wickedlittletown

“I don’t understand why you want to use this kitchen tool to get rid of the negative emotions you’re feeling.”
Even I’m beyond frustrated from all the negative emotions I’m enduring at the moment I succeed in shaking my head with a little chuckle, when my eyes notice that Chase is pointing at the knife I had used seconds ago to butter my toast.

“A figurative knife, not a real one.” I explain but as soon as I see the slight confusion in Chase’s optics I add my best simple explanation of what a metaphor is.

After some minutes of thinking over what I have said and watching me eat in silence, while I gaze up to him from time to time, Chase’ voice breaks the silence. “But why a knife? Couldn’t you say something else instead?”

“You may have realized that a lot of things have a symbolic meaning and a knife is usually associated with negative emotions like betrayal. That’s why we have the word ‘backstabbing’.”
I make a pause to give Chase time to proceed what I’ve just said. I wonder if I was actually doing a decent job with explaining or not, as I knew that explaining something isn’t what I’m good at, and given the fact that I have to explain an aspect about the human language to an alien makes it even more challenging.

“Cutting out something isn’t always a bad thing. See, doctors cut out tumors to cure you.”
“But as far as I understand a doctor can’t cut out your emotions.”
If that would be possible life would be so much easier, I think but keep this thought to myself.

”See, sometimes you need to get rid off either someone or something that makes you feel negative emotions.”

Chase nods and judging from the look in his optics he remembers a situation where he had realized what I have just said.