Asymmetry is underrated.

Outside

Written 55-C20 [2023-10-04], Edited 55-C20 [2023-10-04]

Angry Twemoji Image credit: Twitter Twemoji

“How could she do this to me?” I thought to myself.

“She literally didn’t do anything to you,” myself thought to I.

“How dare she? How dare she?” I thought to myself.

“Why not? It is not against the law, or even against social custom. You’re the one being difficult. You’re the one being harsh,” myself thought to I.

“I’m the one being right. I’m the one sane man in a world that doesn’t see the truth,” I thought to myself.

“That’s maniacal and not even remotely true,” myself thought to I.

“How could one person care so much about this? It was an awful line of questioning!” I thought to myself.

“How could one person hate another for caring about this? This is an awful line of judgement,” myself thought to I.

“She’s leaving, thank goodness,” I thought to myself.

“You scared her, you should apologize,” myself thought to I.

“I refuse to apologize for being right,” I thought to myself.

“There is no material advantage to this line of action. You are still going to be in her vicinity every other day of the next three months at minimum,” myself thought to I.

“Arrangements can be made to be rid of her,” I thought to myself.

“Look around, at the hundred other people in the room. They all saw what she did, and what you did, and they’ll find you unreasonable. If you are rid of her, who else will bother with you? If you are rid of her, who else will have your back?” myself thought to I.

“My principles are all I have,” I thought to myself.

“My goals are all that I need,” myself thought to I.

“Fine then, you simpering fool, you spineless invertebrate, have your reconciliations, make your apologies. It’s absurd that you would oppose me inside my own head,” I thought to myself.

“This is only for the present. In future, we can reconsider our interactions,” myself thought to I.

“One day she’ll understand,” I thought to myself. “One day, when she’s on the outside looking in.”

Notes

This was written in 15 minutes during a Joy of Writing meetup.

Feedback from The Joy of Writing group

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