Those Goons; Depression and Loneliness

As most of you know, I'm currently reading Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert.  It was my Book Love Club book I received from Kim.

I wanted to share an excerpt from it that I thought was well written.

She's talking about how after ten days in Itally the depression and the loneliness track her down, and I thought it was an excellent depiction  (that unfortunately hits close to home now and again) of how it feels.

They come upon me all silent and menacing like Pinkerton Detectives and they flank me--Depression on my left, Loneliness on my right.  They don'tneed to show me their badges.  I know these guys very well.  We've been playing a cat-and-mouse game for years now.  Though I admit that I am surprised to meet them in this elegant Italian garden at dusk  This is no place they belong.

I say to them; "How did you find me here? Who told you I had come to Rome?"

Depression, always the wise guy, says "What--you're not happy to see us?"

Go away I tell him.

Loneliness, the more sensitive cop, says "I'm sorry, ma'am.  But I might have to tail you the whole time you're traveling.  It's my assignment."

"I'd really rather you didn't," I tell him, and he shrugs almost apologetically, but only moves closer.

Then they frisk me.  They empty my pockets of any joy I had been carrying there.  Depression even confiscates my identity; but he always does that.  Then Loneliness starts interrogating me, which I dread because it always goes on for hours. 

Skipping a bit here in the middle...

I walk back home, hoping to shake them, but they keep following me, these two goons.  Depression has a firm hand on my shoulder and Loneliness harangues me with his interrogation.  I don't even bother eating dinner; I don't want them watching me.  I don't want to let them up the stairs into my apartment, either, but I know Depression, and he's got a billy club, so there's no stopping him from coming in if he decides he wants to.

"It's not fair for you to come here," I tell Depression.  "I paid you off already.  I served my time back in New York."

But he just gives me that dark smile, settles into my favorite chair, puts his feet on my table and lights a cigar, filling the place with his awful smoke.  Loneliness watches and sighs, then climbs into my bed and pulls the covers over himself, fully dressed, shoes and all.  He's going to make me sleep with him again tonight, I just know it.

This is how most of the book is written, and I couldn't have described these two feelings with more emotion and more accuracy than she did.  Something about it hit home for me.  

I am really enjoying this book so far, I'll let you know what I think at the end.

So far, I recommend it.