Sometimes Failure is a Good Thing

The son has never known

According to an article accompanying this chart
from a Gallup poll, suicide is the 3rd leading
cause of death for teenagers. Almost
half of the teens polled knew someone
who had committed suicide. That's alarming.

his father's love. Addicts 

have no room for more 

than what they crave

rightnowgetithaveitnow. 

Responsibility gets in the way,

needy people tend to stand between 

them and whatever god they serve,

bottle or powder, pills to

push 'em back, push 'em back,

waaaay back, some random

cheer from a pep rally for 

a team he couldn't try out for, 

no ride to practice, parents

too strung out. And now his

father's gone, to where he

has no clue. He thought relief

would come eventually, but not 

like this, no pulse, a grimace

frozen on his father's face. 

A month, a year, things would

have gotten better. He would have

made his father notice him. They

could have gotten clean together. 

Now doctors, nurses, friends 

keep watch, because he tried to join 

his father much too soon, find him

one last time. Beeping monitors,

the television muted while his

girlfriend texts somebody who was

too messed up himself or maybe 

just too busy, texting from the chair

beside his bed: He'll b ok.

This is the most attention he

has gotten all his life.

(c) Ellen Gillette, 2014