Dinner With Family and Friends by Kevin R. Farrell

Spilled his drink, spilled his guts,

“I prefer the non-fiction works of French existentialists and American transcendentalists over the fictional melodrama of god driven texts.”

“The adults in the room are talking” they said in unison.

“Hold your dead horses, look them in the mouth, lead them to water...Hey! Are you listening to what I’m saying!?”

They heard him, but weren’t listening.

Typical.

“I’ll never hear your face or see your name again!” he left walking backwards out the front door.

Talking to himself now, more of disgruntled muttering, don’t all mutterings come from a place of disgruntlement?

“Damned if you do don’t if you’re damned”

“We’ve had the death of a generation, now here’s our generation of death.”

“I’m lucky I haven’t smacked the shit out you verbally yet...”

“I only raise my hands to the sun.”

“I don’t salute symbols, flags or otherwise.”

“I rarely shoot from the hip these days,

holstered my words when I let go of triggers.”

The next day at his therapy session, his therapist asked what he did this weekend, he said “fine.”

“What did you do?”

“Had dinner with family and friends.”

“Oh! That’s big, it’s been awhile. How did it go?”

“Fine”

“Just fine? What did you guys talk about? They must’ve been happy to see you. Anything you want to discuss?”

“Not really.”

“What are you paying me for?”

“What am I paying you for?”

“Listen, it isn’t mandatory you be here. You’ve met the court required amount of sessions. You can go and never come back.”

“Now you sound just like them. I like that. Just do me a favor...”

“Depends on what the favor is...”

“Invite me back...”

“...okay, would you like to come back next week?”

He got up. Put on his jacket. And left.

Kevin R. Farrell, Jr. is a New York based artist, poet, and educator whose work has been published in BONED – Every Which Way, Burning House Press, Rumble Fish Quarterly, Adroit Journal, Ink in Thirds Magazine, Foxhole Magazine, Yo-NEWYORK! and others.

In 2021 Farrell released Best of the Worst which consists of 20 poems that have risen to the top of the trash heap that is his constant documentation of a life spent toeing the line between spiritual bliss and emotional upheaval. As a recovering addict each day can be a struggle when dealing with the dumpster fire that is modern day existence. Sometimes Farrell attempts to put out the fire, on other days he warms his hands by the flames.