lies and damned lies

it seems an unwitting act of heroism to accept a less-than-optimal fate engineered by others, particularly if one of those others is a close relative. wisdom from experience is a dog-eared card from a Trivial Pursuit game. being consigned to feign ignorance of an inevitable conclusion seems so repugnant to me, and yet I relent. place the oxygen mask on your own face before helping others around you. assume the crash position, gripping your ankles with both hands, and kiss your ass goodbye.