Michelle Buteau

The plan was, I mean, looking back on it, it seems so basic, but just to be with each other and to have fun and to have kids and to go out to dinner after a movie on a Friday night. You know, Olive Garden, Cheesecake Factory just kind of exists in a really cute apartment with beige carpet and white blinds.

I had a dream that he called me up. He told me that he never graduated high school. And when I called him the next day and I was like, I had this crazy dream. He just started crying. I could just hear him gently sobbing. And he's like, not only did I not graduate high school, I don't even know how to read. I'm just like, how? Like, I thought I knew you. Like, haven't we read something together?

I had a dream that he called me up. He told me that he never graduated high school. And when I called him the next day and I was like, I had this crazy dream. He just started crying. I could just hear him gently sobbing. And he's like, not only did I not graduate high school, I don't even know how to read. I'm just like, how? Like, I thought I knew you. Like, haven't we read something together?

And I was going back, you know, I realized like, oh my God, this is why we go to the same restaurant. We would go to the same restaurant and he'd order the same thing because he couldn't read the menu. And he liked to go to restaurants that had pictures of the food. You know, I would write him poems and stuff and he's like, read them to me. You know, it's better when I hear it from you.

And I was going back, you know, I realized like, oh my God, this is why we go to the same restaurant. We would go to the same restaurant and he'd order the same thing because he couldn't read the menu. And he liked to go to restaurants that had pictures of the food. You know, I would write him poems and stuff and he's like, read them to me. You know, it's better when I hear it from you.

Never want to go through his mail. I had to help him. Yeah.

Never want to go through his mail. I had to help him. Yeah.

When he told me why he didn't know how to read, it just made my heart break even more. I mean, his dad died when he was young. And so his mom had to work three jobs. And he was depressed and just dropped out of the fifth grade and nobody ever noticed. His mom didn't want to deal with it. And, you know, I'm not judging because it must have been so hard for her.

When he told me why he didn't know how to read, it just made my heart break even more. I mean, his dad died when he was young. And so his mom had to work three jobs. And he was depressed and just dropped out of the fifth grade and nobody ever noticed. His mom didn't want to deal with it. And, you know, I'm not judging because it must have been so hard for her.

The only thing that kept going through my mind, I remember, was, I want to save you, I want to help you, I want to make this better. You know, we're going to get back on track to what we had planned.

The only thing that kept going through my mind, I remember, was, I want to save you, I want to help you, I want to make this better. You know, we're going to get back on track to what we had planned.

My game plan for him was I had a list of places he could go to. To go to night school, a therapist he could talk to, easy adult reading books, tips and tricks. It was like a whole sort of like care package of like how to just take it on. And he was like really overwhelmed by it. And I was like, OK, this is a really big deal.

My game plan for him was I had a list of places he could go to. To go to night school, a therapist he could talk to, easy adult reading books, tips and tricks. It was like a whole sort of like care package of like how to just take it on. And he was like really overwhelmed by it. And I was like, OK, this is a really big deal.

I stopped being his girlfriend and sort of became his coach or his mom. And it wasn't fun for either one of us. I tried every tactic. I was patient. I was nice. I was stern. And then I, like, kind of backed off. I'm like, whatever he needs to do on his own time.

I stopped being his girlfriend and sort of became his coach or his mom. And it wasn't fun for either one of us. I tried every tactic. I was patient. I was nice. I was stern. And then I, like, kind of backed off. I'm like, whatever he needs to do on his own time.

We don't even laugh anymore. We're not even like holding hands like we used to. We're not even having sex like we used to. Simply because you're not even going to this class. Like if he just went to a class, I would just be so happy. Did you feel like if you love me, you will learn to read? Absolutely. I mean, is that weird? But I totally felt like that.

We don't even laugh anymore. We're not even like holding hands like we used to. We're not even having sex like we used to. Simply because you're not even going to this class. Like if he just went to a class, I would just be so happy. Did you feel like if you love me, you will learn to read? Absolutely. I mean, is that weird? But I totally felt like that.

I was like, who's gonna read books to our kids at night? Like you got to get it together. This was like the vein of my existence. I was like, and I couldn't really talk to anyone about it because how embarrassing because I didn't want to. I didn't want my friends to think less of him, you know, and I wanted him to still feel like a man. So I just kind of like carried this by myself.

I was like, who's gonna read books to our kids at night? Like you got to get it together. This was like the vein of my existence. I was like, and I couldn't really talk to anyone about it because how embarrassing because I didn't want to. I didn't want my friends to think less of him, you know, and I wanted him to still feel like a man. So I just kind of like carried this by myself.

And at some point I just looked at myself and I was like, you gots to go. But even then it was just like, how do I leave somebody when they're down?