My wife and I had been growing apart for the last several months. No matter what I did, we always seemed to end up arguing. I am retired she is still working-just for something to do she says. Now, I wonder.

No, we are not Mr. And Mrs. America. We are just what you would expect; rather average looking middle aged married folks. I am 51 and my wife Georgia is going to be 50 this weekend. To me she is still the sexy lady I married 30 years ago and I love her dearly. I lust after every extra pound of her (now don't get me wrong, she isn't fat, just carrying a little too much weight as am I). She is about 5'8" and weighs about 145 while I am 6 feet even and weigh an even 200. I still work out three times a week at the YMCA and operate the 180 Acre family farm while Georgia works at a locally owned bank in a town about 38 miles away.

She is like many women and feels she is now fat and ugly. She is terrified of the big 50 coming up. I tell her and tell her this just isn't so, that, to me she is still the only one I desire and that many other men check her out routinely.

As the last year has passed she has been less and less interested in sex, or even in doing things with me as we used to. I have asked her what the problem is and how I can help and she always says that she is tired or it is just the "change of life". She asks me to be patient and I will get used to it. Now that is something I will not do. We used to have sex 5-6 times a week when young and even before she started reducing the frequency last year it was 3-4 times a week.

Over the last year, it seems she is working longer hours and when questioned about it she gets angry, reminding me about all the long hours I put in while I was working. It has gotten to where she stays in town every Friday night for drinks and supper with the girls. Many times she gets home after midnight and then doesn't get up until nearly noon Saturday. I don't know when we have had a night out with just the two of us.

I decided that since Friday was her birthday I was going to take her to the most expensive restaurant in town to celebrate, and then I was going to have a discussion with her about our marital problems. You would have thought she would be happy about the meal but boy, was I wrong.

I told her I had reservations for 8 p.m. dining on Friday and then we would make a night of it, going dancing and rekindling our love. I told her I wanted to remind her how much I love her and to make her birthday a special night like we used to. WOW, Gigantic mistake!

Georgia turned to face me when I told her about my plans and started screaming at me. I could actually see the spittle fly from her mouth as she laid into me. "What he hell are you doing making reservations for us on a Friday? You know I always go out with the girls after work Friday. This Friday is no different. In fact, they were going to make it special because it was my birthday. NO. You just have to change the reservations to Saturday. I have plans for Friday and they can't be broken."

I just stood there in shock. I really couldn't believe I had just heard what I had heard. In times past she would have been ecstatic about the proposed night as it was one of her all time favorite ways to celebrate special occasions. I looked at her for a moment then I felt my anger come boiling up. I said, "That's just too damn bad. I'm sick and tired of you spending so much time with the damn women from your office. They get most of your non-work free time and I get almost none. You can just cancel the night out with the girls. If you don't there's no reason for you to come home afterward. You can just stay in town forever for all I care. I'm through taking second place to those damn women and a damn job you don't need in any event."

Georgia stood looking at me in shock. I saw tears come into her eyes. She said, "I can't believe you just said that. I thought you loved me. You know how important my job and friends are to me and you want me to give them all up over one night on the town?"

I looked at her and said, "You heard me. It's not just over one night on the town. It's about a lot of very late nights on the town without me. It's about our plans to retire and travel before we get so old we can't. It's time for you to choose. It is either your excessive time in town or me. I'm not putting up with this shit any longer. I want my wife back. I want the lover I married and had up until a year ago. If you are having trouble because of menopause, see the doctor. If it is just a bunch of work companions, get your visiting over with earlier or give them up. I suggest you turn in your resignation too. We don't need the damn money and I want my companion back. I want to begin traveling like we promised we would do when I retired."

Georgia looked at me with tears running down her cheeks, then turned and walked into our bedroom, slamming the door behind her. I was so angry I knew I wouldn't sleep so I began surfing the web and thinking, trying to decide where things went wrong and why they did so. All at once, I had a horrible thought. What if it wasn't the girls? My god, could Georgia be having an affair? Now I knew what fear and anger felt like. This was a totally different fear than I had felt in combat. This was a soul-destroying fear; the fear of losing that one thing that was most dear to me. Now I knew I had to get to the bottom of this.

