Short Answers and Quick Excuses

Life in a small town and how it feels to leave.

I am moving on

And good on me for it

This town has suffocated me for years

Sucking the life out of me

My family lingers

Always in the shadows of my mind

Judging me

Even when I don’t think they truly were

But to me they always were always there

Judging

And now I’m moving on

And through all their self involvement and drama
They ask me questions about my future

They ask about school and living plans

They see my achievements

Yet never have the truly acknowledged them

Never have the words sunk into their heads

And never have they cared to let it

So, they ask me again

And I can see it in their eyes

Roaming the room we stand in

Ears going along with them

And I think

Why even ask me, why waste my time

And after the same questions from everyone

Three or four times

I’ve gotten good at short answers and quick excuses to leave

At ignoring the backhanded things said

By grandparents who no longer know me

And aunts who secretly despise me and my parents

So I walk around

Quickly leaving every conversation they start

Where they wail about their own lives

Their small-town jobs

Small town drama started by small minded people

So I smile and take the brunt of their conversation and comments

And the unwarranted and terrible advise

I no longer let it hurt me though

Or even allow myself to hear it

Because unlike them

I am moving on