Stuart

Stuart worked at a local bar where he officially got drunk from Thursday to Monday and not officially from Monday to Thursday. He had a ‘buddy’ called Harry (from Monday to Thursday he was referred to as a ‘drunk’). Harry was a middle-aged, big-nosed, comforting-faced, buddy-like person.

“What is happiness?” he once asked Stuart.

“Happiness is when you can abandon your whole life and not feel a thing,” answered the barman with a smirk. “’Cause that means you’re free and freedom is happiness. Past is a prison of shame.”

“That’s funny ‘cause I always thought it was the other way around you see. That committing to something you care deeply about is the way to go. Which brings me here, to this cozy little pub, trying to get pissed every day of the week when I know I can’t any more. What I’m really doing is committing to the one thing I care deeply about- rum!” Harry laughed. “Cheers, Stu!”

Stuart was left bemused. “Are you happy, my friend?”

“Happier with the glass than without it. I think. I am a drunk and you are a man with no past. When I look at you and then when I look at myself, I’d say we’re both far far faaaaaaar away from the answer. Far away from the truth,” said Harry and skulled the last of his rum.

Blackberry Stone by Laura Marling

Well I own this field,
And I wrote the sky,
And I have no reason to reason with you.

I'd be sad that I never held your hand as you were lowered,
But I'd understand that I'd never let it go.
I'd be sad that I never held your hand as you were lowered,
But I'd understand the world does what it does.

You never did learn to let the little things go.
You never did learn to let me be.
You never did learn to let little people grow.
You never did learn how to see.

But I'd whisper that I love this man,
Now and for forever,
To your soul as it floats out of the window,
To the world that you turned your back on,
To the world that never let you be.

And I am lower now, and Laura still,
And you did always say that one day I would suffer.
Did always say that people get their pay.
You did always say that I was going places,
And that you wouldn't have it any other way.

But I couldn't turn my back on the world for what I like wouldn't let me.
But I couldn't turn my back on the world for what I like, I needed.

And I shouldn't turn my back on the sweet smelling blackberry stone.