1771

"My Lord", and I am calling this boy my Lord because that is exactly who he happens to be. "My Lord, aren't you being a bit hard on him. He also appears to be a kind soul." "Lawrence, am I being hard on you?" "No.  Not in the least." "Are you a kind soul?" "I try to be." "Are you successful at being kind?" "No.  Not terribly." "But despite your narcissistic, consuming all engulfing greed, Lawrence.  You are also, indeed,  a kind soul. And that is why I have brought you here.  That ember is warm in you and already it is forming sparks.  Your grandfather could see that in you.  That is why he threatened to defund your postsecondary education if you were not going to abandon the photography classes in art school.  He wanted you, not to make something of yourself, but to offer and give yourself.  He saw that potential in you because he was seeing you through my eyes.  So you went to take a degree in social work with the objective of helping others in distress.  With a nice paycheque, of course.  I did say your grandfather was very pragmatic, but it also squared with your desire and sense of entitlement to always have privilege and nice things in your life, Lawrence.  But we also need to talk about your cruel streak, also known as your younger sister, Paula.  Shall I continue?" "Must you?"