Ffolkes,
As he watched, alone, he could see the families walking through the park, children playing on the swings, dogs romping in the grass. He felt set apart, an unknown player in a play that everyone else knew by heart. It had always been thus, this feeling of standing outside the normal events of Life, only joining the stream of humanity for moments at a time. He had no friends, only acquaintances who entered his world only to leave again, passing as the proverbial ships in the night. There were times, such as now, when his distance from the rest of his species was lessened, and he felt he might yet find someone who would understand him, and accept his differences as valuable, worthy of respect. At those times, as if by magic, his phone would ring, and a voice at the other end would give him his next assignment, placing him firmly outside the circle of society. He might have chosen another life, but circumstance is as powerful as fate, and his had been sealed early in life, before he developed enough of a conscience to reject the course upon which he set his sights. He did what he did for good reason; he had chosen his path with eyes wide open. Fate, and circumstance, had guided him to where he stood today, and wishing it different would never make it so.
Well, that was a struggle! I never know what will pop out of my head in the morning, and today was no different. It sounds like the beginning of a very deep, very heavy story, and at this point I’m not certain at all that I will continue with it. I have the distinct impression that the protagonist is involved in some pretty shady activities out there on the edge of society. So I may or may not explore this one further; probably not, as I think I need to involve my mind in something a bit more cheery. There is enough in my life now that pushes me toward negativity; I don’t need to put myself there. That’s okay though, something else will pop up tomorrow, and I’ll try to guide it toward a more positive outcome…..today’s Pearls are another eclectic lot, so open your minds and get ready…..

If you cry because the sun has gone out of your life, your tears will prevent you from seeing the stars.

“Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats.
— H. L. Mencken (In my case, ‘at times’ translates to ‘daily’)

GIGO: Garbage in garbage out. (which explains my user name; gigoid, which I chose to remind myself of the proper mindset necessary when dealing with computers)

“A man once asked Diogenes what was the proper time for supper, and he made answer, “If you are a rich man, whenever you please; and if
you are a poor man, whenever you can.” — Diogenes Laertius (c. 200 AD) — Diogenes, vi

This is the way the world ends,
This is the way the world ends,
This is the way the world ends,
Not with a bang but with a whimper.
— T. S. Eliot, “The Hollow Men”

The truth you speak has no past and no future. It is, and that’s all it needs to be.

Did I say eclectic? There must be a word to describe what these are, but it fails to come to me, so eclectic will have to do. Y’all take care out there…..

Kowabunga!