Takeaway

What I got from the shrink was that if I

confessed (I had been talking about this)

what I see as my character flaws, some

people would think that many are much

more minor than I think and I should

cut myself some slack; other (or maybe the same)

people would wonder what I’m trying to

hide (from them or myself) by emphasizing

those, while still others (or the same)

would note that I have gaping, glaring

faults I appear not to notice; and in

any case (he added with the faintest

tinge of good or ill humor) I had

conned him into speaking the language

of morals, which isn’t his job.

As I ponder this second stanza, I plan to

sketch the flaws I’ve mentioned, but they’re

really too off-putting and I change

my mind. So the impression you’ll be

left with is one of coyness plus self-

absorption, which I guess can be lived with.