Giving new meaning to “till death do us part?”

September 24, 2008 · Print This Article

Dear Eve,

I am dating the sweetest, funniest, greatest guy in the world. I have seriously never been more into a guy. But there is a major problem in our relationship. He is married, and lives with his wife. It’s not what it sounds like, they aren’t together anymore, and she is dating too, and she knows about me. He says they haven’t separated or divorced for financial reasons. I have never been comfortable with it, but now that we have been together for six months and there is still no change in sight I am getting a little upset. It is hard for me to take it all seriously when he doesn’t seem to be putting getting away from the wife seriously! I try to talk to him and he says to be patient with him. Well, I think my patience is running out. I want to marry him, and he says he does me too…but can take it all seriously? What should I do? I hate this situation but I am afraid to lose him.

Sincerely,

Polly-anonymous

Dear Polly-non-polygamy,

Can you take talk of marriage from a guy who is still married and LIVING WITH THE WIFE seriously? That question is so ridiculous that I am going to pretend you didn’t ask it. Let’s move on to the rest of your issue.

If this guy is the “greatest guy in the world” I worry about the dating pool in your area. He may be sweet, and he may be funny, but you have been dating him for six months…six months in which he has still not moved out of the home he shares with a woman who is STILL his wife. Honey, unless this guy is jobless and broke (which brings on a different set of reasons why he might not be “the greatest”) there is no reason why they should not be at least legally separated…and living apart. He is either lazy or moving on is just not a top priority. Neither of these scenarios bode well for your future with him.

I don’t know the guy, so I cannot begin to try and accurately assess whether or not he is truly over his wife and ready to be in a serious relationship with you. But honestly, marriages aren’t usually something you get over in a rapid fashion. And I find it difficult to imagine that he is getting over it completely while still sharing the old marital home with the woman he took to be his lawfully wedded wife. Perhaps they are just friends helping each other out in a mutual financial bind. But here’s the thing, cookie. A new relationship is a challenge in the best of circumstances. Do you really want to start one with this massive of a handicap?

Look, you wrote here…so you have your doubts already. He keeps telling you to be patient but like you said, the fortitude well hath run dry. So if you wish, give him one more chance to do right by you and tell him you need a date set in which he can be moved out and separated from his wife. Tell him you to see him taking steps in that direction. Because otherwise you could be setting yourself up for an indefinite amount of time spent engaging in a threesome…and this kind of threesome just isn’t sexy or fun. Do you want to spend the next six months trying to have sex down the hall from the woman your boyfriend promised to love and cherish as long as they both shall live?

Bottom line? If it doesn’t feel right, then it probably isn’t. This scenario might not bother some, but it does you. Be honest with him, be honest with yourself, and walk away if you need to. There are other sweet, funny great guys out there, ones with much less complicated living situations.

Love and kisses,

Eve

What do you all think? Should she stay and wait for the reluctant-to-divorce fella? Is he too good to let go, or should she be strong and move on? What is a reasonable amount of time to stay married and living together when your marriage is over? Should you seriously date (and drop marriage proposals?!) during that time?

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96 Comments »


On 09/23/08 at 8:58 pm
Trista said:

Happy hump day, people!

Speaking of humping…I don’t think I could do it…with the wifey down the hall.


On 09/24/08 at 6:40 am
Karri said:

Seriously? EEWWWW!

I couldn’t do it with the parentals down the hall much less a spouse…and a current spouse at that!

C’mon Polly, why would you even get involved with a married man to begin with? You’ve created this inner turmoil and you’re the only one that can fix it! Either learn to live with your title as his mistress (NOT girlfriend!) or walk away and find a man without a wife.

UGH!!


On 09/24/08 at 6:46 am
Trista said:

I think she is in limbo-land personally…which is worse.

A girlfriend…a wife…a mistress…they all know their place. This poor girl, she has no tiny box to sit comfortably in! She’s hanging with the wife, no there is no racy thrill of doing the taboo, but when she tries to call herself a girlfriend, she is rudely reminded that she has no rights to the title.

I feel sorry for her. Kinda want to slap her, but I also feel sorry for her.


On 09/24/08 at 6:53 am
Phoenix said:

“Kinda want to slap her, but I also feel sorry for her.”

Nominated as the best line of the day. :p


On 09/24/08 at 1:00 pm
Trista said:

Thank you so much! I would like to thank my partner Karri…and our lovely writers, Sarah, Meghan and Carol…and of course all our fantastic readers…you all make it worthwhile.

