By Gala
Date: 7 December 2000
That Doesn't Make You Good
I gave her everything!
Did you?
Did you listen when she spoke,
and if it sounded like she was repeating herself,
did you wonder why she said the same thing twice?
Or did you just shrug
and go back to the game,
or keep talking about yourself
until the light behind her eyes
dimmed right down to her heart?
I was a good guy!
Were you?
and your definition of good includes
exactly what?
No. You didn't drink.
You didn't sleep with her sister
or her best friend.
You didn't beat her,
and by god,
you've never been convicted of a thing.
But it takes more than not being bad
to be good,
or serial killers would be the most worthy
of being loved.
See, she wanted your attention.
She wanted to feel like you noticed
that she adored you,
that the thousand small things
that needed doing each day
were getting done---
not because she loved doing them,
but because she loved you.
Her life was no less busy,
her day was no less long,
and one day she got to thinking
that just maybe,
she was stupid.
You aren't a bad guy---
you bathe,
you bring home the paycheck,
and you do what you can---
just not what you should.
It takes more than not being bad
for her heart to feel
like you've done something good.
Back to the Heart-on-Sleeve Corner