Andy Boyle #BurgerKingBreakup

On Monday, a web developer with the Boston Globe, Andy Boyle (in picture on the left), live-tweeted a young married couple arguing loudly in a Boston Burger King location. He had suggested that the couple were on the verge of a break-up.

His account of the argument (complete with quotes, pictures and videos) was very quickly picked up by his followers, and spread like bush-fire. It wasn't long before the press, both local and international, got wind of it.

The account of the fight - which he called tongue-in-cheek "a study in marriage disintegration, with anthropological data collected in the field" is definitely an amusing read. Check out Andy Boyle's tweets below (note some the links to pictures he took of the couple have been deleted (presumably he had deleted the pictures himself after some people had questioned the ethics of publicizing the argument).

The Burger King Fight: a study in marriage disintegration, with anthropological data collected in the field

A study in marriage disintegration, with anthropological data collected in the field by Andy M. Boyle on Nov. 7, 2011. Location: A restaurant.

I am listening to a marriage disintegrate at a table next to me in this restaurant. Aaron Sorkin couldn't write this any better.
Andy Boyle

These kids must be 21, tops. His main complaint? She doesn't clean the dishes when his mom asks her to.
Andy Boyle

She is sobbing quite loud. He gets up and walks out. She stays. We all feel quite awkward. Do we console her? No one does anything.
Andy Boyle

He is back. She is telling him she didn't cheat. He doesn't believe her. He says he loves her anyway. He sits. We are more calm.
Andy Boyle

Another unrelated couple, who has been giving me the "can you believe this?" look, is hugging each other in response to this drama.
Andy Boyle

"Baby," he says. "I only say these things because I want you to be a better wife." The restaurant does not believe him.
Andy Boyle

She thinks it is unfair that he gets to play video games and she has to clean when "his mother" tells her. We agree.
Andy Boyle

"If you loved me," he says, "you would want me to be happy." We notice his argument is not swaying her.
Andy Boyle

"I don't want to hear it!" she shouts. The tables are turned: She is now accusing him of lying, of what we do not know.
Andy Boyle

"Why did you even marry me?" he asks. "Because I loved you," she responds. "Loved me?" We all notice the past tense.
Andy Boyle

The couple. t.co/RE1icmra
Andy Boyle

Apparently they both think the other cheated because of missed phone calls on occasion. It must be noted he has a speech impediment.
Andy Boyle

"A big lie and a small lie are the same thing," he says. "And I told you not to lie!"
Andy Boyle

I have no clue if you can hear this, but here's a snippet: t.co/EFDXL0e3
Andy Boyle

"I am a gentleman," he says. She stands up at his audacity and states out the window. Someone's phone on speaker is blocking their chat.
Andy Boyle

"Go!" she says. "Run away like a scared little boy!" He continues sitting, eating his fries.
Andy Boyle

She has moved to another table, still facing him. t.co/HtEjbZLf
Andy Boyle

"Let's go outside," she says. "Why? Let's do this here. Everyone needs to know what kind of a wife you are."
Andy Boyle

He is now critiquing how she dressed at a party recently. "I like dressing like that," she says. "I get to decide how you dress," he says.
Andy Boyle

He is now swearing a lot, mentioning something about cutting his hand in the dishwasher (?) and that's why he shouldn't clean dishes.
Andy Boyle

"It was only one time!" he admits. "I only did one time, too!" she says. "That doesn't make us even."
Andy Boyle

"You want to bring up the slap? I'll bring up everything. It wasn't a punch. If it was, I would've left," he says.
Andy Boyle

Just so those are aware, he is not being physically imposing or threatening violence. I would call the cops if that was the case.
Andy Boyle

They are now speaking too quiet for me to hear as U2's "Beautiful Day" plays. Seriously. t.co/tbCAhYpQ
Andy Boyle

"It's kind of weird having to talk to you about this here," she says. He laughs. She sort of laughs.
Andy Boyle

"I understand that some of this is on me," he says. People at a nearby table actively laugh after this.
Andy Boyle

He brings up something about having a baby. She runs out. He empties the tray and follows.
Andy Boyle

She comes back in. She apologizes. He shrugs. They walk into the vestibule and he sorta hugs her. They depart.
Andy Boyle

Their chair is now empty, just like the love in their marriage. With this, I depart. t.co/CabYK1HQ
Andy Boyle

You do not have to be a celebrity, it seems, to have people want to read about you. But it is unsurprising that this has gotten the publicity it has. We have been watching lives of average Joes and Janes on reality shows for nearly a decade now (The Bachelor, The Biggest Loser, Wife Swap, Supernanny and so on) - and our appetite for reality insights have been whetted. It is precisely that they are average folks that we are so curious about how they would handle everyday life events, which is what this Burger King argument exactly was. In all likelihood, if the media does manage to track down the couple, they'd merely tell us that it was just one of those moments - and that they're back together again.

Of course, it can be argued that the folks on reality shows have given voluntarily consent to be on the media for public viewing. We can debate the ethics of this to ad nauseam. But why bother? Thing is, we had just better be prepared for more of such incidences.

Privacy-conscious folks, be warned that the inane (and at times melodramatic) arguments that you have with with your spouse, child or friend outside of your home is all fair game. They're all watching you!