What is the definition of irony? I've heard that most people use the word incorrectly. They say that something is ironic when in fact, it is just coincidental. So tell, me, internets, is this irony or coincidence:
Today the restaurant Melt started following me on twitter. Melt is the restaurant where my ex-boyfriend took his soon-to-be new girlfriend for dinner when I was out of town for work. We were living together and I was starting to get suspicious that something was going on. I found the receipt from the restaurant in the trash. He admitted that he had gone there, but stuck to his story that he had also gone to the movies by himself. It was a stupid story and obviously a lie. The time stamped on the receipt was the time he had told me he'd been in the movie theater, and the bill was obviously for more than one person. Plus, he had used his personal bank account, instead of our joint account. Duh. I was absolutely devastated by the lie, simply because I knew it was a lie, lying there between us. He forced his way into the bathroom, where I sat on the floor, crying. He told me to look at him. He implored me to believe him. "Melissa, it's me," he said. As though my love for him could make two plus two into five. When he went out of town, I went to the bar where she worked and did some reconnaissance. It came out that they had gone to Melt together. She didn't know that he had a girlfriend, much less that we lived together. The lie was confirmed. I confronted him a week later. We decided to break up.
In a way, although the problems started much earlier, the receipt from Melt was the catalyst that began our breakup. It became a symbol for me of his betrayal. So today, March 15, on his birthday, I got an email to let me know that the restaurant is following me on twitter. I'm supposed to go out to dinner with him and a few of his friends tonight. Our break up is so far away. I've forgiven him and hardly think of the bad ending to our otherwise great five years together. But for some reason, seeing the name of that place brought tears to my eyes. It's just a restaurant - just a symbol - but why today? Irony? Coincidence?
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4 comments:
Ugh. I hate that break up story. I know it's history, and you've said you've forgiven him. But still. I'm sorry.
Because you asked...I believe this is coincidence. It would have been ironic if Melt had started following you before your break up.
Although the more I think about it the less sure I am :-/
Jen - Thanks for your comment! I'm so melodramatic, right?! Break ups suck and people are flawed. I'd like to think that the ending doesn't invalidate the whole relationship. Know what I mean? It's too easy to say that he was a bad person and I'm better off without him. The truth is that it was the best relationship I'd ever had and I won't settle for less now that I've had that experience. Of course I wish it had ended differently (or not ended at all,) but I get to move forward a little smarter and a little stronger for it.
xoxo,
m
Hmmm, not sure about where this falls in ironic vs. coincidental but here is another one for you to ponder. Do you know who else's birthday is March 15!?!?!?
BTW your writing is fantastic. I love reading everything you post!
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