Mr. Schlamp

One of the patrons in the NY library where I used to work told me something one day that has stayed with me all these years. I can still see that man standing across from me at the circulation desk of the library, shaking his head in wonder because he had heard from the neighbors that my husband (my ex-husband) had left me.

"The trouble with young men is that they want their wife to be a perfect lady in the bedroom, a perfect chef in the kitchen, and a perfect tramp in the bedroom. It's only when they get older and find themselves alone that they come to realize that all they needed was to let their wife be a perfect friend."

Mr. Schlamp passed away a good many years ago. His wife died first, and he spent the last ten years of his life living alone and coming to the library on a daily basis. I think of him from time to time.