I always listen

He was older than me

by a good eight years

he felt worthy to give me life

advice

I agreed.

It’s my personal rule. Never turn away

from a tale. Listen to anything

and everyone when they’re willing to share.

Following the advice is another

matter

but listening to it I shall.

And I did

all ears

and he told me

“Never overdose on solitude, my boy. Never

overdose on solitude.

You might think it’s cool and all

to play the lone wolf character

and all that

but a time will come when you will

regret this deeply, oh so, so deeply.

You will regret it to suicide and beyond.

And the regret will set in gradually

with old age.

It always does.

When I was like you, in my twenties, I hated

the world and loved

spending time

with myself. It’s all I did

for so many years.

And look at me now...”

“You don’t look too bad,” I told him.

His smile was sad. “My boy, I’m ’bout to

hang myself tonight, after this beer,

in my lonely room, with a power cord I fixed

to the ceiling. My most productive deed

in the past two years.”

I raised my beer. “Cheers.”

He didn’t hang himself that night.

Just got very drunk and

passed out on his dirty bed. It wasn’t

the first time he threatened to do it.

I knew he wouldn’t do it.

As long as I listen to his stories

he won’t do it

And I always listen.

***

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