Simon Vance

Monroe and Fremlin first crossed paths in the late 1940s, when they knew each other slightly at the University of Western Ontario, enough at least for Monroe to develop a crush. Fremlin, an Air Force veteran who flew bombing missions over Germany, was a few years older than the other students.

Monroe and Fremlin first crossed paths in the late 1940s, when they knew each other slightly at the University of Western Ontario, enough at least for Monroe to develop a crush. Fremlin, an Air Force veteran who flew bombing missions over Germany, was a few years older than the other students.

With his outspoken atheism and moody good looks, Fremlin struck Monroe as a byronic figure, full of danger and allure. After graduating, he sent her a fan letter about a story she published in the campus literary magazine, though to Monroe's disappointment, the message carried zero trace of romantic intent. By then she was already engaged to Jim.

With his outspoken atheism and moody good looks, Fremlin struck Monroe as a byronic figure, full of danger and allure. After graduating, he sent her a fan letter about a story she published in the campus literary magazine, though to Monroe's disappointment, the message carried zero trace of romantic intent. By then she was already engaged to Jim.

More than twenty years went by before she saw Fremlin again. By that point in the aftermath of her marriage, Munro had taken a short-term job as a writer in residence at her alma mater and was living near campus with Andrea, who was seven, and her middle daughter, Jenny, who was sixteen. Sheila, then twenty-one, was working at the bookstore that Munro and Jim had opened in Victoria.

More than twenty years went by before she saw Fremlin again. By that point in the aftermath of her marriage, Munro had taken a short-term job as a writer in residence at her alma mater and was living near campus with Andrea, who was seven, and her middle daughter, Jenny, who was sixteen. Sheila, then twenty-one, was working at the bookstore that Munro and Jim had opened in Victoria.

After a national radio interview, in which Munro mentioned that she was back in Western Ontario, she received a call from Fremlin, who asked her if she wanted to meet up. During a three-martini lunch, Munro learned that Fremlin had recently moved back to Clinton, his hometown, a half-hour drive from Wingham. He had never married or lived with a woman.

After a national radio interview, in which Munro mentioned that she was back in Western Ontario, she received a call from Fremlin, who asked her if she wanted to meet up. During a three-martini lunch, Munro learned that Fremlin had recently moved back to Clinton, his hometown, a half-hour drive from Wingham. He had never married or lived with a woman.

We rapidly became very well acquainted, she later recalled, probably a euphemism. I think we were talking about living together by the end of the afternoon. Before long, she moved into Framlin's childhood home, a white Victorian gingerbread cottage with a garden full of maple trees, where he was caring for his elderly mother.

We rapidly became very well acquainted, she later recalled, probably a euphemism. I think we were talking about living together by the end of the afternoon. Before long, she moved into Framlin's childhood home, a white Victorian gingerbread cottage with a garden full of maple trees, where he was caring for his elderly mother.

Like Munro, Fremlin was from modest circumstances, a deep source of connection for the couple. He seems to have been something like the opposite of his precursor, brusque and eccentric, where Jim was staid and genteel. It was this stick-it-up-your-ass-let's-cut-through-the-bullshit kind of attitude, Sheila said of Fremlin, whom she compared to Ladner from Vandals.

Like Munro, Fremlin was from modest circumstances, a deep source of connection for the couple. He seems to have been something like the opposite of his precursor, brusque and eccentric, where Jim was staid and genteel. It was this stick-it-up-your-ass-let's-cut-through-the-bullshit kind of attitude, Sheila said of Fremlin, whom she compared to Ladner from Vandals.

When Bea first meets Ladner, she's in a relationship with a well-meaning high school teacher named Peter Parr, whose idea it is to drive out and take a look at Ladner's nature preserve. They are told to go away, in no uncertain terms. Peter, with his geniality and good intentions, is instantly eclipsed.

When Bea first meets Ladner, she's in a relationship with a well-meaning high school teacher named Peter Parr, whose idea it is to drive out and take a look at Ladner's nature preserve. They are told to go away, in no uncertain terms. Peter, with his geniality and good intentions, is instantly eclipsed.

Trying to explain the phenomenon in a letter to a friend, Bea writes that she would hate to think she had gone after Ladner because he was rude and testy and slightly savage, because wasn't that the way in all the dreary romances? Some brute gets the woman tingling, and then it's goodbye to Mr. Fine and Decent. A few days later she is driving back to see Ladner on her own.

Trying to explain the phenomenon in a letter to a friend, Bea writes that she would hate to think she had gone after Ladner because he was rude and testy and slightly savage, because wasn't that the way in all the dreary romances? Some brute gets the woman tingling, and then it's goodbye to Mr. Fine and Decent. A few days later she is driving back to see Ladner on her own.

She had to feel sorry for herself in her silk underwear. Her teeth chattered. She pitied herself for being a victim of such wants. Monroe referred to Fremlin as her second husband, but in fact they were never legally married. Instead, the couple staged what Sheila called a mock wedding in their backyard, at which Monroe wore denim overalls and a white veil. It's unclear if anyone attended.

She had to feel sorry for herself in her silk underwear. Her teeth chattered. She pitied herself for being a victim of such wants. Monroe referred to Fremlin as her second husband, but in fact they were never legally married. Instead, the couple staged what Sheila called a mock wedding in their backyard, at which Monroe wore denim overalls and a white veil. It's unclear if anyone attended.

The sardonic gesture seems typical of their relationship, which might better be described as a cult of two. Munro suffered from a deep shame at having grown up in poverty. The plaudits she received from the outside world did little to alleviate it, Andrea believes, because they were all conditioned on her talent as a writer.

The sardonic gesture seems typical of their relationship, which might better be described as a cult of two. Munro suffered from a deep shame at having grown up in poverty. The plaudits she received from the outside world did little to alleviate it, Andrea believes, because they were all conditioned on her talent as a writer.