I began to plan and think. Georgia hadn't been dressing any differently but she had cut back on our sex. I don't remember when she had last come to me asking to make love. In times past, she had been the aggressor about 1/3 of the time. I did know I was being shot down many times when I requested sex. I never got any sex or cuddling on the days she was so late getting home. Was this another indicator of infidelity? I began to think so.

I decided I would begin spending more time in town and I would watch Georgia's office around lunchtime and quitting time to see what was going on. I would follow her to her girl's night out sessions if I could and check things out. I was sure hoping it was menopause instead of another man but after considering all the indicators and researching menopause on line I was worried it wasn't.

The next morning, Wednesday, I didn't get a good-bye kiss and no conversation when Georgia left for work. I realized I hadn't gotten a good morning kiss or a "honey I'm home kiss" for several months unless I was the instigator. When I did get them they were very perfunctory.

That evening Georgia came storming into the house and straight up to me. "Well, since you have been such an asshole about the whole thing, I have told the girls I won't be there Friday night. I told them you insisted I go out with you instead of my friends. I told them I might meet them Saturday night instead."

I was angry with her attitude but decided to let it go, hoping she was going to meet me at least half way and spend more time with me. I did make her angrier though when I reminded her our children were going to be here that weekend and would stay over Saturday night. I reminded her she really needed to be home to visit with them. We only get to see them a couple times a year because they are both in the military. They took leave to be home for her birthday.

I watched her tears well up again, and then she said, "I have to go call the girls then and tell them I can't meet Saturday too. Why do you feel you have to totally ruin my weekend?"

By Friday evening Georgia had calmed down somewhat and was at least pleasant to be with, even if we weren't laughing and enjoying ourselves like we had in the past. I was really feeling optimistic when I left our table for the rest room. We had a very enjoyable meal and a nice bottle of wine and were anticipating the desert.

I was returning to our table when I saw a middle aged man start to walk by Georgia. He saw her and stopped. I was close enough to hear him say, "Georgia. What are you doing here? I thought you told me you were going to spend the weekend with your asshole husband?"

As he said that, he grabbed a chair from the table next to ours and scooted it up beside and facing Georgia. Her face turned red, then white. I heard her say, "Shhhh. Be quiet. He just went to the restroom. You know you shouldn't be here."

I saw her jerk as he leaned toward her and ran his left hand up under her skirt. He then leaned to her and gave her a slow kiss on the lips. "I'll go then but see if you can break away for a while won't you? John and Sally and Sam and Jennifer are here dancing and I feel like the fifth wheel. You know we had so wanted to give you a good birthday celebration. I was just getting ready to leave when I saw you. Oh, yes. I'm glad you wore panties for him. TA, TA."

As he rose from his chair I walked back to the table. Georgia saw me and jumped a little then ignored her friend when I sat down. I leaned part way over the table and asked, "Who was that asshole?"

Georgia frowned at me and then said, "Tom. Watch your language. That was a man I know that comes into the bank. You don't need to use that type of language about him when he was nice enough to stop and say hello to me."

I gritted my teeth, then said, "I'm sorry if that is all it is. When I walked up I could have sworn I saw him pull his hand from under your skirt before he got up. If I had been sure that is what I saw the bastard would be laying out on the floor right now. While we're on the subject, you should realize if something is going on between you and him or anyone else you had better plan on the shit hitting the fan also."

Georgia began getting red and looking angry. I held up my hand to stop her and said, "I didn't say I thought you were doing anything like that. I just said if you were it was over. I don't forgive and forget something like that. I stayed loyal to you my entire career and nearly wore my hands out masturbating when we were separated. I expect the same type of loyalty from you. If you want to find another man, you better divorce me first because if you don't I won't promise he will be much good for you after I get through with him."

