August #4

Two Sides of One Conversation

on the phone
she says
"What are you talking about?...
Things are going to be fine, you,ll see.
We can work this out.
No! Honey,
don't do that. Don't do that
to me. Everything's going to be okay.
I love you, I love you so much.
Do you know how much you're hurting me?
Stop this, stop it right now.
You can't do that. Baby,
I know things are tough right now,
but we can fix these problems.
See a psychiatrist?
Of course I listen to you!
Don't, okay? Just please don't, I'm coming as soon as possible,
and then we can talk about this.
Just stop thinking about this
until I get there...
Baby? Baby? Are you there?
Did you hang up on me?"
She dissolves into tears.

On the other end
he was saying,
"I hate my life.
Nothing's working out.
I hate everything. I just
want to die. I think
I think I'm going to kill myself
It would be better this way.
Look, it's better for everyone this way.
I'll stop messing up your life
you'll move on
we'll all be happy.
A counselor?
Are you kidding?
No one listens to me, not even you!
I hate myself, I hate you, I hate everyone!"
And then he hung up
and stared at his gun.