"The One With Thurgood Marshall"

DISCLAIMER:
These stories are inspired by Felicia’s colorful 2017. If the reader prefers, the short stories/blogs or parts of it may be regarded as fiction. But as Ernest Hemingway said, there is always the chance that fiction may throw some light on what has been regarded as fact.

I am hoping you have read some of my past blogs already. Otherwise, you may be lost in this one. For a little background, I suggest to read blog entry, "The One When I Spent My First Weekend in Hartford."

It’s been 10 days since my last short story.  I have so much material this week, I struggled deciding which one to write about next.
            “The One with San Francisco?”
            “The One with Thurgood Marshall?”
           “The One with the Conferences?”
            “The One with Aunt Roxanne?”
            “The One with Fake News?”
           “The One with Samantha Knows?”
For purposes of continuity, I’ll go with 
The One with Thurgood Marshall,” aka “…the Oscars, continued.” (See blog entry, “The One with the Oscars” for part 1)

I enjoyed the 2018 Oscars very much. I thought Jimmy Kimmel did a great job, and Wonderwoman, Gal Gadot (my son’s dream girl) and Gina Rodriguez were my best dressed. Although I must say Helen Mirren looked extra-fabulous showing off that jet ski, the sought after  price for whoever made the shortest speech that evening.

My jaw slightly dropped when comedian Dave Chappelle walked on stage to introduce Andra Day and rapper, Common for the Oscar-nominated song “Stand Up for Something,” from the film “Marshall,” a biopic of the first African-American Supreme Court justice and civil rights advocate, Thurgood Marshall.
Wait a minute. Dave Chappelle? Thurgood Marshall? What are the chances? Lightbulb! I know what to write about next.

Sometime between  February 2017 (John and Felicia’s last Valentine) and May 2017 (“The One When I Found Out,”) John sent me these messages, messages which made me hopeful about us.

Even after May 2017 and until November 2017, John and I still had a few text and email exchanges. (Readers- Don’t get mad just yet. I too, wished I just blocked him. But then again, I probably won’t have this much of good material to write about. And during that time, I still did not know about John’s double life.)
 This is a series of text messages between me and John on October 14, 2017.

How predictable that his response to my text message was "Are you serious??!!" And how foolish of me to even wish that I was going to receive something like,  "I guess I deserve that one. You are right. I'm sorry."  I knew it was childish, but after all the juvenile shenanigans from him, I should be allowed one immature comeback. Actually, I was torn between sending that “Maybe because I paid for your last trip to San Fran not knowing you were already cheating on us” message and sending this image instead. 
A few hours later, I opened my email and found the same message. Here is the email transcript from the evening of October 14, 2017.
From: Smith, John
Sent: Saturday, October 14, 2017 2:50:21 PM
To: Life, Felicia
Subject:

Go see the movie Marshall.  It was really good!!  I went to see it with Nadine last night.
From: Life, Felicia
Sent: Saturday, October 14, 2017 6:57:02 PM
To: Smith, John
Subject: Re:

Thanks, hunny.
Now, why don't you take a screen shot of your first 3 text messages and ask your girlfriend if that's cheating or not. 
From: Smith, John
Sent: Saturday, October 14, 2017 7:02:53 PM
To: Life, Felicia
Subject: Re:

I don’t have a girlfriend.  But like I said, I won’t communicate anymore
From: Life, Felicia >
Sent: Saturday, October 14, 2017 7:07:50 PM
To: Smith, John
Subject: Re:

Wow, no overlap, this time?! Oh well...Not for long, I'm sure. Men like you can't be alone.
From: John Smith  >
Sent: Saturday, October 14, 2017 7:34:06 PM
To: Life, Felicia
Subject: Re:

You don’t know me.
From: Life, Felicia >
Sent: Saturday, October 14, 2017 8:36:45 PM
To: John Smith
Subject: Re:

Actually, now I do. You won't last
From: John Smith  >
Sent: Saturday, October 14, 2017 9:01:13 PM
To: Life, Felicia
Subject: Re:

This is exactly what I was talking about the last time I saw you.
From: Life, Felicia >
Sent: Saturday, October 14, 2017 9:18:30 PM
To: John Smith
Subject: Re:

No, hunny. This is you finding an excuse or blaming somebody else.
From: John Smith  >
Sent: Saturday, October 14, 2017 9:21:52 PM
To: Life, Felicia
Subject: Re:

Indeed
From: Life, Felicia >
Sent: Saturday, October 14, 2017 9:26:22 PM
To: John Smith
Subject: Re
:

You need constant loving and I get it.
From: John Smith  >
Sent: Saturday, October 14, 2017 9:30 PM
To: Life, Felicia
Subject: Re:

You don’t get it.  
From: Life, Felicia >
Sent: Saturday, October 14, 2017 9:36:06 PM
To: John Smith
Subject: Re:

Sweetheart, you forgot to say "That is not true" or "You are wrong"
From: John Smith  >
Sent: Saturday, October 14, 2017 10:03:20 PM
To: Life, Felicia
Subject: Re:

Guess my memories going in my old age.
From: Life, Felicia >
Sent: Saturday, October 14, 2017 10:08:31 PM
To: John Smith
Subject: Re:

Finally...a truth from you!
 ðŸ˜‰
From: John Smith  >
Sent: Saturday, October 14, 2017 10:35:23 PM
To: Life, Felicia
Subject: Re:

