Helpless, An Exercise... Sasha Sosnowski
A
ngela has a crush on Harry. Harry has a crush on Harriet. Harriet is buxom and blasé. Angela is adequate but homely. Harry sits around the morass of indecision and over-contemplation. Harry struggles with the “big” questions; life, love, meaning, identity—and moves about it all slower than a steamboat. Harriet leads men on and attaches herself to them because she’s insecure, spoiled, and has nothing better to do. Her breasts have largely gotten her nearly everywhere and everything she knows. Angela is capable and caring. Angela, oh Angela; she could be a real winner. But she wastes her time in patient consternation, certain of the virtues of the wait and little else. Harry calls himself a writer. But Harry only writes about himself. Rather, he writes less “about himself ” than what he’s merely thinking or feeling at any given moment. Angela believes Harry has untapped potential, he only lacks commitment. Harriet just likes Harry’s silly penchants for danger through overcompensating
showmanship. Harry has never been too sure he likes his silly penchants. Harry gets high quite often now. Harry isn’t even a pot-smoker. Jeffrey smokes pot all day long. See, high Harry wars with himself constantly. It’s like the blitzkrieg in his head. Sober Harry laments. So there he sits in vacillation. Sometimes, Harriet and Harry get high together. They have sex. Afterwards, sometimes Harry tries to delve deeper—into himself, into other things. Harriet makes a face or dramatically misunderstands. As far as depth is concerned, Harriet is self-involved enough for her own liking. Angela violently knits. She knits scarves, sweaters, hats—for her older sister’s triplets she babysits. Meanwhile, she cries. Jeffrey has dreams but no backbone. Sometimes he plays guitar. Sometimes he plays piano. Sometimes he even paints. Most times, Jeffrey drowns his stagnant discontent with whatever he can get. He now slams everything. Harry is not a drug abuser. He is only an “experimenter.” He now slams everything too. Harry
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