While I was consumed in my doctoral studies and later in my thesis, Ted had distanced himself and was going through his own sexual revolution. Eventually, he chose to tell his truth to his wife and divorce her.
I supported him in this decision, although I didn’t know that he had fallen in love with a Swiss man he met during one of his trips abroad. Obviously, none of this made me happy. But I didn’t have time for him.
A doctorate is a prison of years. One is at the mercy of the thesis advisor, and this included doing all the work he needed. While I killed myself studying, I realized that a fellow Argentinean colleague was advancing rapidly in her career. When I asked another colleague from our program how it was possible that this Argentinean was so far ahead, she replied: “Well, Liliana is just a few orgasms away from her doctorate.”
Just like in Costa Rica, one could progress quickly by sleeping with someone in authority.
Ted called and called but I didn’t pick up the phone as I was mad as hell. Then, as always, I would give in.
He had his good life in his own way and wanted me to meet his Swiss lover. I had to meet him at his apartment in New York. Our meeting was not pleasant.
“Ted told me that you were very good friends in Washington. What did you have in common, being so young? It was a surprise for me to find out.”