One of the major reality shifts I described in my last post — leaving my first marriage — contained a very ordinary moment. Yet, three decades later, I still remember it clearly. So it can’t have been that small.
The marriage involved a considerable amount of money. I needed a property settlement lawyer, so I went into the city. At thirty-three, I didn’t understand what a property settlement was or how it worked. In fact, I had no idea what would happen or what I might be entitled to. For all I knew, I could walk away with nothing. I had two young children to raise, and I wasn’t working outside the home.
I went to the lawyer, and we discussed some initial details, but it was only a first visit. I still didn’t understand what was going to happen. The lawyer’s office was in an elegant building. When the meeting finished, I went downstairs to a cafe. It was the kind of place that feels expensive — and is. I ordered a cup of tea and a piece of cake. An expensive cup of tea. An expensive piece of cake.
Continue reading “Cake and Courage”
