I should have figured it out when I opened up the gift he gave me: It was a power drill. (I had given him satin sheets.)

We had been seeing each other steadily for four years, and the closer I got to my college graduation, the further away he seemed. He had repeatedly proposed living together, and I had repeatedly said I didn’t think that was a good idea with three children under the age of 13 between us. We were at more of a stalemate than I knew.

Two weeks after Christmas, I ran into a former co-worker, who told me she was sorry to hear that T. and I had broken up. I told her it was news to me. She informed me that he had written about it in HIS CHRISTMAS CARDS. Somehow, he had neglected to let me know.

I went over to his house in a rage. When confronted, he got tears in his eyes and told me he loved me and didn’t want to hurt me.

He showed up at my January graduation party and then refused to speak to me. We “broke up” 3 days later.

I gave the drill to a friend, and it now resides in El Paso, TX.