When I said that, Georgia looked a little scared and she turned her head for a moment. She then said, "Oh, Tom. Why are we fighting like this? You know it's nothing like that. Now, come on and finish your desert and coffee so we can dance like we used to."

I sat and contemplated while I watched Georgia and ate my desert. What had I just seen and heard? I was sure he had his hand under her dress. Was she sure I was an idiot that couldn't or wouldn't catch them or was she just afraid to make a scene when he ran his hand under her skirt? Only time would tell.

After the meal I guided Georgia toward the bar and dance floor. I had promised her some dancing and saw no reason to change my mind just because of what I had witnessed at our table. In fact, I was rather hoping I could learn more small tidbits in the club. I guided Georgia into the room ahead of me and watched as she scanned the room. I saw her gaze lock on a table to the right and looked in that direction. Sure enough, the man I had seen at our table was sitting with two other couples.

As soon as Georgia saw them she turned sharply left and found a table as far across the room from them as she could. I didn't even let her sit down. I grabbed her and guided her onto the dance floor. At first she resisted then since I wouldn't let her go she went with me rather than make a scene. I purposefully danced her toward the side of the floor she was trying to avoid. Her dancing was stiff; not the smooth, graceful, gliding moves she was capable of. She glared at me and moved so reluctantly I felt myself becoming angry once again.

When I turned her toward the table I felt her stiffen. I then turned her back to the table and saw a small smirk on the face of the strange man. The music ended and Georgia didn't even offer to stay on the dance floor. She broke from me and walked back toward our table. By the time I got there she had already ordered her drink and was sitting across the table from the only other chair remaining at it.

"What's the matter Honey," I asked. "I thought we were going to have a good evening and now you act like you don't even want to be here with me."

"You know damn well what the matter is 'Honey'. First you bully me into coming out with you tonight. You make me break a standing date ... Uh appointment with my friends then you embarrass me and make unfounded allegations about me here in the restaurant and NOW you want to know what the matter is? I just don't believe you at all. I'm going to the rest room."

Georgia grabbed her purse and stalked away in the direction of the rest rooms. I sat bemused for a moment then saw the asshole walk in the same direction. I couldn't resist this. I rose and followed. It could be coincidence but do you really think I believed it was? Hell no.

I stood down the hallway from the rest room doors partly hidden behind some of those plastic trees and watched. The asshole was pretending to talk into his phone just outside the rest room door. He was watching the women's door. Just as I was feeling conspicuous standing there the women's room door opened and Georgia came out.

I grabbed my cell phone and set it to take video of what happened next. I sure hoped I was close enough to get the sound.

The man smiled and closed his phone as he walked toward Georgia. His arms went around her and pulled her toward him. She smiled at him and I heard her say, "Oh, what am I ever going to do with you. You know Tom's waiting for me. Now let me go before ... OH, Shit. He's watching us." She raised her hand and slapped him as she pulled out of his arms.

The man stepped back with an oath and raised his hand to his face. The look of shock in his eyes was priceless. I heard Georgia quietly say, "I'm sorry honey." Then watched her push him away. As she was walking away from him she said in a louder voice, "You Bastard. I thought we were friends. How could you just grab me like that? You know I'm married!"

She got to the end of the hallway where she pretended to see me for the first time. She looked worried and said, "Tom, what are you doing here?"

I just looked at her and shook my head and said, "I was going to the restroom but I think I caught a cheater instead. Are you still going to pretend you only know him from the bank?"

Georgia blushed and replied, "Yes, I am. You must have seen what he did to me and you saw me slap him. Do you think I would slap someone I liked if he did that to me?"

I laughed then replied, "Yes, I do. I expect that is exactly what you would do, especially if you had seen me watching you like I was. I'm leaving. If you're going home with me you'd better get your wrap and get to the car. If you don't, don't even bother to come home at all."

All the way home I got that same old statement. You know the one-"Honey it really wasn't what it looked like. How could you even think I would do something like that?"

