K beats me again, at the beginning and at the end

My friend K came to visit yesterday. He had some business in NY and needed a place to flop for the night. We met for dinner and a few drinks then went back to my apartment and bullshit for a while.

He and I met many years ago because we were dating women who were good friends. Our lives have followed similar (in general) though vastly different (in detail) trajectories since then. My gf and I announced our engagement, then he and his did the same. They got married one month before us. We had a daughter, they soon followed with a son. We had another daughter, they popped out another son.

Though we lived far from each other, we got together several times a year (mostly because of the wives' friendship) and we even bought houses (actually, an apartment here for us, a house there for them) within months of each other. The kids grew up together and are close to this day.

Well, a couple of years ago, wife and I announced we were separating, and everyone we knew was shocked. And within a couple of months word came thru the grapevine that K and his wife were doing the same.

When I spoke to him the other day, he told me his divorce was final. It was over. I'm still waiting for my decree. Maybe it will end up being one month after theirs. Hopefully. But he beat me again.

The big difference this time is that K wishes it were not so. I yearn for it to be over. I've long since moved on and only await a disinterested judge's signature.