The Crumbling of a Union

It starts with small things. Every big thing does. One block at a time, then a castle. Every ant lifting a tiny piece and soon the entire ant kingdom has food stored.  The subject here is the crumbling of a marriage. The shocking event of two sane people who once stood face to face, wide smiles, blushing, trying to breathe regularly, proclaiming to pour love beyond death, a love that would kill death. They could have stood on their heads swearing, promising, and declaring that the union was for the keeps. Now, the woman is in Police custody. ‘She flung the dagger at me. She aimed at my heart’ the husband said in his statement to the officers who were not surprised. It was one of the many they had seen. Neither was the Reverend gentleman startled by the news, it was only another unfortunate case among unfortunate cases.

It starts with small things like what car to take to that friend’s party – the Mercedes, no, the Honda.  It starts with mild, unspoken displeasure. Displeasure after displeasure, then a castle of displeasure is built, then a realization that the pact was to live together forever. Some vote to tolerate the castle and live everyday in horror and turmoil. Others end it anyway they can. Either ways, it actually ends. The union that stood clearly in their minds eyes on that memorable day, dies, it ends. One wonders, should it have started? Should it have been started differently? Where certain considerations excluded? Sometimes yes, most times no, because the end of the union starts after the beginning, with small things.

Rice or beans

‘Rice’

‘Beans’

‘Rice, period!’

‘Beans or die’

‘Rice’

‘Beans’

Has it started?