Flowers for Algernon

by Daniel Keyes

– Today, I learned, the comma, that is, a, comma (,) a period, with, a tail, Miss Kinnian, says its, importent, because, it makes writing, better, she said, somebody, could lose, a lot, of money, if a comma, isnt in, the right, place, I got, some money, that I, saved from, my job, and what, the foundation,

Hahahaahhahaha

With all the things I had learned – in all the languages I had mastered – all I could say to her, standing on the porch staring at me, was, ‘Maaaa.’ Like a dry-mouthed lamb at the udder.

I am afraid. Not of life, or death, or nothingness, but of wasting it as if I had never been.