There Was No Pity

I watched my daughter die.

The hospital staff laid out a cot in her room. They gave me free passes to the cafeteria. They pitied me in a kindly way and I hated them for all of it.

I watched my daughter die.

I argued with the doctors. I argued with the customer service agents. I argued with my friends and family for no good reason. They all pitied me. All of them were one way conversations. None of them knew what to say to me.

I argued with God and there was no pity.

I watched my daughter die.

Metamorphosis

Kids are dumb. Especially when they're fourteen.

Vivian was this really fat girl in my Algebra class. Her friend passed me a note via my friend: Vivian likes you.

She waited for me in the cafeteria.

Her face was cute, but I didn't want to be seen with her.

"I don't like that fat girl," I shouted so all would hear.

Since then I can't bear to see her cry.

Yesterday, over breakfast, I asked my son to pass a birthday card to her.

She cried.

"You know, Dad, sometimes you're a real dumb guy."

I smiled. "I know, Son."

From Guest Contributor E. Barnes

E. has works published at Entropy, Spillwords, The Purple Pen, The Haven, and several works are in the anthology, "NanoNightmares."

Stalker

She was always staring at him, even in the eighth grade when I sat behind him, green with envy.

"He doesn't even know you're alive?" I snipped at her in the tenth grade when I caught her staring at him in the cafeteria.

He did not recognize either of us when we attended his lecture at Harvard. I couldn't have cared less what the new advances in pediatric neurosurgery were, but I went at her insistence.

I stand on the walk and give them distance, as she places red roses on his grave.

Tonight, I finally have her to myself.

From Guest Contributor E. Barnes

Perspectives

In the past, they described Michael as an “introvert” and “sensitive.” They said he was “different, but he’s harmless.” “He’s a good kid, just a little shy.”

Today, they said he’s a “loner” and is “withdrawn.” “I knew something was wrong with that kid. “He had no friends at school and never seemed to want any friends. He sat and ate alone in the cafeteria.” “Sometimes other kids teased and made fun of Michael.”

The headline read: Michael Stocktan, age 19, entered Morris High School with his dad’s handgun and shot 19 students and a teacher. Three are critically wounded.

From Guest Contributor David W. Cofer