Twosday It Hurts
Tell us about two times you hurt somebody: one time you meant to, and one time you didn't.
Well, most of the time if I hurt someone, I don't mean to do it. The worst case that comes to mind is what I did to Victoria when we finally met. She comes into our first meeting with high hopes that, even if we weren't madly in love, we could still make a good marriage and good friends, and it's clear she rather likes me on sight -- and at that instant, I realize I'm in love with another woman. We got past that and we are friends now, but I know that must have hurt a little. Especially when you factor in that I'd already run away from her once before (getting out of my arranged marriage by staying in Secundus). . . I know it all worked out for the best and that she's very happy with Sir Christopher, but I still feel a bit guilty about it all.
As for a time when I meant to hurt someone. . . I believe I mentioned that, for a short while, the other boys in the village and I had a deal where they left me alone in exchange for me buying them penny dreadfuls? Well, one week I forgot, and an irate Gordon Tannen punched me in the face. I was upset enough to say that I would never buy them their dreadfuls again, and -- well, I called him a "low-class thug" out of anger. Gordon looked shocked -- probably because he didn't think I was capable of even tame insults -- and I think I did actually hurt his feelings a little. I'm not sure if I'm sorry or not for that one. Maybe more for the "low-class" part -- that felt like I was channeling Mother.
Well, most of the time if I hurt someone, I don't mean to do it. The worst case that comes to mind is what I did to Victoria when we finally met. She comes into our first meeting with high hopes that, even if we weren't madly in love, we could still make a good marriage and good friends, and it's clear she rather likes me on sight -- and at that instant, I realize I'm in love with another woman. We got past that and we are friends now, but I know that must have hurt a little. Especially when you factor in that I'd already run away from her once before (getting out of my arranged marriage by staying in Secundus). . . I know it all worked out for the best and that she's very happy with Sir Christopher, but I still feel a bit guilty about it all.
As for a time when I meant to hurt someone. . . I believe I mentioned that, for a short while, the other boys in the village and I had a deal where they left me alone in exchange for me buying them penny dreadfuls? Well, one week I forgot, and an irate Gordon Tannen punched me in the face. I was upset enough to say that I would never buy them their dreadfuls again, and -- well, I called him a "low-class thug" out of anger. Gordon looked shocked -- probably because he didn't think I was capable of even tame insults -- and I think I did actually hurt his feelings a little. I'm not sure if I'm sorry or not for that one. Maybe more for the "low-class" part -- that felt like I was channeling Mother.