As an artist I like to think that I am open to new experiences and have a fairly uncoventional approach to life. Twice in the past, however, my open-minded attitude has been somewhat challenged by the way in which I have been dumped by my lovers. Two men at different times in my life have both offered the same reason for ending our relationship. With both I assumed that I was in mutually dependent and beneficial relationships, things seemed to be going well. I shouldn’t have been surprised when the first mention of marriage was made by Mr A, but I was pole-axed. You see, he was getting married – but not to me. That first boyfriend was a nice, middle-class lawyer from Boston...as was his eventual wife, whom he had met at work while still living with me. They both had impeccable manners of course, and invited me to the wedding. I didn’t go.

Neither did I attend the wedding of the second man to live with me and marry another woman. It wasn’t quite as terrible the second time it happened, but maybe that was because he claimed to have been coerced into an arranged marriage. At least I’ll never be surprised by anything a man does again, though.

B, 29, Boston, Mass.

Add your story | Back to full list of stories