I was the last unmarried daughter
my two sisters had been married for years
I was 38 and my family kept asking why
I hadn’t married.
I had no good excuses. it seemed men
were just not interested in me. but the
pressure to marry became so worrying for me
that I married in a hurry to the first men ever
who took an interest in me.
the marriage was too rushed. my husband
didn’t respect me. I was chattel to him and
after about three months, he stopped loving me.
he began cheating on me and I put up with it
because I didn’t think I’d ever have any other
suitors who would want to marry me.
I wasn’t good looking. fate had been unkind to me.
eventually my husband was shot by one of his girlfriend’s
husbands and that was a blessing to me.
I was happier alone and without him, and at least I
had gotten married like my sisters and my family
got out of my hair.
now I’m a respectable widow. I dress in black and
go to Mass everyday. and I’m happier with this holy life
than I ever had been when I was married.
bob boyd
