Falling in love may be a good start to a romantic relationship, but the success and duration of such a relationship does not depend on whether and how long the couple were initially “in love” with each other. The significance for a romantic relationship of falling in love is relativised in the story “At the First Fart”…

My mother, who has been happily married for many years, was talking to me about what makes a happy relationship. “Being head over heels in love is all well and good,” she said, “but all of that goes out the window at the first fart…”