. Have you ever stopped? After hesitating,
Speaker 1: she decided to tell the truth. We never ceased. We
Speaker 1: had our quiet times, but we typically met twice a month.
Speaker 1: She admitted. I was hoping for a different response, but
Speaker 1: I appreciate your honesty. One more thing. About eight year ago,
Speaker 1: your behavior towards me changed. What triggered it? I inquired?
Speaker 1: Her face flushed red, Then she grew slightly angry. George
Speaker 1: started pushing for a bacchanalia, not involving you. I might
Speaker 1: have considered it if you were involved, but we couldn't
Speaker 1: navigate it. His persistence made me resent you for something
Speaker 1: I knew you wouldn't agree to. It's odd, but I
Speaker 1: thought I could have both of my men together and
Speaker 1: resented you for not being open to it. She confessed.
Speaker 1: Did you go through with it? I asked no. I
Speaker 1: contemplated it, but then you left and everything fell apart.
Speaker 1: She admitted, Well, now you're free to pursue it. Your
Speaker 1: choices don't affect me any more. I remarked, sensing our
Speaker 1: conversation was concluding. I settled the bill and we headed
Speaker 1: to our cars. Four months later, we stood before a
Speaker 1: judge and finalized our divorce. George was present too. Exiting
Speaker 1: the court house, Jenna suggested, maybe we can grab a
Speaker 1: drink the traditional way. Certainly I agreed. Despite the previous animosity,
Speaker 1: it had dissipated. Then I thought, this marks the end
Speaker 1: of my association with them. They can now be together.
Speaker 1: Let them wallow in their own mess. They deserve each other. Ha.
Speaker 1: Jenna will have to adjust to a lower standard of living,
Speaker 1: all right, Maybe the resentment hasn't completely faded. Despite being Polish,
Speaker 1: I demand respect.