THE STREAM/ Paul Brownback-
The problem started a couple of months ago. Stella, the wife of my good friend Fred, moved out and began cohabiting with Harry. This was a double blow to Fred, since he lost his wife to a man who for many years has been an enemy. Fred wrote Stella to ask her to reconsider but got no response.
But it gets worse. Today Fred got a strange email from Stella. She stated that she never intended to hurt his feelings. She didn’t realize that he would take her moving in with Harry so personally. She thought he would understand that she had changed across the years, and it was time to move on. She said Fred was a really nice guy and did not want hard feelings. She expressed no intentions of leaving Harry and moving back with Fred. But she hinted that Fred might continue to support her since Harry was not being as generous as she had hoped.
Even more shocking was Fred’s response. He thought it was nice of Stella to write. He was moved by her saying that she did not intend to hurt him and that he was a nice guy. In response, Fred planned to drop off a generous support check every week. We might understand Fred’s response had she confessed her sinful behavior and stated a desire to move back with Fred. But short of that, Fred’s attitude seems irrational and even unethical.
A Bizarre, but Actual, Betrayal
If the relationship between Fred and Stella seems too bizarre to actually have happened, let me assure you that it did happen. The only difference is that the names have been changed to protect the guilty. Chick-fil-A is Stella. Continue reading…
