what a pain and the end of "Boys"

   What a pain pain is! It slows us down. It makes some of us cranky. It keeps us from living a full life like everyone else. It requires a certain amount of attention. It hurts!

   Everyone wants to suggest ideas to help me feel better when my pain gets to a level that is just ridiculous. They mean well and it's well received. 

   The problem is that at this point I've tried everything already. I've done the warm (and hot) bath with epsom salts, with a bath soak for achy bodies, with just water.

   I've tried treating myself to ice cream and other delicious snacks, and although I still hurt I am well fed and very clean. I take every suggestion with love and graciousness with which it was intended. 

   Just by having the love around should help with the pain, even slightly, especially if we think of those women who have no one to help them through these terrible diseases. I'd rather have too many loving suggestions than none at all. 

   I also try to ease my pain not be a pain. I know we suffer a lot. I suffer terribly. Not one thing has helped me. I don't get a break from pain ever. It's been really horrible for a long, long time, but I don't act like a brat simply because I'm sick so I can. 

   For one thing, I would never want my children to see me behave like that! I would feel like a hypocrite because although I believe in letting people help me, I need to be self-sufficient, too. The other thing is I would never want to take advantage of the people who truly love me and worry about me whenever the newest problem pops up.

   So, If you're in pain don't add to it buy being a pain. It never makes anything better!

The end of "The Boys From this Neighborhood"

Steve had been the one to find her in the alley that night. The boys had all run away when they heard a car coming. The third boy had been taking his turn raping her. They left her in a bleeding heap on the asphalt. Steve had been the one to take Suki to the hospital, vowing to bring the boys to justice.

                  Suki remembered how he tried to wipe the blood from her face and, how he had stayed by her side until the doctor examined her. Her father had been so grateful that Steve had stayed.

                  Seeing Suki alone of the streets at night, Steve came to her immediately. She told him about the party, the girl and the boys.

                  At Steve’s request another officer escorted her home quickly, and she felt secure knowing that he would be by to check on her later.

                  Back in her apartment, Suki listened as Steve and his partner approached the boys in the alley. The music died down. She began to feel cooler, her clothes no longer sticking to her body.

                  Suki could hear the sound of the drunken girl sobbing. In the distance as she touched her cheek where the stitches had been. That girl was lucky; the boys didn’t hurt her.

                  She heard the whistle of the eleven o’clock train. Now I can finally rest. Suki thought. They won’t be able to hurt anyone else tonight.