The ties that bind

So, my oldest friend and her husband are talking seriously about getting a divorce. My heart hurts for both of them, and I have worked pretty hard to remain neutral territory, like Switzerland. Tonight, they are going away for a couple of weeks together. My repeated counsel was to just tell each other exactly what they've been telling me. I'd rather someone were honest (even hurtful) rather than misleading or untruthful.

Earlier this morning, both parties called separately to say goodbye and give me one final rundown of their relationship status. The most notable part for me (as neither said anything remarkably new) was when the husband paused mid-monologue to place his breakfast order to the off-screen barista, "A chocolate croissant and a medium coffee, sugar no milk." Good on him for not letting his continental breakfast on-the-go interfere with his therapeutic soul-baring, and vice versa. I find it difficult to multi-task these days.

Still, I always wonder why people ask for chocolate croissants and not pain au chocolat? I guess the easy answer is: because we're in America.