The retired Republican senator, 82, has been married nearly 60 years. | Getty

Long-retired Wyoming Senator Alan Simpson no longer has to guard his speech, and when WNYC’s Anna Sale interviewed him, he told some great stories about his long marriage and getting along. Politico has a story about the story, minus the actual interview:

On a partner who makes you better: “I got arrested one night, got in a fist fight, got in a fight with a cop, slugged the cop. Ended up in jail, called her. I said I need $300 bail. She said, are you kidding? I’m working my way through school, I don’t have $300 bucks bail. Maybe you oughta just stay there — and I thought Jesus, you know, it would be good if I linked up with her. She could be a helpful ally in this continuing battle for maturity.”

On being hesitant to do couples therapy with his wife, led by their minister: “I said, ‘That dipshit is here? I’m not going to come out. To hell with it, I’m not going to it.’ And Ann said, ‘I’ve done a lot of junk for you pal, so you can do one for me.’ That was a really a true statement…and so I went.”

On making it work: “It’s called sorting crap, but you have to take risks.”