Exes

I told you I'm reading Mary Gordon's "Spending". I ran across a very funny bit of dialogue yesterday that's relevant here.

Monica has forced B to the doctor when his back "went out". They walk into the doctor's waiting room and his ex-wife is seated there. There's caustic dialogue between B and the ex-wife, Natalie.

Monica writes:
I could have gone down on my knees to the nurse who appeared, called Natalie's name and led her off with a supportive arm around her waist, although she'd said her problem was a cervical vertebra.

"Lovely woman, your ex-wife," I said. "Sensitive creature. Kind of like a Fragonard."

"I've died and gone to hell," he said. "I'm about to see a doctor who's going to tell me I have ten minutes to live, and Natalie's lifted face will be before me for all eternity."

"I'm here, too."

"Oh, I forgot you're of the religion that invented Purgatory. Partial damnation."

"I'm going to choose to take that as a compliment."

"I mean it that way. How come you're friendly with your ex-husband?"

"Because I was happy to pass him on to someone else."
. . .

I liked that line a lot. May all exes find someone else and leave us alone!