Desperation is the mother of insanity.

"But I don't want to go among the mad people, " Alice remarked.

She sat in the bar with the working stiffs. "I've only just learned how to fit into the status quo, and I have to follow the course or starve. They hate people that are different and won't let them have anything, not even property." Christopher smiled subtly in something nominally akin to a response.

"You know you have to do it, or you'll never find your peace," he said simply, taking a sip of his Bud Light. "What's more important to you? Financial security or peace of mind?"

"Both," she responded.

He nodded. "Why?"

Alice was annoyed with him and didn't bother trying to hide it. "Because not knowing where my next meal is coming from disturbs my peace of mind."

"Didn't Jesus say not to worry about it?" Alice glared at Chris. "Ya, ya...I don't live on farmland, and I need money to eat from anything other than a dumpster. Get a grip on reality, will you?"

"Reality is an illusion."

"Besides. I know Big Brother will put me away if I don't show absolute normalcy," she declared with a tone of desperation.

"Aren't you an only child?"

"Oh, you can't help that," said the Cat. "We're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad."

"Fuck you. You know what I mean. I can't appear 'abnormal'." Alice stewed. She loved Christopher dearly, but sometimes she really did just want to choke him, and today she wondered why she bothered to try talking to him about it at all.

"How would you know I'm mad?" said Alice.

"Bah. What would you know about it anyway?" she finally snapped. Christopher replied by affecting a smirk and ordering another beer.

What the hell?

"You must be," said the Cat, "or you wouldn't have come here."

Alice sighed. "Make that two."


Some small text excerpts from 'Alice in Wonderland' by Lewis Carroll