"My friend Agnes"
A number of years ago, as a live-in assistant at Manu residence, I was experiencing one of those particularly long days where just about everything was starting to get on my nerves. Agnes, one of our senior core members, had been unusually talkative all day. In fact she seemed to have made a point of directing the bulk of her on-going commentary in my direction. Finally, by the end of the day, I'd reached my breaking point. Sitting next to Agnes I turned to her and said, "Goodness sakes, Agnes, you’ve been talking at me all day, I think you're starting to give me a headache!" Agnes and I have a very solid relationship, but nonetheless she can become easily upset which is not a situation you want to be in so close to bedtime. The moment the words came out I thought, "Oh boy...why couldn't I keep my big mouth shut!" Expecting the worst, I braced myself for her cantankerous response. Agnes simply looked at me and in a calm, reassuring voice said, "That's ok dear...just don't listen."
Christopher Boucher, L'Arche North Bay
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