Finally I had all I could take and said, "Just Shut the Fuck Up. I'm pretty sure it was what it looked like but I have no proof. If you just let it drop I may not ever get the proof but rest assured if I get the proof or you don't change your ways our marriage is over. In fact I'm not sure it isn't over right now."

I finished my spiel as we were turning into our driveway. Georgia was out of the car before it even stopped moving and ran for the house. I could tell from the lights in the garage her shoulders were shaking. She was crying pretty hard. It didn't look like she had even slowed down as she ran through the house to our bedroom. I heard the door slam.

I sighed and turned off all the lights as I walked slowly toward our room. While I was pushing the door open Georgia yelled at me, "GET OUT. GET OUT. I don't want you in here. Get out of this room right now."

I stood looking at her for a moment then said, "This is MY bedroom and MY bed. I intend to sleep in it. I really don't want to see you either so if you don't want me with you I suggest you get out. I have no intention of doing so."

I walked into the bathroom to wash my face and take care of my nightly ritual. I never heard Georgia leave but when I returned to the bedroom to climb into bed she was gone. I didn't even go look for her. At that point I didn't care if she left the house or was just in some other room.

The next morning I found Georgia had used the guest room. She was sitting at the kitchen table with her coffee and the paper when I walked into the room. She never looked up and said nothing as I got my coffee and walked to the patio door and then outside.

What a mess I thought. What is the answer? What do I do?

The rest of the weekend Georgia and I said nothing to each other unless it was absolutely necessary. Our children noticed and I heard our daughters in law ask Georgia if everything was OK. She looked at Karen and said, "I'm not sure. Tom thinks I'm cheating on him and has been impossible to live with. He resents my friends and the time I spend with them. He forced me to cancel out on a birthday party they had set up for me yesterday evening because he insisted on taking me out instead. After we got to the restaurant a man that comes into the bank was visiting with me and Tom got upset. He just totally spoiled the evening."

Shortly after I overheard that conversation both my sons came outside to talk with me. Of course they wanted to know what was going on with their mother and me. I said, "Boys, I just don't know. She seems to want to stay as far away from me as she can. She is almost two hours later getting home most evenings than she should be. Every Friday night she leaves work and goes straight to a bar with her friends. She is never home until after the bars close on Fridays. She isn't the same loving woman you remember from when you were still home. I don't have anything to go on but I am sure she isn't happy with me any longer. I have tried to talk to her but she won't tell me what the problem is. I cannot get her to stop working. I just don't know what I am going to do."

After the family left I decided I had to finish this thing once and for all. I was tired of Georgia's crap. I was not one of those men that would accept anything she wanted to dish out and I for sure wasn't a damn wimp cuckold. I was almost to the point I would divorce her even if she wasn't cheating. I would definitely divorce her if I found she was or had been cheating on me. Since I was retired I decided to try to get the goods on Georgia myself instead of dropping a wad on an investigator. I did enlist some help from friends however.

My first line of attack was to spend as much time as I could just watching Georgia. Thankfully the bank she worked in was only a small branch in a shopping mall. I could sit in a small coffee shop and watch the front of the bank and the parking lot. I became a regular customer of the establishment. I was lucky they served pastry (donuts etc) for breakfast and had a nice sandwich and salad menu for lunch. The only problem was they closed at 4 in the afternoon so I had to use my car for an 'office' from then until Georgia left work for the day. Another good reason to use the small café as my base of operations was the free WIFI they provided.

The second day I was following Georgia I went to her bank to ask her out for lunch. I took a couple of microphones to place at her tellers' cage. I didn't know how much good they would be but they could transmit far enough I could pick them up at the café. I had also placed a small microphone in her purse that I could pick up across the way too.

It wasn't long before the employees at the café knew me and what I wanted. Of course I was always careful to leave generous tips so that endeared me to them. After I had been making the establishment my hang out for almost two weeks Sally, the head waitress, and, I found later, the owner sat at my table with me.