But most of all I would like to thank the folks that write to us, asking for advice,
and subjecting themselves to embarrassment for our entertainment.


On 09/24/08 at 2:07 pm
Proph said:

Ahem… I too liked to be thanked. (No pressure)


On 09/24/08 at 2:40 pm
Trista said:

Didn’t I put god up there? Damn, I knew I was forgetting somebody…

my apologies.

 

On 09/24/08 at 4:56 pm
Vic said:

Do not blaspheme.

I am God.

Well, not the God, but a God. Sarah told me so.

 
 

On 09/24/08 at 5:39 pm
Carol said:

*giggle* after a long ass day going to Memphis and back…THAT was the perfect bit o’humor to make me laugh.

I’m with you, I kind of feel sorry for the girl…but she made her half-ass bed and has to lie in it!

 
 
 
 
 
 

On 09/24/08 at 2:59 am
cigarsmokinglawyer said:

I handle a little bit of divorce work (ok actually a lot). I have a few questions for Ms. Blinders. You say the wife knows all about you? How often have you talked to her about what is going on? She is also dating? have you seen it and met her boyfriend? If not don’t bet the lying husband/boytfriend is telling anything but what you want to hear.

Divorce is not that expensive if everyone agrees the marriage is over and agree to leave. The expense is when people are fighting over children or things.


On 09/24/08 at 6:09 am
Trista said:

I was thinking of children as well, but I really figured they would have been mentioned.

 
 

On 09/24/08 at 3:09 am
lisaq said:

I’ve got just two words for you…emotional unavailability. Guys who date while married are the epitome of Mr. Unavailable. I’ll bet if you looked it up in the dictionary, you’d find the assclown’s picture.

Look, here’s the thing. IF he leaves her, and that’s a hella big IF, there’s still no guarantee he’ll walk down the aisle to be with you. After all, you’ve already proven you don’t give a crap about yourself. Why should he? But I digress. The cold hard truth is that rarely do these situations ever end with a happily ever after. Most times, they find other excuses why they can’t be in real, full fledged relationship with you even if they ditch the wife.

Run chica. Run like the wind!


On 09/24/08 at 6:12 am
Trista said:

I could be wrong, but if she is hanging out at the house with the wife and whatnot, I don’t think this is your classic married guy playing around on the wife. If the marriage isn’t over, it is at least on pause…not that this makes the situation any less whacked, just different.

And I agree…she doesn’t need this. Plenty of fish in the sea, ones that aren’t already on someone else’s line.

 
 

On 09/24/08 at 4:15 am
Vic said:

For real?

That guy has his cake, eats it, too… and brags to his friends about it.

Unless there’s a green card involved, anything or any reason he gives her is simply bullshit.


On 09/24/08 at 6:16 am
Trista said:

Perhaps I was soft on them because I have actually known people in similar situations…and I projected personal knowledge into these strangers’ situation. I dunno. But!

It’s been six months. My divorce moved faster than this and we were fighting rather bitterly, and we had children in the mix. This guy is definitely lazy…or he just doesn’t care.


On 09/24/08 at 8:27 am
Vic said:

Quite simply, I’d never get involved with a married man.


On 09/24/08 at 8:29 am
Trista said:

But would you get involved with a single man?


On 09/24/08 at 9:07 am
Vic said:

Depends. He’d really have to treat me right… and he’d have to be rich enough to make Bill Gates look like a pauper.


On 09/24/08 at 9:09 am
Trista said:

Jeez…thems some high standards.

I see nothing but heterosexuality in your future…


On 09/24/08 at 9:13 am
Vic said:

Darn… I guess I’ll just have to settle for some hot poonanny, instead.

 

On 09/24/08 at 9:17 am
Trista said:

Poor baby. I recommend retreating to the solace that is Sarah’s boobs.

 

On 09/24/08 at 4:51 pm
Vic said:

One day, she might get sick of me doing that. She is already starting to get miffed when I do it at the supermarket.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

On 09/24/08 at 4:19 am
Sarahh said:

It takes one half the time you were together to get over the relationship. It could me more or less, but that is a good rule of thumb.

And if he is still in the house and it makes you uncomfortable then I think you may already have your answer. Sounds like he is calling all the shots. Imbalance isn’t a good starting point.

His wife shouldn’t be joining you both in the Honeymoon phase of your relationship.


On 09/24/08 at 4:32 am
Vic said:

Would you still be my girlfriend, so I could get some on the side, if we were married? You know, Tuesdays could be “girlfriend night” and we could take turns being the girlfriend!


