Most Selfless And The Most Selfish

As I am not known for my capacity to open up about myself (I tend to spend more time listening than talking, I shall have to tie the two together, and I think it makes more sense anyway).

The most selfless thing - Bought a Rabbit
The most selfish thing - Told a Teacher

The Story

I had entered the sixth form college (not by breaking in I might add) and was enjoying the new found freedoms of free lesson periods and our own common room, which smaller brats were banned from.  I had taken in a copy of The Cult's - Love to listen to whilst pretending to be in the library.

However, when I arrived at the record deck in preparation for my planned Astbury/Duffy listening fest, I was shocked to find a fellow English student cutting a copy of Bruce Springsteens - Nebraska into tiny pieces.  And not just any old pieces, but small, vengeful little pieces.  Having listened to the album, I can kind of understand it, but it was a) the force with which she was doing it, b) the fact that I didn't think someone from her religious background could actually possess such music\and c) slightly worried for my beloved Cult album.

After much persuasion, I managed to persuade her to leave the school premises and come with me to a local hideaway to tell me what on earth had caused such emotions. 

She took a lot of persuading - mainly I suspect because she assumed I wanted to play doctors and nurses (which was not the case).  After half an hour, she told me that she was so upset because she really wanted a pet rabbit and her father would not allow her to have one.

Relieved that it wasn't something more serious, I explained in true A-Team fashion, that all we needed was a plan.  I came up with one almost immediately.  We would go to the pet shop, she could choose a rabbit and I would buy all the necessary other things (hutch, hay, food etc).  Then we would take the rabbit to my house and as it was a 5 minute walk from school, she could visit the rabbit whenever she wanted.

With tears in her eyes, she choose a small rabbit which she named Tufty and thus I Bought a Rabbit.

I was pleased to have solved all of her problems just by buying a rabbit.  Eat your heart out Oprah - you know nothing !!

After we had carried the hutch home, set it up and gone back for the rabbit, we move to the Selfish part.

Fifteen minutes of cuddling the rabbit and she asked me if there was something she could tell me.  Expecting it to be something like thankyou, or can I kiss you? I agreed.

I then sat in horror as she described the physical and sexual abuse she was being subjected to by her father.  I hugged her and reaffirmed, as she requested, that I would not repeat this to anyone.  If this had been a few years later, I could have dealt with it myself and would have gone to see the bastard with a pair of secateurs and done some home made amputation - but I wasn't that dark or Gothic then.

I took her back to school and spent a day and sleepless night worrying about it.  I didn't know how to deal with this at all.  I couldn't let the pervert and his abuse continue but I'd made a promise.  Eventually, after weighing up the pros and cons of everything, I made a decision.

I was selfish - and I told a teacher.  Not just any teacher though.  The one teacher I respected and trusted.  In less time it takes to shake a rabbits tail, JP (the Teacher) had organised a flat, courtesy of some abuse help centre, filed a restraining order against the father and my now ex-friend had come to have a severe rant at me for betraying her trust.  Not long after, her father had moved back to Pakistan (good fucking riddance) but she still wouldn't talk to me.

The upshot of the story - I lost a friend and gained a rabbit in less than 48 hours.  (and alright Oprah, it's not that fucking easy after all).

Comments

[Neil]

*gulp*

[bob]

And in this case, selfish was the absolutely right thing to do. I'm sure in hindsight she thanks you.

[honey]

how could you have done anything else but what you did.
Hero,
and don't make me cry again at 10:30 in the morning, its a pathetic way to start the day.

[Angelalala]

What a hero.

The bar is so high I can't even see it.

[Drama Queen]

I tend to spend more time listening than talking??

*pah*

[Clare]

Oh Goth, what an absolute star you are. And of *course* you did the right thing. And considering you lost a friend, I don't think you can call it selfish at all. You did it for her, not for yourself.

And indeed, the selfless part of this story could easily be recast as selfish. I'm having the same problem with my own story (s)... all the selfish stuff could be thought of as selfless, and vice versa. Well, maybe not all.

This is a great entry. [applause]

[Mr Angry]

* Wishes he'd read all the others before writing his own *

[SpanishGoth]

Neil -> yikes, didn't mean to upset you

Bob -> In hindsight I know but at the time I felt a twat for betraying a trust

Honey -> I know it was right and sorry for making you cry

Angelala -> I'm sure you can clear the bar (just try not to knock the drinks over)

DQ -> do too you chatterbox

Clare -> I know what you mean about hard to pick selfish or selfless that's why I tried to pick a story with two reactions from me (and thanks)

Mr Angry -> I avoided reading anyone elses first in case I tried to outdo them

AND TX EVERYONE FOR YOUR COMMENTS...

[The Aunt]

Am crying too. You did the right thing. Hugs.

[The Aunt]

Am crying too. You did the right thing. Hugs.

[Angelalala]

Alright, Auntie. No need to overdo it by posting twice! ;-)

[zed]

you were actually at school for once ? (see, i listen too.)

great story and you know you did the right thing - even at the time.

[SpanishGoth]

Aunty -> shit, didn't mean to make you cry - sorry

Angela -> probably emotional rather than clumsy

Zed -> I did go to school, it was full of girls WOOHOO

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