“US” by David Nicholls

I do not know how it is for other people, but for us, the main events from our life and our’s friends lives seem to happen at the same time.

When we were young and not married, so were our friends.
“The early days of any relationship are punctuated with a series of firsts- first sight, first words, first laugh, first kiss, first nudity, etc.”

After a pair decided to get married, we followed them as a herd.
“We married and that was fun.We had been guests at so many weddings, Connie and I, that it had sometimes felt that we had been attending a three-year part-time course in wedding management.
Then the “I do’s”, the exchange of rings, the posing for photographs. I enjoyed it all, but weddings turn the bride and groom into performers and we were, I think, both a little self-conscious with each other that day, neither of us used to being the centre of attention.”

When some of us had children, we started having our children as well.
“- Douglas, I think we’ve done it. In fact, I know we have.
– Done what? What have we done?
– I’m pregnant. I know it.
– I know it too.”

And with the children came a fresh batch of fights between us. This time, they were about Education.
“Connie and I also argued.
Raising Albie accentuated the differences between us, differences that had seemed merely entertaining in the carefree days before parenthood.
She was, to my mind, absurdly informal and laissez faire. “He can do anything he wants”, she said, “as long as he’s happy and cool”. Of course Connie cajoled and encouraged him and made him do his homework, but still she felt that his natural qualities and talents would make themselves known unaided.
I did not believe in natural talents. For me, nothing had ever come naturally, not even science. I had been obliged to work hard, often with my parents standing at either shoulder, and saw no reason why Albie shouldn’t too.”

And now, when we are reaching the age of ’50s and our children are mature, we started slowly-slowly to get divorced. Unfortunately!

Published by Hodder&Stoughton, 2014