[THEME MUSIC]
Anna Martin: From The New York Times,
I'm Anna Martin.
This is Modern Love.
I recently went through a friend breakup.
It was one of those slow motion kind of implosions,
misinterpretations and mistakes building up little by little,
until it all exploded in a painful, public argument on the sidewalk.
Even though I know it was right to end this friendship,
the ending was just so messy.
This week's essay is about a relationship that needs to end
for both people involved,
and the author is trying to avoid the kind of explosion that I experienced.
He's trying to end things gradually, gently,
but he's struggling.
The essay is called
'After 264 Haircuts, A Marriage Ends,'
written by William Dameron,
and read by Edoardo Ballerini.
Edoardo Ballerini: Elizabeth lofted the black cape,