After the love has gone* - Earth, Wind & Fire

They were seated at the table next to ours - husband, pregnant wife, little boy, out for dinner at a shopping mall in town. Nothing exceptional.

But after a while, i began to notice something - husband and wife never spoke a word to each other. In fact, they did not even look at each other - they both sat facing the same direction. Wife dotted over the boy but that was it. Food came, and they ate in near slience. The boy was a little excited about the food but that was the only excitement emanating from that table.

Once the food was consumed, the husband turned his attention to his smartphone.

Finally, as we were about to leave, there was some communication!!! They were not strangers sharing the same table after all! But it was for the wife to signal the husband to pay up and leave.

Sorry - maybe i'm being a little busybody. Seem to have a habit doing this (see here). I just felt sad. I pressume they are married. They have a boy and another child is coming. But i just did not feel the love at all. It all seemed like they were there just to eat but they would rather be some place else - with some other person. It seems like the love has gone.

Does having a child and being married for a while do that to couples? I dun think so. I know many frens who have had children and are not like that.

I just feel very sad - and could not help but wonder how did it come to this? I'm sure they were madly in love with each other at one point of time. Or were they?

I begin to wonder also how many married couples are like this? Feeling stuck and trapped in their marriage. Regretting it - but staying together for the sake of...? the children? Avoid embarrassment? But this goes on until death parts them.

I just hope that what i observed last nite of that couple was just the exception rather than the norm. Maybe they had a fight just before they arrived at the restaurant and they just did not want to say anything more to avoid making it worse. Maybe on normal occasions, they are truly very happy together.

At least the boy seemed to be in good spirits!

*Multi Grammy Award winning song. Brilliant stuffs!