My name is Ian Koss. What you're listening to is a series of songs and conversations about every marriage in my family that ended in divorce.

Most of those stories end with some sense of relief. It may take three years to get there, or it may take 30 years.

But once it's over, it feels pretty clear

that this is for the best. This is how it should be. But not every marriage in my family is so clear.

Forever is a long time.

Part 4. My Uncle Eric.

Hello?

Hey, Eric, it's Ian.

Hey, Ian.

How you doing?

Oh, you know, good enough.

Good enough.

So is this still a good time to pick your brain a little bit?

Yeah, no, I was expecting your call.

And I really, I don't have a lot of wisdom to offer, but yeah, we can bat it around a little bit if you want. My father's brother, Eric, as you may recall, is actually

the reason my parents met in the first place. And he has always been an important part of our

lives. When we left Cape Cod and

settled in western Massachusetts, Eric and his wife Debbie lived just a couple towns over from us.

From my perspective, their lives had a kind of logic and stability that stood out in my family.

While my parents were moving around from one house or apartment to another, changing jobs, going back to school, dating different people,

Eric and Debbie were always there in that same house on a little dead-end street where we used to

ride over on our bicycles and sit on the front porch.

...