New York Times's real estate coverage is one of my favorite reads with no end of insights into the human condition when it comes to living together. Real estate agents often have a keen insight into how our homes bring us together or not. Here is an account of agents who specialize in couples facing a divorce. It ends thus:"Ms. Katzen of Douglas Elliman has a pair of divorcing clients right now who are buying two apartments on different sides of the same building, she said, because they hope it will make the separation easier on their child.Its quite selfless, really, Ms. Katzen said. Some people would say, Forget you! If Im going out on a date, I do not want to run into you in the lobby. Talk about putting the child first.Talk about it!!

Margaret O’Brien Steinfels is a former editor of Commonweal. 

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