25. Nothing Personal

Anna updated me on her life and recovery.  She’d been promoted to head of cybersecurity at work.  All her parents could talk about was her brother’s new job as an assistant football coach at a junior high.  She missed Xanax and wine, but not blackouts.  Hilary was her new sponsor, and she thought Heath had a crush on her.

When Anna was done talking, she stood up abruptly.  She seemed to enjoy our talks, but kept them short.  We waved again.  We didn’t shake hands in part because of her OCD, in part because men made her uncomfortable.  From her neglectful father, to the boy who taken nude pictures of her and shared them online, to her rapist college boyfriend, and the therapist from the counseling center who’d convinced her to move in with him, she’d been betrayed by men over and over. There was nothing personal about her mixed feelings about me.  

Today I will remember someone’s feelings about me may have nothing to do with me.

Time for a Change ©2017 by Ken Montrose

Time for a Change is a work of fiction. Any similarity between the characters and anyone you might know is purely coincidental.

Other works by Ken Montrose are available at: www.greenbriartraining.com