True love is unconditional. In "What We Talk About When We Talk About Love", the only example of this is the old couple whose love never fades. All of the other loves described in the story have certain conditions or faults that take away the essence of eternal, genuine love. Ed's abusive behavior towards Terri cannot even be considered a form of love. He has personal issues that he takes out on his girlfriend, but he does not abuse her out of love. Mel expresses that his love for his ex-wife has turned into hatred for her. While he criticizes Ed's aggressiveness, he contemplates setting a swarm of bees lose on his ex-wife, which would kill her since she's allergic to bees. This shows his hypocrisy and blindness to the idea of real love. Previously Mel says how love can turn into just a memory; at one point in time it can be real and meaningful but later on it can dissolve. I have a problem with this, because at the end of the day true love is unconditional. Mel's relationship with Terri is not healthy either; he tells her to "just shut up for once." People don't express their love with such harshness normally. Mel tends to flirt with Laura throughout the course of their conversation, which is another sign of his absence of love for Terri. The old couple represent the essence of love. The husband is depressed because he cannot see his wife, not because of the accident. He loves her and just wants to be close to her at all times. In short, this story expresses only one true love while portraying numerous cases of unhealthy "love".