100 Words about mercy

Bart’s face betrayed a fear of death. His watery eyes were open wide – to admit all the light possible – and locked into mine, imploring. No pride remained.

My boss said, “NO! It’ll be booze in 5 minutes.”

He’d said he’d fire me on the spot. He thought he was showing Bart “tough love” and giving me an excuse to refuse him.

I looked at both of them.

I put my last twenty in Bart’s hand and said, quietly, leading him to the door, “I can’t do this again, understand?”

Head down, he nodded, and the door closed with a click.

Narcissism

She told him, "You are also deeply, albeit subtly, narcissistic. You are so narcissistic that you almost never, during all the times I have strived to maintain a no-contact policy, inquired after my well being. It was all 'talk to me, I'm miserable.' It makes my personal experiences of loneliness all that much more painful and I fiercely resent it."

She barely paused to catch her breath before continuing, "Your narcissism is so subtle that it also is displayed at times like when there's a party or occasion, and you choose to remain hidden or wander off – it appears to be an 'I'm unimportant syndrome' but I see it for what it is – it's the unique privilege experienced by narcissists, the privilege to behave as you wish with little or no respect for the needs or wishes of others."

He didn't know what to say.

I am cast from your house

Cast From Your House

Cast from your house
I am swept
To the front porch
Cast out by a strong wind
Exiled without trial
Broken sprawled scattered

I look for a haven
A soft bed, silence
A place to sleep;
A sanctuary where I
Might gentle my own condition

I wash up on a beach
Seaweed in my hair
Feral, voiceless,
My mouth full of pearls
Or maybe

I am seen, by chance
From a distance, lost
On the penitential streets
Of a carnival town
With walls of blue