On 09/24/08 at 5:19 am
Sarahh said:

Don’t make me come over there…


On 09/24/08 at 8:01 am
Trista said:

Kick his ass…and tape it. We’ll use it as the next featured video. ;)


On 09/24/08 at 8:28 am
Vic said:

Shush.

Don’t make us spank you.


On 09/24/08 at 8:30 am
Trista said:

To quote our good friend Dr. Joker:

Don’t threaten me with a good time!


On 09/24/08 at 9:09 am
Vic said:

It’s not a threat… it’s an extension of an offer.

Orlando, 1 month.

 
 
 

On 09/24/08 at 9:34 am
Sarahh said:

To-Do List

1. Pick up Fish Food
2. Go through Bills
3. Go home and Kick Vic’s Ass *taped*
4. Apologize lovingly to Vic then ask him nicely to cook so I don’t burn the house down.

Again.

 
 
 
 
 

On 09/24/08 at 5:11 am
Phoenix said:

Nothing drives me more crazy than when a woman calls the MARRIED man she is fucking her boyfriend. How can some other woman’s husband be your boyfriend???

I’m telling ya Polly, it’s a losing battle. I know someone who tried this. It’s been about 3 years now. He said the wife knew. The girl in question even went and TALKED to the wife about it. He originally told this girl he was staying for financial reasons too. First it was “wait til the end of the year”, then it was “wait until we file our taxes together in April”, blah blah blahdeblah.

He is STILL with wifey-poo and fucking this girl on the side 3 years later. And counting.

Let me ask you this, why WOULD he ever leave, if he knows he gets to have both worlds?


On 09/24/08 at 6:24 am
Trista said:

Excellent point…why would he leave? He has all the comforts of home…and all the excitement of a girlfriend…and the women involved are both okay with it!

I wonder if they all go out on double dates together…

 
 

On 09/24/08 at 5:15 am
Cassie said:

I couldn’t even read all of this. I may just be in a bad mood, but this is exactly the type of stupid woman that makes me want to cunt punch them repeatedly!!!


On 09/24/08 at 6:25 am
Trista said:

I was talking about removing stabbing someone in the ovaries yesterday, but I won’t say who…I don’t want to start a political riot in here…


On 09/24/08 at 5:40 pm
Carol said:

Leave it to Cass to say cuntpunch if Courtni hasn’t already used her favorite word over here today!

 
 
 

On 09/24/08 at 5:36 am
pecosa said:

She needs to run the other way. While the guy may be sweet and funny, he’s still living with his wife. Does he refer to her as his wife? Has she been over to their place? I smell a rat with a ring on it’s finger…


On 09/24/08 at 6:27 am
Trista said:

You know…I completely assumed that she and wife have met…but the whole “she knows about me” line isn’t all that clear, is it? This could be just another duped girl waiting for a married dude to leave his wife.

Can I change my answer? I was too easy on her! =P


On 09/24/08 at 7:20 am
pecosa said:

Yes! Change it!!! I mean, this a totally sensitive subject for me because I was the wife who got cheated on. And the girl knew he was married and had kids. But she fell for the same bullshit line “We live together because of the kids, but we don’t sleep together” uh-huh. We didn’t sleep together because I kicked his ass out! I just really want to know what the wife REALLY things of all this.


On 09/24/08 at 7:41 am
Trista said:

Yeah, I had the same thing happen to me. But she did come into my house, which mean she saw that we did in fact share a BED…so how the hell could she have let him explain that away? With that girl though…she was enjoying the “mistress” role.

Usually a wife will DO SOMETHING when she feels this kind of stuff is going on and the marriage isn’t really in the freezer like the cheating spouse claims. At least I know I did. A woman just knows…and if she’s not a pussy, she will act.

 
 
 
 

On 09/24/08 at 5:46 am
Razor said:

Why is she wanting to get married after only 6 months anyway, regardless of his marital situation? How anyone can even think about marrying someone who is already married is beyond my comprehension. I lived with my ex-husband for a few months after our divorce because we had horses and a house to sell. But neither of us was trying to play games with someone else. And I can tell you, even when I started dating again, getting married AGAIN was the last thing on my mind.


On 09/24/08 at 6:29 am
Trista said:

Yeah, I am with you. It has been three years since my divorce and I can finally hear the M words without wanting to run away screaming.

That is why I refused to even address that part of the letter. Are you kidding me??!

 
 

On 09/24/08 at 5:53 am
Meghan said:

I’m with Phoenix. This shit drives me mental! Are you really going to lay down the foundation of your relationship this way? It’s really the story you are going to tell people in 10 years…oh wait! You won’t be together that long…got it.

