Weekend Write-In Story Collection

Poor Me

In 500 words, tell a story in which a character shows empathy. Written for the Weekend Write-In Challenge: "Empathy" — 13-15 January 2017

David lays his head on Grandpa's lap to soak up more wisdom.

Poor Me

"Grandpa, I need your help with this one." David rolled onto is back on the carpet and looked up at his grandfather.

"Yes, Sweetheart, give me a sec to finish this sudoku puzzle."

His grandfather's fingers flashed across the iPad screen for a few more seconds, then stopped. David watched as he grimaced, then looked down at him.

"Yes, Sweetheart, what is it?"

"Grandpa, for school, we have to write a short story about being empathetic. Is that like empowering something pathetic?"

His grandfather gave a loud guffaw. "You nailed that one, David. I haven't thought of this in years, but, yes, for many that is exactly what it is." He patted the couch cushion beside him. "Come over here, let me tell you a little about empathy."

David stood and walked over to the couch, sat and turned to lay his head on his grandfather's lap, then snuggled into a comfortable position. "I'm ready."

Grandpa stroked his beard as he thought about how to begin. "An empathetic person is able to sense and share the feelings, the emotions of others. Is able to tell when someone is happy or sad, delighted or disappointed, amused or disgusted, interested or bored, and is able to offer them support or comfort.

"Like the gang of girls at school? They seem always in a similar state, all of them giggly or all of them morose. They do it together, all the same. So odd to watch them change in unison."

Grandpa smiled as he ran his fingers through David's blond curls. "Girls, women are more in tune than men are with their emotions and with those of others. The problem here, though, is with what we used to call the poor me spiral."

"What's that?"

"It's when empathy goes wrong, and instead of comforting someone, it drives them deeper into their sadness. We used to do a short skit on this in our leadership classes to show how misapplied empathy can make matters worse."

David looked up with a questioning expression. "So how did the skit go?"

"It's very simple. Two people sitting on a bench. One says, 'Poor me.' The other replies, 'Poor, poor you.' The first responds, 'Poor, poor, poor me', and it continues as more poors are added and sadder and sadder expressions and postures distort their faces and bodies. The sad one ends up much sadder. That's the wrong use of empathy."

"That's like the girls when they get going. It's like they feed off each other."

"You've been watching the girls for a while now, haven't you? You keep mentioning them."

"They're so interesting to look at, but so hard to understand."

"You've learned one of life's great lessons, Sweetheart."

"So, for my short story about being empathetic? What's a good example? Not your poor me spiral, but a supporting one."

"Supporting empathy would be if you shared my disappointment at not breaking a minute with my sudoku puzzle a while ago." He smiled at David. "Your interruption took my time to sixty-one seconds."