What does it mean to be artfully abandoned, instead of, simply, abandoned? Does the perpetrator take time beforehand to think through making the abandonment less painful by adding clever, artistic touches? Or is it about using subterfuge, so the victim doesn’t know they are being left behind? This makes me think of a story my coworker Vanessa likes to tell about her mother, who slowly backs out of the room when Vanessa’s father is going on and on too long in conversation about a subject–her “Mmm-hmms” trailing off down the hall as she walks away to find more interesting things to do. In those instances, I would say that Vanessa’s dad–along with the other helpless listeners left in the room with him–has been artfully abandoned by his wife. Especially since, according to Vanessa, he just keeps on talking as if everyone is still hanging on his every word.