Alimonylogues

Since my divorce I constantly run into the ex’s clients at work, and have always been greeted by genuine smiles and questions of how I’m faring by all of them, whether they are comedy super-stars or still making the slow climb up the show-biz ladder like myself. On Saturday I ran into one of his oldest clients for the first time since our demise, (a person who was at our destination wedding in the way back machine) and was the first to offer up a handshake, which was not returned. I stood there dumbfounded, trying to excuse myself from his presence without looking like an idiot in front of another comic and others who were milling about. The smarmy and smiley contempt from this person’s eyes, towards me for no other reason than, I’m just the ex - made me feel icky and low. I’m sure it’s also an old wound due to my parents divorce silliness, where people are still firmly encamped on opposite sides, many decades later.

Btw - when I first was separating from my ex, I called up quite a few shared loved ones, whom he would need to lean on and said, “I love you guys from the bottom of my heart and thank you for your friendship, but he’s going to need you now and I don’t ever want to put you in the position of having to choose between us, because ultimately I know you will pick him, as it should be.” It was the best thing I ever did, because no one had to feel angry or hear bullshit from both sides, (eeks, one side is enough) and when we all see each other, genuine hugs abound. So to see someone who clearly thinks he’s doing his friend/manager a favor by making me feel small at work, just made me want to shout in front of everybody, “HE NEVER THOUGHT YOU WERE FUNNY AND ONLY MANAGES YOU OUT OF GUILT!” Which is the truth, but I didn’t, I just walked away from his victorious moment of belittlement.

Obviously this person is not on my feed or I wouldn’t be sharing, and this is not a bitter post, because the ex and I are getting along better than ever! When I told a girlfriend of mine this story yesterday, she simply said, “That’s his friend’s shit, and has nothing to do with you or your ex.” She’s right! For those of you who have friends in the middle of a break up and or it’s aftermath - it’s okay to like them both still, even if you need to take a break from one of them till the dust settles a bit. And for those of you who still light up when I cross your path - thank you for that from the bottom of my heart!