Every now and then I get a reminder as to why I'm not in a relationship. I don't think that 90% of the population is mature/capable of maintaining a healthy cohabitation/marriage.
This morning, I want to briefly explore a specific type of relationship: The other person.
Keep in mind that I'm not referencing any actual people, places or things (you know, nouns). I've been intrigued by this phenomenon for over 10 years. Here's a scenario:
A guy has a girlfriend for about six months. She works nights, so the guy goes out by himself a lot during the week. He meets a girl at a party and starts making out with her. This girl is hot and he laments that he never meets girls like this when he's single. When the making out starts reaching third base, he announces that he has a confession. He states that he has a girlfriend.
She responds: "Oh, that's a relief! I thought your were going to say your were married." Moral relativism aside, the guy's futile and feeble attempt to thwart the situation ends with a wicked fuck session.
He continues to see the "Other." Other knows that he's got a girlfriend, but it doesn't bother her. He maintains two relationships.
Here's the heart of the issue: The dual relationship functions (while the Girlfriend is oblivious, the Other is content with the arrangment).
One night, out with the Other, the Guy hugs a platonic friend for too long. A kiss on the cheek... something sets Other off. Other asks to be taken home immediately.
The drive home leaves Guy perplexed. "Why are you jealous of her? She's just a friend." Other is completely ending the relationship over a perceived overly affectionate friend. Guy plays the only card he's got: "I have a girlfriend! Why would my hugging a friend cause you to freak out when you know I live with another girl?" His argument fell on deaf ears and totally awesome tits and he never talked to her again.
So I pose this situation as a sort of character study and maybe it's a relationship that hasn't been discussed: The Other. The Other is the person with whom someone cheats on their girlfriend or spouse. Even in this situation, exclusivity is demanded (like most mainstream relationships). The Other can't necessarily have this, so peace is maintained with an exception. The cheater can maintain his or her public relationship, can maintain the Other relationship, but the Other will get pissed off if the cheater shows affection to someone other than the spouse/girlfriend or the Other. Does it make sense? No. But neither does love.
Here's a link to the "Love Column," the best thing I ever wrote:
Here's a link to my first 9/11/01 post:
goochout
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