The Return of Dorothy's Ex

Exes...Yikes! Break ups are difficult enough when they just involve a person you've known for a few months or so. I don't want to think about the difficulty of dealing with ending a relationship after 38 years! Nevertheless, it's a reality for many people, and it's wise for the writers to focus on that particular subject from time to time (as they do here).

I can't personally relate to a relationship ending after 38 years, but to the extent to which I can relate, I know it would be completely heart-wrenching for me if I were in Dorothy's shoes! Surely after such a long time, two people become reliant upon each other in many ways. Personally, I would feel a great sense of emptiness. I would wonder where to go from that point and how to move on. In all probability, I would cut the person out of my life like a tumor in order to allow myself to heal from it as quickly and painlessly as possible. I'm getting depressed just thinking about the emotional upheaval it would mean for me. I don't know if Dorothy's strength in dealing with Stan is a result of her age (wiser and more grounded), her basic personality, or something else, but she is definitely one tough woman! 

Honestly, Dorothy is a saint for even continuing to speak to Stan, as far as I am concerned. Their son and daughter are grown, so I can't see any need for her to keep in touch with him. In this episode, he seeks her out to help complete some paperwork relating to when they were still married, but she certainly treats him very courteously given that he left her after 38 years without even saying goodbye. In the second episode, we learn that Dorothy only found out about the divorce because Stan's lawyer called to give her the news! Taking that into consideration, the fact that she will take time out of her day to help him fill out paperwork and have lunch with him is very generous on her part!

OK, so maybe Dorothy was a little more than polite to Stan as the evening progressed! The rest of the girls were shocked when they saw Stan walking around the house in Dorothy's night robe the next morning. Really, why wouldn't they be? Sophia handles it like a champ. She makes her opinion on the subject of Dorothy reuniting with Stan very clear, but she does it without being overly forceful. Blanche and Rose are in agreement with Sophia, of course. As friends, they have more leeway when it comes to knocking some sense into Dorothy's head. A mother has to exercise more restraint. I always find it easier to listen to my friends' criticism than to my parents'. Perhaps it's just easier to admit when you're wrong to your friends? I'm not really sure. Regardless, I think each of the girls handles the situation very well. They are all firm, but you never doubt that the girls will all be there for Dorothy no matter what decision she chooses.

No cheesecake...

Stan infuriates me in this episode! In later episodes, he has a few shining moments where I find that I can cut him some slack, but here I think he's a selfish yutz (as Sophia would say)! He just wants someone to be with him. Chrissy left him and so he went right back to Dorothy. He doesn't really love her, though. He is simply afraid to be alone, and he is using Dorothy as a comfortable Plan B. Even when Dorothy refuses him, he runs back to Chrissy. It was (at the very least) somewhat noble of him to pick Dorothy over Chrissy when given the choice, but if he really loved Dorothy, he wouldn't have let her go that easily. Anyway, I think it's frustrating. There's a difference between love/commitment and the fear of being alone. I would want to be with someone because they wanted me, not because the idea of being single frightened them into choosing me!

Interested in another pearl of wisdom from this show? A woman's best friends know more about that woman's boyfriend than he will ever know! That's not just something that's contrived for TV. That's for real! Other than that, the only other comment I have is this: Rose is a truly terrible storyteller, but her stories are so funny that it makes it OK! The whole story of Eddie The Aqua Midget is pretty funny, but Blanche's puns are what make it so completely hysterical! I'm into puns, so maybe it's just me, but it's one of my favorite Rose stories! :)


***Cheesecake count: 1

St. Olaf v. Sicily: 0 to 1

References: Lucille Ball

Quote of the day:

Rose: That's where I first met Eddie The Aqua Midget...I didn't realize it, but he was falling for me.
Blanche: Didn't have far to fall!
Rose: It started with little things.
Blanche: I bet!