If he talks of marrying you while already married then he needs a little history lesson on the concept of ‘forever’.

You aren’t falling in the kind of love you really want here. You fell into a well he isn’t letting you climb out of. Truth is there is a ladder right behind you and you should be pulling yourself up and out before you drown.


On 09/24/08 at 6:31 am
Trista said:

Yeah…it’s not a very strong start, is it?


On 09/24/08 at 6:34 am
Meghan said:

It’s a bold start, not a strong start. Bold can be deceiving in matters of the heart.


On 09/24/08 at 6:40 am
Trista said:

I don’t even know if I would be so kind as to call her bold…she isn’t really displaying all that much courage when she isn’t even telling the guy how she feels.

This girl is acting kinda like a doormat.


On 09/24/08 at 6:57 am
Meghan said:

Yes, Polly is more the doormat variety…especially after 6 months. If she were more assured, she wouldn’t be asking this question.

The last acquaintance I had who put themselves in this position seemed to ‘feel’ mighty bold about her choices.

Fists pumping, ‘I love him’, nothing will stop us kind of tale. Nothing stopped them because they were never able to start anything real. People tend to confuse feeling adventurous and free with tumbling through life out of control.


On 09/24/08 at 7:54 am
Trista said:

Self-esteem classes should be a dating prerequisite!


On 09/24/08 at 2:12 pm
Proph said:

When do we start?

 

On 09/24/08 at 2:41 pm
Trista said:

Are you saying you have low self-esteem…or I do?

 

On 09/24/08 at 5:30 pm
Meghan said:

By the way…for those of us not in the know *ahem* we need to update on the Prophet seduced our beautiful Starlet.

Not a voyeur, but I could use a good love story after the last pathetic pick-up line I heard tonight.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

On 09/24/08 at 6:34 am
~Lori~ said:

Married is married, I don’t even care if they are separated. You don’t tread on another woman’s territory even if she doesn’t want her spouse. In the state I live in now, you have to be legally separated an un-godly amount of time before they will even grant a divorce. I made the mistake of dating a man that was separated, big mistake, will not ever do that again. Honestly, this gal really needs to re-evaluate what she wants for HERSELF, usually when you get with someone that is newly separated/divorced, or just split up from a LT relationship, you end up being what I have seen the term a “transitional partner”, been there done that, not always fun to say the least. In essence, you are a stepping stone in their road back to the dating/relationship world again, and it has a tendency not to last, not all the time, but a high percentage of the time.

Truthfully, I really think this girl should give herself a swift kick in the ass, and do a self-esteem/reality check. She needs to know she DESERVES better for herself. I hope she reads this, and really gives herself that gift of love.


On 09/24/08 at 6:42 am
Trista said:

Hmm…I don’t know that I agree that they are still one another’s territory till the divorce is final, but I do agree that since this guy is still in the home with his wife and not even on the first step to divorce city…this girl is making a BIG mistake.

And you bring up a great point about being a stepping stone. Do you want to hand-hold someone back to the gates of healthy dating land? No thanks! They pay counselors for that!


On 09/24/08 at 6:52 am
~Lori~ said:

I understand your thinking about the territory thing if the divorce isn’t final, but from what I seen…when separated, it leaves that door open more often than not, reconciliation. When the partners are fighting back and forth for what they once had and wanting to call it quits for what doesn’t work anymore. Letting go is often very hard, especially if there are children involved. I feel that it is setting yourself up for a lot heartache when the person you are dating and building a relationship with has cleared the emotional clutter and baggage from their lives yet. I have seen it happen way too much. Someone told me once that it takes a certain percentage of time to heal from a relationship breakup/divorce, depending on the amount of time you were with the person. I didn’t believe them at that point. I was with my ex 17 years, my friend said it would take roughly 3 years. You know what he was right, I can now look at photos from then and instead of tears, I smile for the good memories, and the friendship and healing we do have between us.


On 09/24/08 at 8:00 am
Trista said:

I think rather than a set amount of time, healing is dependent on what you actually have to heal from. My ex-husband and I have been apart for over three years, and we were not together anywhere near 17 years(!) but I do not feel completely healed from the mess yet. Healing is such an individual thing.

But I absolutely agree that it is difficult, if not impossible, to start the process if you aren’t actually away from the person.

 
 
 
 

On 09/24/08 at 6:56 am
Missygail said:

I have actually sooooo been in this situation before. It’s not fun.