She and I had been visiting occasionally as she served me but this was the first time she had sat at my table. She said, "OK Tom. I know it's none of my business but you have been coming in here now for two weeks and spending the whole day. We have all watched you and you always sit where you can watch the bank. You're not planning on robbing it are you?"

When she said that she looked a little apprehensive. She seemed as if she was ready to bolt from her chair if I acted upset. I could see the rest of the employees watching so I figured this was a planned questioning session. I sighed and leaned back in my chair. What to say? Finally I decided to tell as much of the truth as I could and hope no one knew anyone at the bank and talked to them.

"Sally," I said. "I'm not going to knock off the bank. I would be pretty stupid to make myself so noticeable if I was planning that wouldn't I? Besides, I'm sure there really isn't enough cash over there to make it worth the risk. I was afraid you would get suspicious of me before long. Let's just say my wife works over there and I think she is cheating on me. I have been using your café as a base to watch her. I'm sure you have noticed I sometimes leave in the middle of the day? I am following her when she goes somewhere else. I am watching to see whom she leaves with and what they do. I have even had to leave several times when some of the employees come over here for coffee or lunch because they all know me. So no, I'm not going to rob the bank. Can you just please not talk about this? I really don't have enough money to hire a PI and I don't want her to know I'm following her until I get the goods on her or make sure my suspicions are wrong."

Sally looked at me for a short while then said, "OK Tom. For now we will be cool but we are watching you and we have your license number and pictures of you. If that bank gets robbed we will turn you in to the police. If you cause trouble here we will call them too."

I didn't tell Sally that I was almost done with my surveillance. I had been following Georgia long enough to find out most of what I needed to know. I had found enough the last week I followed her to divorce. Now I was just trying to verify names and identities of her co-conspirators so I could get my revenge. It appeared she was dating the man I had caught her with at her birthday dinner. What was so sad was that every one of the women that worked at that branch was also dating other men. Of the five women working in the branch four of them, including Georgia, were married to other men. Right now I was just getting evidence to pass out to the spouses of the cheaters.

All of the men who were 'dating' the married women were also married and what was worse, every one of the cheaters were employees of the bank! The man that Georgia said came into the bank occasionally actually did so. What she hadn't told me was that he was a Senior Vice President and in charge of the local branches. He came into her branch from time to time to check up on the operations (and to see Georgia I am sure also since he spent almost all his time in the branch talking to and flirting with her).

The first week after Georgia and I had our little Birthday Party Argument she and her friend cooled it. He would come into the bank to visit but she didn't meet him when she went out after work. It appeared she and her friends were trying to look innocent since they did go out alone. I assumed this was in case I did watch them like I threatened to do. They even went out Friday night and tied one on. None of them did anything that wouldn't pass the Husband Test the first week I watched them. I didn't like the flirting and innuendo I heard when "Mr. Big Shot" visited Georgia but it wasn't enough to divorce her over.

At some time or another all the women's boyfriends came into the bank and flirted with them. Occasionally there would even be some kissing. I took pictures when I could get them. Usually I didn't go close to the bank but from time to time they would walk out into the parking lot with their fellow and I would get a good shot or two there. I slowly built my photo album. I followed the men back to the main bank and got their names from the name plates on their desk or office doors. I had one vice president and two assistant vice presidents who were dating married female employees. Georgia's beau was a Senior Vice President. There was also one assistant vice president that was dating the single woman in the branch.

I had the banks written employee handbook that specifically forbid fraternization between employees and their subordinates. The handbook even addressed inappropriate behavior such as kissing, language and improper touching on bank premises. It made it plain that such behavior was proscribed even if it was with your spouse. Just this alone was enough to cause all the cheaters to be fired or disciplined. I knew just how I was going to use it too!

After I had the men's names, my friends began researching them. They found out where they lived by following them home, then the checked public records to get wives names (or husband's in the case of the women who worked with Georgia). As we documented inappropriate behavior we made folders to deliver to each innocent spouse and to go to the bank when I filed the lawsuit I was planning on filing. Oh, I was beginning to enjoy myself so I was.

