A More Sympathetic And Insightful Observer Of Human Beings

I literally (just kidding - forget I used "literally") just finished Ben Yagoda's Memoir and something strange happened near the very end.

Reading along, taking in some facts, marveling here and there, contextualizing periodically,  when all of a sudden I come to this:

"That is in part because she is a better writer and a more sympathetic and insightful observer of human beings than..."

and I hurt.

"Ouch" I monologue.

I think it was the, no, I know it was the sympathetic and insightful observer of human beings part that made it go in the bone.

I figure I am a pretty shitty writer right now but after reading this little ole sentence, I hurt because I figured that maybe I am a pretty shitty human being right now because I am not a sympathetic and insightful observer of human beings.

Walking to the library to return the book I monologued and tried to justify:

I am shitty at a lot of things: husbanding, parenting, guitar playing, singing (especially singing), electrical wiring, money earning, running (except from cops), hygiene upkeeping, anger managing on Rhode Island/Massachusetts highways, and so much more...

But I keep trying. I told myself.

And, as George Carlin said upon recounting that he never fucked a ten but that one night he fucked five twos, I think that outta count.