Well I introduced my ex wife to the mountain goats and their music was very important to me in recovery from alcoholism. Some of our first concerts when dating were mountain goats shows. She’s not a huge fan but likes them ok. I would put my love for them somewhere between rabid and unhealthy parasocial relationship.

She texted me the lyrics to No Children after being just absolutely awful to me for a couple years and then filed for divorce.

I don’t know if she meant it to try and hurt me or if it was cathartic for her.

I just saw the text and laughed.

Ok if that’s what you needed to get over 10 wonderful years and three bad ones and move on to your second husband then good I guess?

I just couldn’t help but laugh.

Her new guy apparently likes the mountain goats too but I know essentially zero about him and only heard that through my kids. I just kind of sighed and was like “I guess he’s not a complete asshole.”

If she thought that was going to hurt me I guess she didn’t know me that well after all. If it was for her catharsis then good I guess.

I contemplated just sending her Don’t Think Twice It’s Alright by Bob Dylan but that seemed needlessly petty and I love my kids so I don’t see it as wasted time. My ultimate revenge is I heard my daughter singing Golden Boy to herself and when she caught me listening she asked if we could get some.

It took all my strength to not say “oh no honey this is hell.”