His Story

If you won't talk about it write it down

I don't want to

Go on

Why should I?

Please

No. This is stupid. You don't want to hear about my life. Tell me about yours

You know about my life, you've met my Dad, you know everything about me and I know nothing about you. Tell me?

I don't know everything about you

More than I know about you, your turn.

Are you sure you want to know about my life?

I'm listening.

I loved my Father. He was the strongest man I ever knew. He wouldn't take shit from no-one. My Mother was weak. Jamie, my brother and I had to look after her for my Father. Make sure she didn't get herself into trouble. She couldn't look after herself. Didn't know when to open her mouth and when to keep it shut. My Dad taught her, he showed her how to do things and then make sure that she did it right.

My Mother made sure I grew up a Christian, she gave me a Bible to read, but I don't think I ever really believed the stories in it, they were just stories, y'know? She told me it was important to understand the things in the bible, but my Father said they were worthless, so I just stopped reading eventually.

We came back home one day, I can't remember where we had been, but it was just us, my Father and Jamie, and my mother was gone. I don't know where she went, but, somehow I always assumed she take Jamie with her, you know. So they could protect each other. I could live with my father, but Jamie, he was smart. He needed different things. My Father hated him because he was so smart. He called him thick, called him an idiot. We knew different, and Mother and I. We used to buy books for him and make sure he learnt the important things. He believed in the things he read in the bible. Father said it was wrong, it was one of the things he told her was wrong, one of the things he taught her about, but I was proud of him.

And then she was gone, and suddenly it was Jamie that was always doing things wrong, you know? He always had to be punished. Dad started hitting on Jamie. He'd never done that before, hit on Jamie. I though he was going to kill him. So I decided I'd take Jamie to our mother. Find her and take him to her, so that she could look after him. He was all bruised and swollen. I didn't know he was hurt so bad. We went out and it was so cold and he died out there, little Jamie. He was so smart. And I couldn't help him. Couldn't stop him from dying. So I went back home, to my Dad, and told him that Jamie was with Mother. I couldn't tell him Jamie was dead. He would have killed me.

And now I find out that Mother was fine, she was in some shelter somewhere. And she wants to take all of my Father's money and put him in prison. I couldn't believe her. She wants to punish him for teaching her manners. I love my Father. He's looked after me. Taught me right from wrong. I could never hurt him. I don't know how she could. I don't know how.

I am man who has grown from a son

Been crucified by enraged women

I am son who was raised by such men

I'm often reminded of the fools I'm among

And I have been shamed

And I have relented

I'm working my way toward our union mended

And I have been shamed

And I have repented

I'm working my way toward our union mended

we don't fare well with endless reprimands

we don't do well with a life served as a sentence

this won't work well if you're hell bent on your offence

I am a man who understands your resistance

Alanis Morissette – A Man