Hate me all you want.  But you know a lot less than you think you do about me.
So not only did he send me a text message about the Marshall movie, he also emailed me. It must be a be a really good movie. 
I know I could have ignored this one, but after the earlier text messages, I felt a bit empowered, that I decided to respond with sarcasm. I didn’t think he was going to respond, but he did.  He was right about me not knowing him. I didn’t know the “real” John, until November 2017.
The  9:01:13PM message on that transcript when he said “This is exactly what I was talking about the last time I saw you.” Big Spoiler Alert! He was talking about July 2017, when he was in Boston for his summer residency program at Loyola University. (See blog entry, “The One with Summer Surprises”) We met at a restaurant the last day of his residency.  I remember him saying, “ There’s so much water   under the bridge. You will never see me the way you used to. You will never trust me again.” We were not even talking about a reconciliation, but somehow, he said those as if I was considering it, but then he already had an answers for it.”

Yes, I kept responding to the messages with all sarcasm. I know it’s childish, but I felt I was finally sort of striking back at him. I can’t let go of this rare opportunity. Also, the message when he said “Hate me all you want. But you know a lot less than you think you do about me?” Again, he was right about this. I did not know that  “Dr. Jekyll“ had one messed up “Mr. Hyde." See blog entry... oh well… just see ALL blog entries where Lili told me the truth about John on November 2017.
 
By the way, on November 2017 (Lili’s Office), I did tell Lili  about the text messages and emails from San Francisco. I remember her shaking her head saying, “ John was lying to you about not having a girlfriend at that time. We already live together. We only had a little fight back then because I did not want to join him on that trip to San Francisco. I still dropped him off at the airport, you know.”  I smirked a bit, as I thought to myself, “Why was she trying to convince me that they were still together at that time? Why was she more focused on me being lied to?Shouldn’t she be more concerned that her live-in boyfriend, was still communicating with me? The cheated with is being cheated on.” And speaking of communications, this was another one I received from John earlier in October, while I was at the hospital waiting for my cardiologist.

I found this picture of Thurgood Marshall with his wife Cecilia Suyat. She was fixing his robe, giving her husband a last minute check before his swearing in at the Supreme Court in 1967.  I once imagined myself doing the same thing to John when he graduates from Loyola University, and finally get that PhD. Who knew two very much in love (or was he), highly educated people would end up in a shitty situation like this. How could I have missed all the clues and all the red flags? I remember telling all these to my cousin, Trixie. This was Trixie’s response- “I guess no matter how educated you are, your heart is at the same level as everyone else.
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Comments

Anonymous said…
love the sarcasm... Reading his messages makes my smile sarcastic hhahhha
Marysa said…
Sounds like a complicated situation. I'll have to read your previous posts to get caught up.
Anonymous said…
What a pig! I saw your Pinterest post-"Cheating on the one you cheated with , with the one
you cheated on, who didn’t know you cheated on someone with her, and with the one you are with now, who also cheated on someone else, as she admits you cheated with her, on the two you previously cheated on” LOL
Jp said…
I am glad you are done with the turkey. I am sorry that you are so angry and you are hurt. I hope you will find healing.
Jaclyn Bree said…
You're better off now. And you definitely deserve to spout a little sarcasm!
Unknown said…
I am so sorry you were hurt. I hope rainbow after the storm comes soon.
Sofi said…
i wish you peace and healing.
sarah said…
Its hard to go through a situation and not blame yourself. 'Missing the red flags'. I have done the same thing.
Angie said…
So sorry you’ve had to go through all this. Situations like this makes us wiser and stronger. Something much better will come around and you’ll be able to appreciate it much more after going through this.
Unknown said…
It's so tough to go through being so incredibly hurt by someone and then have to continue to be in contact with them. And then navigating healthy boundaries and responses. Or knowing when not to respond. Definitely tough!
Unfortunately, people in these situations never apologise even when they have been caught out. It's tough to go through but you will come out the stronger individual and much more wiser.
Mom Knows Best said…
As childish as it was texting back with sarcasm I bet felt good. That guy needs a smack to his head.
Unknown said…
Being hurt by someone that much is definitely tough. This type of action isn't about you but this person's own issues. I hope you move past it and don't let this cloud your judgment about other people. Hugs!
MontanaPhD said…
John is F*/<$- up! How can someone with a daughter treat women like that? What a lying selfish "boy."
Sarah Bailey said…
What a horrid situation to have ended up in. It is such a tough thing to have to deal with and come around from.
Ali Rost said…
In all honesty, he deserved all the sarcastic replies and more if he still keeps messaging you. It's not easy to deal with infidelity. A lot comes with it, not just the pain but the insecurity and all that. I love that last line though. No matter how smart you are, your heart is the same as everybody else. So true to the core.
Diana V said…
It is not ok to be hurt that way, but It will be a great idea to share your experience with others, keep being positive.
Silvia said…
A difficult situation, sometimes we need to go through things like this to open our mind and hearts to better things.
Unknown said…
Such a horrible situation and I think you handled so well! I also thought Jimmy Kimmel did a great job.
Jocelyn said…
I enjoyed reading the post. I am curious to know how you're going to organize it when it becomes a book?
Kiwi said…
You are a brave one for sharing all of these moments with your ex lover. I cant stand when men don't know how to tell the truth, and is he a Libra? They seem to not be able to be alone and is always in an overlap of relationship. John is clearly a serial monogamous and I also dont like when the new women do not see signs of a clear cheater...sad.