The Writing Machine

Stories by Christian Cloud Abraham

Be Careful When Casting Out Demons

“Be careful when casting out demons lest you cast out the best part of yourself.” —Nietzsche

As a child, I used to tell my mom I just wanted to be normal. I am normal now. I have a wife and one kid and I own a mocha-colored Oldsmobile minivan and a black Jetta station wagon. I live in a three-bedroom two-bath single-story ranch home surrounded by wooden fencing. I have two computers, four televisions, three gaming systems, a treadmill, a crossbow resistance system, two bicycles with a child trailer. I have camping gear and hiking equipment and fishing tackle and poles. I have art supplies and scrapbooks and power tools and a workbench that I used to fix up my kid’s playground in the backyard. I am a manager at a mid-sized corporation and manage projects with our company’s senior and executive leadership. I have debt that I’m working my way out of and I still rent a home but have a great view of Camelback Mountain. I rarely talk about my past anymore because I’m ashamed of it. I used to tell everybody anything and say the most obnoxious things just for the hell of it. Now I am concerned about everything I say and feel I need to learn to just keep my mouth shut. I haven’t drank and almost 2 years and I’ve removed myself from fraternizing with anyone who may threaten my relationship with my wife or bring too much drama to my family. I no longer feel tormented by my demons and by casting out my demons, I fear I may have cast out the best part of myself.

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© 2007 Christian Cloud Abraham

Posted on April 22, 2007 in
Emotion: Indifference, Type: Creative Nonfiction