The Joy of Pain

by Lesley Pink

They had been friends once, but that had been a long time ago and the friendship had disintegrated through no fault of her own. Jamie was a narcissistic, demanding, insensitive bitch, the kind many men seemed to flock to when they wanted drama - and some element of sadness - in their lives. Anna wondered why she had put up with Jamie's behavior: her nasty comments about her weight and skin and hair, her rude remarks about her choice of profession. Anna knew it was wrong, but she wanted Jamie to suffer, to lead a life full of psychological pain. She imagined Jamie, her husband having left her, sitting in a rocking chair, staring at the wall. There was something to this schaudenfraude thing, Anna thought, and smiled to herself.

6S

Lesley Pink, author of Waiting, is a worker bee who lives in Brooklyn, New York.