Me and My Enemy
By Karen Heuler, first published in The Virginia Quarterly Review
An overly sympathetic woman never allows herself room for hatred— even as her suffocating boss stalks and harasses her.
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Plot Summary
A woman has an inviting mien, and entices people to dump all of their trauma onto her as if she exists solely to comfort them. Even when strangers unload all of their remorseful memories onto her, she will patiently listens. She is totally empathetic, but drained. People never ask her about herself, or even if it is okay with her that they reveal such horrible and upsetting things. Her creepy, predatory boss stalks her, and calls her numerous times as soon as she arrives home. He suggests that she go to dinner with him so he can lament his life. He routinely threatens to kill himself when she declines his offers. Eddie, the boss, watches her movements, and tracks her to the movies one day, which sends her running away from him. She ends up in an unknown and dangerous neighborhood. A car follows her, and a man gets out. He takes her money, but wants more. As he looms over her with a knife, she is saved by another car which glares its headlights at the perpetrator. Once safely home, she is bombarded by Eddie’s phone calls until she disconnects the phone. Shaken and traumatized, she goes to work the next day, lost in her thoughts, and is subjected to the wrath and scorn of Eddie’s injured pride and self-victimization. As she goes home and he follows her once more, Eddie tries to worm his way into her house. She pushes him, albeit reluctantly, full of guilt at the pitiable man. He finally recognizes her disdain, and in his resigned hurt, he allows himself to tumble down the stairs. She deems herself a murderer, and tells the detective a confused account of events. Throughout the experience, she is still in the role of caregiver, and listens as the detective reminisces. She is finally able to claim her unadulterated anger and firmly curses other people’s mountainous sorrows.
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