I had a relationship with a man, who lived two hours away. He was still married, but yet divorce minus paperwork and living arrangements. The sleeping arrangement was him in the bed and her in the living with the male roommate.

It was definitely odd to say the least.

They were very cool people and the break up was a mutual split, but instead of dealing with one person I had to deal with two.

We lived two hours away. My car wouldn’t make the trip back and forth. I had to take the greyhound to see him. Yeah, I know I’m glutton for punishment.

He would tell me that if it was only him, he’d so spoil me and take me out to the best restaurants and come to town to pick me up. All of these empty promises.

But of course it wasn’t only him. They still shared finances and she couldn’t see the reasoning in spending the gas money for me to be able to spend one night out there. Even though I a single mom was paying for a round trip ticket from Tulsa to OKC.

They stayed married because of finances and the fact she was in school. Also, he came from a very traditional Taiwanese family, who could possibly disown them if they revealed that they were getting a divorce.

What was really screwed up was during parties and such, they had to keep up appearances. So they had to carry on like a married couple, but yet I was kind of this odd person who had no real reason to be there. Friends would ask me how I knew the couple and I couldn’t say that I’d met Robert by having cybersex on the computer.

I kept trying to hold on for the moment when they would actually divorce and he’d be on his own. I couldn’t wait very long and when I’d ask about their time plan I’d get years where I wanted to hear mere months.

It’s just too hard, no matter how great the guy is. Mine was pretty awesome as well, but no man is worth that BS. They have finally since divorced and he’s with someone else, but I’m better off. It also lets you know that he’s not the type of guy to stand up. I mean most men when the marriage is over would tell the wife to get the “f” out. He might be a stand up guy and help out with the bills, but I just don’t think a guy who is not a door mat would just keep up this screwed up arrangement.

I’d say give him a time plan or ultimatum. If he can’t fulfill your needs then cut your losses and move on.


On 09/24/08 at 8:06 am
Trista said:

Wow…just wow. I cannot believe you had to attend parties where they were playing couple, that had to be hard.

How long did you put up with the situation?

 
 

On 09/24/08 at 7:12 am
Fiona said:

Now, I took a while to divorce my ex, we were NOT together, I just couldn’t afford it and I was hoping (in vain) he would initiate it. Boy was I wrong. Anyfart, this girl is still a fool.

Any way you dress this particular cow patty, it’s still shit, and it’s stinky.

Get out.

As for wanting to marry her? Puuullleeeaaassseeeeeee, after a divorce the only M word anyone wants to hear is Money, ’cause you’re broke. She needs to leave la-la-land to the faeries and wake up.


On 09/24/08 at 7:45 am
Trista said:

“As for wanting to marry her? Puuullleeeaaassseeeeeee, after a divorce the only M word anyone wants to hear is Money, ’cause you’re broke. She needs to leave la-la-land to the faeries and wake up.”

~hahahahahahahahaaaa!

I concur…completely.

 
 

On 09/24/08 at 7:30 am
Tori said:

Ok, I understand the reluctance to leave a guy who you love, but seriously? Peace out. He’s an ass underneath that funny, sweet exterior. And it’s not like the ass-itude is buried real deep either. I’d kick him in the taint. If she didn’t have feelings for him and just wanted to fuck his face, ok then, stay. But the whole love thing isn’t going to work out.


On 09/24/08 at 7:40 am
Karri said:

HAHAHHAAA!
Oh. My!


On 09/24/08 at 7:43 am
Trista said:

Don’t hold back, Tori!

=P

I am pretty sure she isn’t there just to fuck his face…the M word is getting thrown around up there.


On 09/24/08 at 8:30 am
Vic said:

“Motherfucker?”

I’m sure she wants to ride his rod and not just his face…


On 09/24/08 at 8:50 am
Tori said:

Hey, you don’t know what she’s into. Don’t judge her!

(kiss kiss)


On 09/24/08 at 9:11 am
Vic said:

I merely assume.

 
 
 

On 09/24/08 at 8:49 am
Tori said:

That’s what I’m saying. I’ve slept with people that I knew wouldn’t last in the long run, but only when that was ALL I wanted. She wants this guy’s heart and she’s not going to get it.


On 09/24/08 at 9:07 am
Trista said:

Yeah, I can relate too. But you don’t spend any time psychoanalyzing them…I mean, that’s the draw, really. You don’t HAVE to do any of that. Everyone involved knows why they are there.

This poor dumb girl thinks she is getting a husband…and he is encouraging her to think that way. she may be naive, but he’s a jerk.