I used to think I knew him from watching him all those years, and we had nothing in common, but now that I’m really getting to know him, I realize how similar we are in some ways. Like me, his default mode is bracing for a hit, and he wakes up expecting a drubbing.He’s always grim in the morning, but as the day goes on, each time I see him, his jaw is a little less tight and his eyes are a smidge less creased at the corners, as if every time he comes around, and no disaster has struck, he allows himself to feel a bit less wary. Then, the next morning, he’s wound up tight as a drum again.That’s how I feel every day that passes here without getting called fat or having to ignore some snide remark. Relieved, but also, ironically, more and more tightly strung. The blow, when it comes, is gonna hurt. The Old Den folks really don’t seem to care about my size, but I haven’t made anyone angry yet, either. That’s when folks always let you know what they really think—when you step on their to
Last Updated : 2025-03-31 Read more