And Marvin's Situation Deserves a Good Look, Too

[Angela]

Elizabeth did not really retire as was stated earlier in this tale, but for appearance's sake, that is what she and Marvin told everyone.  She became disabled due to extreme bipolar disorder (as if no one knew), and her taking over of all the household duties which Marvin at one time resented was a manifestation of her mania which was, at least then, not under very good control.  In college she was highly strung and prone to periods of deep sadness which Marvin found tender and sensitive.  She even successfully worked for a number of years, but her condition gradually became debilitating, requiring a handful of hospitalizations and more than one round of electroconvulsive therapy.  On a good day, Elizabeth does a load of clothes and takes the dog for a short walk.  She then maybe washes her face and brushes her teeth, and eats both breakfast and lunch without having to be reminded; one is free to imagine a bad day.

[Mike Handley]

I hate that there are only two more.

[Stephen Torelli]

Poor Marvin. And with the right MD bipolar disorder can be controlled, yet easier said than done. Regardless, outstanding writing, Angela.

[Angela]

Gita, Teresa, all of you.  These two hurt my heart, especially Marvin.  Thanks for all you have had to say about their situations and actions.  A lot of learning for me in this was becoming able to respect the strength of someone who seems, and in some ways is, weak.

2 more entries to go.

[Gita]

Where would Elizabeth be without Marvin is the question Marvin asks and answers. But how can he be certain she wouldn't be better off on her own? Maybe she would find strength and power. Maybe she would just stay the same. I'm not convinced that mental illness improves for a person in a marriage any more than for a single person.  

In all cases, the details of  your characters'  lives are richly told and interesting. But whatever the circumstances -- a spouse with mental illness or a rich set of in-laws -- we are still left with the basic fact: both men have a desire for men. They have passionate feelings for men. They deserve to be able to pursue and fulfill their nature -- as Teresa said, "strolling at dusk" in a place like South Beach or San Francisco or Key West. It makes me sad. And once again, that is because your writing makes the characters so very real.

 

[Bill Floyd]

I have a close friend or two who suffer from bipolar disorder, so I don't have to imagine the bad days.  They are bad. This story gives us a new insight into Marvin, though, and the trappings of responsibility.  

[Robert Crisman]

Sounds to me like Marvin loves her. And where would she be if he wasn't there?  

[Teresa]

I don't want to imagine a bad day.  Now it's easier to see how attached Marvin would be to afterhours fun at the hardware store.  Frank's deep in his wife's pockets and Marvin feels...obligation?  Duty?  I want to imagine both men wrapping up loose ends with their wives and moving to San Francisco, strolling at dusk through the Palace of Art, gravel crunching under their leather sandals.  Makes me want to be a hedon for them.  Live only for myself.  I can tell you exactly what I'd do with my life.  But not on the worldwide web...