Not Taken

There seem to be two ways of thinking in this world; fair and unfair. There are many lucky folks who live their entire life at the upper hand - "fair".

Then, there are also those who live their life at the lower hand, "unfair", and hardly realise it until it hardly matters a hair.

I believe I can testify to that. My whole life, I've had friends. Not friends among my own species, mind you, but friends. They were hyenas. Hyenas that I grew up with as friends, as partners, as siblings, perhaps.

Shenzi was daughter of the matriarch. She could brag all day and all night about our place. Whether the rest of us could do such could easily be argued, but she could.

Her brother Monty had good taste in life. He always had a positive attitude, even in the worst of times. I may not be a fan of him myself, but I honour that aspect of him.

Banzai had the sense of humour of a thousand hyenas. He could laugh at anything, and make another laugh at anything else. This was his wonderful quality; the quality that let him live at the upper hand for most of his life.

And Nyang'au had the looks. Nyang'au popped out so loudly in her beauty that any right-minded straight male a mile away could catch a whiff of her beauty. Blue eyes and a cunning smile won her a life many would dream of.

My life was quite depressing, actually. My mother died, my foster mother died, my father was a madman and despised me. Every friend I ever had left me.

Except... one.

He began his life at the upper hand. Brighter than the rest of us cubs put together. He was the smartest hyena in the pack. The sharpest tool in the shed, by far.

But a dreadful being cost him half the ability in his brain. His speech ability, his ability to respond, and most of his memory were completely decimated and torn wishy washy.

That dreadful being caused him horrid god-awful brain damage. Because of this, neither of us were on the upper hand. Not me, not him.

He's the only one I can talk to. It doesn't make sense why; but does it need to? He can't talk, nor can he process most of what I'm saying. So does it matter at all whether I talk to him or no one?

I don't know. He gives me this look when I do it. That look of understanding, that I know doesn't exist, but still gives me confidence.

Thanks Ed.