my office phone sits blinking. telling me who is in the system and who is not. who is on the phone. the dots occasionally shift from point to point forming constellations i lack the names of.

the volume dial turned low to keep the voices quiet. lending a closeness to the urgency that comes through. we’re in this together.

you can be the abusive parent and i’ll play the role of your child, struggling for your approval. just don’t yell, i love you, i’ll keep my room clean.

i’ll play the role of the father and you can be the one with the skinned knee. congratulate you for getting so far. pick you up. answer questions about life. fix your mistakes and release you to the world where you will rebel and tell your boyfriend “i never understood you.”

sometimes we’re detectives.

sometimes i’m a last ditch attempt to correct an issue that parallels ones paths in life.

often it is difficult to climb out of bed, how can i find fulfillment from helping you when my own troubles stick in the back of my throat?

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in the off hours i don’t speak and i play pretend.