For years, many of Warren Buffett's friends received a Christmas card from the Oracle of Omaha signed by three people: 'Warren, Susie, and Astrid.'
asserted
many → receive → people
The signatures belonged to Buffett, his wife Susan, and Astrid Menks, who moved into their home while the Buffetts were still married.
asserted
Buffetts → belong → home
On Friday, Buffett, 96, stepped down as chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, passing the top job to his son Howard.
asserted
Buffett → step → son
'Father Time always wins,' he told shareholders.
asserted
he → win → shareholders
Over 61 years, Buffett transformed the struggling textile maker into a $1 trillion investment giant by following a set of staid principles that projected simplicity, patience and self-control.
asserted
that → transform → simplicity
Buffett married Susan Thompson Buffett in 1952.
asserted
Buffett → marry → 1952
Daughter Susan Alice was born in 1953; Howard and Peter followed in '54 and '58.
asserted
Howard → bear → 58
Then things took a turn in 1973, when Buffett first started buying shares in The Washington Post Company.
asserted
Buffett → take → Company
Buffett, then 46, grew close to its steel-spined publisher, Katharine Graham, a widow 13 years his senior.
asserted
Buffett → grow → publisher
Alice Schroeder's 2008 biography, The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life, describes the relationship as an affair.
asserted
biography → describe → affair
Warren Buffett and wife Susan Buffett arrive for the State Dinner for British Prime Minister Tony Blair May 2, 1998
Warren Buffett and Katharine Graham, who he grew close to at The Washington Post
uncertain
he → arrive → Post
Buffett personally chose Schroeder to write his life story.
asserted
Buffett → choose → story
He gave her thousands of hours of interviews and access to his files, family and associates.
asserted
He → give → files
He even told her to use the less flattering version when accounts conflicted.
asserted
accounts → tell → version
A spokeswoman for the publisher later said Buffett reviewed the book but changed nothing.
asserted
Buffett → say → nothing
After the book was published, however, Schroeder said their relationship cooled.
asserted
relationship → publish → ?
According to Schroeder, Buffett kept clothes at Graham's Washington home and spent time with her at Martha's Vineyard.
uncertain
Buffett → accord → Vineyard
She tried to improve his wardrobe by taking him to meet the fashion designer Halston.
asserted
She → try → designer
They didn't appear to exactly keep the nature of their relationship a secret, either.
asserted
They → appear → relationship
At charity events, Graham would reportedly toss him her house key.
uncertain
Graham → toss → key
Carol Felsenthal, journalist and author of the unauthorized Graham biography Power, Privilege and the Post, separately heard from members of Graham's Washington circle who believed the relationship was sexual.
asserted
relationship → hear → circle
'He became her closest advisor, and she completely relied on him,' Felsenthal tells the Daily Mail.
asserted
Felsenthal → become → Mail
'Whatever Warren said was gospel.'
asserted
said → say → Whatever
Felsenthal says at least two people she interviewed believed Buffett and Graham were lovers.
asserted
Buffett → say → ?
But she draws a firm line between what her sources believed and what she can prove.
asserted
she → draw → what
'Whether she and Warren Buffett cuddled and had sex, I have no idea,' she says.
Whatever happened physically, the closeness had consequences at home.
asserted
closeness → cuddle → home
Schroeder writes that Susan Buffett was furious and humiliated by the attention they attracted, later sending Graham a letter effectively granting her permission to pursue a relationship with her husband.
asserted
they → write → husband
Graham, according to Schroeder, showed the letter to friends as though it cleared her.
uncertain
it → accord → her
Susan was also pursuing a life outside the marriage.
asserted
Susan → pursue → marriage
Schroeder reports that she had begun a romance with her tennis coach, John McCabe.
asserted
she → report → coach
In 1977, Susan moved into a small apartment in San Francisco, with McCabe taking another apartment nearby.
asserted
McCabe → move → apartment
But she and Buffett did not divorce.
asserted
she → divorce → ?
Instead, their marriage stretched into something difficult to categorize.
asserted
marriage → stretch → something
Susan wanted a life of her own but remained deeply tied to her husband.
asserted
Susan → want → husband
Warren was devastated by her departure and, according to Schroeder, called her every day, sometimes weeping.
uncertain
Warren → devastate → her
Warren Buffett and Astrid Buffett arrive for a State Dinner in honor of British Prime Minister David Cameron at the White House on March 14, 2012
For years, many of Warren Buffett's friends received a Christmas card from the Oracle of Omaha signed by three people: 'Warren, Susie, and Astrid'
He also had difficulty taking care of himself, and Susan knew it.
asserted
Susan → arrive → it
Before settling in San Francisco, she asked her friend Astrid Menks, who worked at the French Café in Omaha where Susan sang, to check on him.
asserted
Susan → settle → him
'I called Astrid,' Susan later recalled.
asserted
Susan → call → Astrid
'I said, Astrid, will you take Warren, make him some soup, go over there and look after him?'
asserted
you → say → him
Astrid did.
asserted
Astrid → do → ?
…and 21 more, not listed.
The Aporia
