Response to David Sedaris, "Old Faithful"

In David Sedaris, “Old Faithful” he starts talking about his relationship with Hugh and past relationships including the one with his parents. He title this article, “Old Faithful” that’s one of the thing that he values and faithfulness is the main topic of this essay. In a relationship he values faithfulness because he following after his father. One night, while he and his father were in the car his father comes out of nowhere and says, “I want you to know that I never once cheated on your mother”. He goes and says he talked about it with a friend and how his friend thinks he said it because he had a guilty conscience but Sedaris knows better, he knows that his father never cheated on his mother. His father said it to remind himself that he was not completely worthless. Throughout the article, I see along with this flashback, and others that he starts reflecting these flashbacks with his own relationship. He thinks of his relationship at routine and awkward but no matter how habitual his relationship is, at least he can say, “I never once cheated on my boyfriend”. Also in the article he has this boil that brings him the utmost pain and he’s embarrassed about it. He talks about the boil because it symbolizes his pasts and current relationship. In his past relationship he was hurt, pain similar to the boil, the relationship didn’t last because Sedaris wanted a monogamous relationship and who he was with wanted something different. Also, from this relationship what it feels like to have somebody be unfaithful towards him. How the boils signify his current relationship with Hugh is that it stinks! There’s hardly any spark left and when they go out to eat they have to research topics just to have something to talk about. Because of that, Sedaris fears that Hugh will leave because he may see that he’s boring and non spontaneous. But, I guess none of that matters because at the end of the day Hugh will always be there to pop his boil.

This article relates to me in such a way of how I deal with fidelity in my relationships. Like Sedaris, I highly value faithfulness in my relationships. I can honestly say that in everyone of my dad’s relationship he has not been faithful. It’s one thing to know that but another thing to actually see it. I see him with these women and I just don’t understand why?? Or does he at least feel a little sorry. Just by seeing this, and looking at the faces on these women I feel sorry because they think they’re his one and only when really they're his one of many. I don’t want that, I want a nice, stable, honest relationship and one who is faithful.