Remember his name when they are begging for mercy.
be Roger Borkum
average upper-middle class IT guy
wife dedicates her free time to doing humanitarian work
decides to go to Africa to “help people”
i support her even though i feel a little uneasy about it
she leaves
last hug at the airport lasts a little too long
i almost tell her not to go but bite my tongue
don’t want to be racist
two weeks later i get the call
they found her body
beaten raped and killed by sub-saharan african savages
half my world is gone in one phone call
house becomes an empty museum of her stuff
guilt.exe
years pass
life falls apart
lose job, start drinking
still talk to her sometimes when no one’s around
go downtown to meet an old friend at the bar
havent seen him in a while, i need this
excited.exe
hours of laughter, the first ive smiled in a long time
say goodbye to friend
leave bar
group of black youth starts taunting me
laughing, circling, recording on phones
hear one say “sneak up on him”
don’t even bother running
im tired man
they jump me
boots, fists, everything
fade in and out of consciousness
they leave
come back
do it again
wake up in hospital
can’t move
can’t talk
everything hurts
doctor looks at me with pain in his eyes, like he already knows the ending
close my eyes
think of her on that trip
feel warm, like she’s touching my hand
can’t believe i’ve been beaten and killed by african american savages
flatline
reunited with my wife
no longer alone