Oscar Hayes, stirred his two sugars in his cup of coffee as he listened to the new tech intern talk about his marriage proposal of the night before. Tired of biting his tongue, “Why are you so sure she is the only one for you?” Oscar asked. All the conversations in the break room came to a halt.
Randall, the intern, started to answer Oscar’s question. “I just know.” He replied. “That is not an answer,” Oscar countered. “Well, I know she makes me happy, and I want to spend the rest of my life being happy with her,” Randall said.
Oscar laughed. “Really, and what if someone else makes you happy? Will you still stay with her?”
“Why do you think I would leave her? The reason to get married it to stay married,” Randall said. Oscar laughed again. “Do you live in the real world? How many people do you know that stay married?” Oscar asked.
“My parents have been married forty years, and my grandparents were married for fifty years before they died. They are my examples of happy marriages,” Randall said as he smirked at Oscar. Many in the break room watched the interaction between Randall and Oscar. Maggie shook her head. “Oscar, have you ever been married?” She asked. “No and never will,” Oscar replied. “Why?” Maggie asked.
Oscar took a sip of his coffee and looked around the room. All eyes were on him. Many he had worked with for years but had never had a personal conversation about marriage before. He usually stayed away from those talks. However, today, something clicked inside, and he had to speak. “I do not have the luxury of having parents that stayed together. My parents married three times each. And do you want to know why?”
Heads nodded, waiting for his response. “My parents cheated on each of their spouses. Did not give me a great example of marriage life. So, Randall, I ask again, how do you know she is the one? Will you cheat on her or maybe she will cheat on you?”
Randall’s face turned bright red. Oscar laughed. “Oh, is there something you want to say about cheating?” “Just because your parents cheated it does not mean everyone cheats,” Randall said. “Yes, but when I said about cheating, you reacted. Is there something you want to share?” Oscar asked.
Randall turned and walked out of the break room. Maggie shook her head. “You are a piece of work, Oscar. I am sure there is no one who wants to marry you.” “You are probably right, and that is why I will never get married.”
Oscar stayed in the break room long after all the others had gone back to their cubicles. His coffee sat cold on the table. He wondered if he should have kept his opinions to himself. Most of the staff were younger and lived in a fantasy world. Oscar knew the real world gave people options, some of which they could not walk away from. This was the first time he wished he had asked his parents why they got married and why they cheated.
Troubled Oscar left the break room and decided he would leave work for the day. The giddiness of Randall was bothersome, but the look of disgust of the other staff put a rock in the pit of his stomach. And that is why you are alone and will die alone was the voice he heard.
© 2019 Ivy Jade