Badlands

Toxic

Toxic fumes fill the air,

I don't know how you're not choking.

You say you're nice, kind and friendly...

Come on, please tell me you're joking.

You push past a frail old lady

At the top of the stairs when she's waiting

For our shift to end so we can leave,

Because who the hell is she to be telling

You when you can and cannot leave?

She shouted at you that one time. How embarrassing!

Now every chance that you get

You embarrass her and make her feel like she's nothing.

She could get seriously hurt when you push past her,

But you don't care about her health or her feelings

Because you're nice, kind and friendly...

Sorry, but that's not what anyone else is seeing.

You only talk kindly to me 

When I give you the attention you're craving,

Which is to listen to you complain

About how the life you lead is depraving

You of the luxuries you deserve -

A pay raise and endless praise. It's so upsetting!

Life's so hard for you,

You're so unappreciated... You're forgetting

That during this pandemic

You've spent the whole damned year working.

Millions have lost jobs and businesses,

And you call your two percent raise insulting.

Nobody is making money anywhere,

What the hell are you expecting?

A million dollars, a month of paid holiday

Just because you bravely continue working?

Old-timers earn more than you,

But you feel your work is more deserving

Of financial acknowledgement

Than the twenty years of loyalty they're earning.

You think you're working harder,

But one's had a stroke, another's knee needs replacing.

You're fit and healthy;

You have no right to be debasing

The efforts of others

When you don't know the pain they're embracing

By working every day

To secure the paychecks they're chasing.

This is so easy for you,

It takes no effort for you to continue working.

How dare you stand there and complain

That people weaker than you spend their nights shirking.

You don't see other people's troubles,

You're far too busy self-obsessing.

You don't have this, you deserve that...

You make your privileged life sound so distressing.

You have a job, a house, a car,

A family that loves you. What more are you needing?

Look at the bigger picture -

There are millions of mothers who's children need feeding,

But they have no food or money,

Because all around them a war is raging;

Others live under dictators

From whose control there is no escaping;

Yet your freedom is threatened

By the free vaccine and facemasks you're wearing

So that you and your children

Can safely go to work and school while the virus is still spreading.

I'm going to be honest with you,

Your attitude towards other people is disgusting,

Even to our manager, who speaks to no one else,

Only to you because you're continually sucking

Up to him. What do you talk about?

None of us have heard the words you two are muttering,

But we've all seen his smiles, and you always get what you want

After your pretty blue eyes start fluttering.

The only people who you spend any time

Talking to are the ones who you figure are paying

You the attention you feel you need,

The attention you are desperately craving.

You haven't noticed how over the last few weeks

Half of the warehouse has been talking

About the shitty way you treat other people.

Somehow you still think you're amazing.

I once asked you for help with something personal,

You refused to help, you were unwilling

Just in case something went wrong, or I got hurt,

You didn't want anyone to accuse you of meddling.

It didn't matter what help I needed,

Or the kind of pain your help could have been preventing.

The only thing that mattered to you

Was how you'd look when that story reached its ending.

You have this misguided belief

That you should be recognized as a special something,

And this toxic part of your personality

Has you ignoring your friends when they need helping.

You even have the nerve to call yourself my best friend!

Come on now, you've got to be joking!

Those are some of the toxic fumes you breathe out.

How the hell are you not choking?