March 12, 2028

Today I returned from the State House
nearly certain
I'd gone public for nothing.
I am out to dinner with my partner when the owner of a
popular local restaurant sits across the bar from us.

Three years ago, I was the straw that broke
his third marriage because I hadn't realized
his business mentorship came at the cost
of his obsession.

I didn't know, but his wife did. He asked me
to meet with her to absolve him via a group text
to the two of us.
She and I had never met.

She bought my coffee.
I answered every single question honestly. Thoroughly.
Did you have lunch with him on x day? Yes.
Did you two have lunch with (redacted)? No.
Has he ever read The Prophet to you? No.
She looked relieved.
He bought me a copy, I said.
Her face fell.
Are you a lesbian? What? No.
(He told me you were
so I wouldn't
worry about you.)

Why won’t he let me read your texts?
I…I actually don’t know.
Would you like to see them? I slid my phone
across the table.

I feel so…stupid. Why did I ever think
this man was helping me and someone
wasn’t paying a price?

She told me he hadn't "misbehaved" in a
long time, that when she looked at my
Facebook profile, from what she could tell,
she would have liked to be my friend.

But you can't be friends with the straw
that breaks your marriage.

He kept trying to contact me. I told him so
many times to stop.

It's an open secret among women
that if the owner of this beloved local restaurant
wants to help you,
you should run.

I don't go to his restaurant anymore.

All of this returns to me tonight
as I try to let go of what happened today.
I want to stay seated at this bar
I am just too depleted
by men like him tonight.

You should know: many of the women
you have fucked with are out of fucks
regarding men like you.

I would advise leaving us alone,
and not adding to our ranks.

Hope that helps.