Postcard 19


I fear he loves me most for my ambition, and the residual pride he gleans from telling his relatives that I work in Midtown, on Madison Avenue, across from the Palace Hotel. An address that says "I made it," or "I married someone who did."  I fear this because it is mostly an allusion, and I wonder how long I can keep pretending that I love wearing a pencil skirt and using words like "memorandum."

Because, in reality, unless utterly engrossed in a task, I am a lazy piece of shit.  Most mornings, I sit on the train feeling sick for taking up so much valuable space and oxygen with my lumpy, messy, unfocused self. Distraction comes gratefully in the form of whatever book I am reading.  And for twenty-five blissful minutes, I don't hate myself. The person I loathe most, thankfully, no longer exists, as I plunge into the world of another, worthy of this life that I so selfishly waste.

I know you think I am being too hard on myself.  And I wish that were true.  I would love to give myself a pass for watching television, when I should be cleaning; drinking, when I should be exercising; and feeling sorry for myself, when I should be thinking of others.  Even now, this self-indulgent task of writing to you about my worthlessness, seems so pathetic that I almost want to delete it and write something witty and glowing about how much I love myself, and how grand life is.

Because the truth is, I really, really love my life. I just don't think I deserve it,

Wish you were here.


1 comments:

  1. "I wonder how long I can keep pretending that I love wearing a pencil skirt and using words like 'memorandum.'" A real knowing laugh erupted out of me as I read this.

    So many people tell me I should love my job--I'm making such a difference! Don't I love going to work every day? No. I don't dread it, but I don't stand in the room beaming joy at my charges. In fact, the comment I hear most often is, "You look mad." Yeah, maybe I am. Maybe I'd rather be at Target right now or watching The Wire.

    I want to embody Mary fucking Oliver and exclaim at the minutiae of beauty. The reality is I just want to go to the mall. We're all pieces of shit.

    I love you. Let's take off on a Friday and fly to a place in the middle of the country and then fly out on Sunday. I'm serious. Nashville? NOLA? Montana?

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