This Gray, Unfortunate Place (2)

31 - How It Goes

Manipulation 

and passive-aggression

are just tactics 

that a person uses 

when they aren't on track 

with their values for negotiations. 

You see, I want you to be 

an easygoing friend-

Don't wanna be yelled at, again and again,

don't wanna be silenced 

when I might find 

that I have a working hypothesis 

on life and its events,

even if it's a bit of a generalization. 

I want supportiveness

and to see you happy and smilin'.

But what'll I say, instead? 

I'll likely stray from what I really mean to say!

That you're maladaptive traits or habits

aren't the same thing as 'having to had grow up too fast', and 

I'm not impressed with your offense. 

It's a privilege that you can have 'walls', 

'cause when guys like us get callous 

we just get a bitter, externalizing prejudice 

that'll have to be obliterated 

in whichever immediate 

vicinity it's in- 

But, hey, that's how it goes, I guess.