I had my friends follow all the women from time to time. We didn't have many pictures of actual sex because on Friday nights they would go to a local motel and we hadn't been able to get into the rooms with cameras or tape recorders. Occasionally we would manage to get a small amount of action on disc by taking a shot through an improperly closed curtain or through a door as someone was opening it. A couple of times we bribed a room service waiter to let us deliver an order and once a pizza hut delivery man let us deliver the pizza for a nice "tip". When we did that we managed to get some better shots but not many of any actual sex. We could just document who was in the room and the fact the beds had been used. A couple of times clothing was thrown around the room and Georgia or one of the other cheaters would be in a hotel robe when we got a view into a room.

By the time I decided to wrap up my investigation I did have a fuzzy picture of Georgia having sex with her boyfriend. He was Mr. Dale Johnson, a Senior Vice President. I also had pictures of one other woman actually in the act of intercourse with her man.

Finally I decided I had enough information to take to my attorney. I went to the local Barracuda, Marian Grisham. The day of my appointment I took copies of all my documents with me. I walked into her office and the receptionist told me Ms. Grisham was unavoidably detained but she would be with me as soon as possible if I would just take a seat? I thought 'Great", She is just like any other professional. They play the big shot and make you wait in her office past the appointment time. I was beginning to get angry when a really beautiful, really distraught woman rushed into the office from outside. The receptionist stood and smiled. She started to say something when the woman looked at her and said, "Not now Nancy. Is my two o'clock here?"

Nancy said, "Yes Ms. Grisham. That's Mr. Samuels over there," and pointed to me.

Ms. Grisham turned to me. I could see tear tracks down her cheeks as she walked toward me with her hand outstretched. She said, "Mr. Samuels, I'm terribly sorry I have been late for your appointment. I have been helping my sister with a family crisis and I just took too much time with her. I do apologize."

I shook her hand and said, "That's OK. I understand how these things sometimes happen."

"If you would give me just a moment or two more please while I try to get myself more presentable I'll be with you."

I said, "Not a problem. Take your time."

About ten minutes later the receptionist's intercom buzzed. After she had answered it she looked at me and said, "Ms. Grisham will see you now sir. She's the second door on the left down the hallway."

I thanked her then walked to Marian's office. When I entered I was amazed. This could not have been the same woman I had seen rush through the door ten minutes before. Marian now looked as if she could be a model in a man's magazine. I stopped and stared. She looked worried and said, "What? Is something wrong Mr. Samuels?"

Now it was my turn to feel foolish. I stammered out a short reply, "No, not at all. I was just surprised. I mean, well, if I hadn't seen you when you came in I would have never known ... I mean ... Oh, Hell. All I mean is you sure have made a major improvement in a short time ... Crap, I put my foot in it again didn't I? I'm sorry."

By the time I had finished nibbling on my foot Marian was smiling. She said, "Thank you Mr. Samuels. I think I know what you mean and I appreciate it. Now if you would have a seat?"

After I was seated Marian looked through a file on her desk and then up at me. She said, "I see you wanted to talk to me about a divorce from your wife. Is that correct?" I nodded my head and she continued, "When you made the appointment you said you thought she was cheating on you with her boss. Do you have anything to document that allegation or is it just something you think is going on?"

"Ms. Grisham I am not a rich man. I did not feel like I could afford to pay a PI to get good documentation of my wife's affair. Some Friends and I have been following my wife and I have some tapes I made of her conversations. I even have one or two pretty incriminating pictures of her infidelity." As I was saying that I handed my envelope of documentation to Marian. "Additionally, I have a copy of the Employee's Handbook from the bank my wife works in that specifically proscribes the conduct she is engaging in. She and three of her co-workers are having affairs with Bank Officers and conducting themselves contra regulation on bank property. I would like to file suit against the bank and it's officers as well as file for divorce from my wife."