A Terminal Condition

Dave had a peculiar condition, a chronic one in fact. He always had the urge to give. His mama swears his first word wasn't
"mama,"
but
"here, take it."
She tried everything, including intensive teaching of the words
"mine! mine! mine!"
But alas, it did not work. It was terminal.

Need lunch money? He got you covered.
Short on rent? No problem. "I had some extra anyway."
Need some help...
Everyone loved Dave.

It didn't matter that he was often left licking salt and surviving on optimism and fresh air. As long as everyone got what they wanted, Dave was happy.

The Day Everything Changed

There came a day when Dave was short on cash. His weekly dinner with his girlfriend was coming up, so he had to find a way, of course. He sat and thought about who he could borrow money from, but as he went through his contact list and conversations with his friends, something clicked.

None of them had ever done anything for him. A majority of their messages were:

"Hey, I need a favor."
"Dave, can you..."
"Do you have some time for..."

After much thought and indecision, he decided to go with the girlfriend. He gathered all his courage and asked her if she was willing, just this one time, to contribute to their date.

She wasn't having any of it.

"What kind of a man asks his girlfriend to pay for their date?"

Just this one time, I need your help. I've always been the one doing it and have no problem doing it in the future, but for once, today, I need your help.

"Wow, Dave, never thought you were the kind to count favors."
"And why are you showing me attitude..."

Dave blinked.
Attitude?

He wasn't given the chance to explain himself. Like he needed to. No, he had to pay the price of not being good enough. Being the man who could not provide.

Such a shameful man.

The Price of Learning

After months of struggling, Dave finally learned a new word. It was foreign at first, awkward on his tongue, but he practiced every day. In the mirror, on the bus, even in his sleep.
"Mine. Mine. Mine."
It wasn't easy.

Most of his friends no longer talked to him. "Dave" and "No" didn't sound good together ,it turns out.

Last he heard, his girlfriend had been busy too...

Finally found someone who knows how to treat a queen 👑 No more cheap dates or splitting bills like some broke boy suggested 🤬 Real men provide 💅 #upgraded #knowyourworth #stevebaby