Positive Attributes

Last week, my husband and I were waiting at the fish counter at our local grocery store. The large man in line ahead of us was taking an inordinately long time to make up his mind about his purchase. While he dithered, we looked over the selection of fish, deciding we would go with a nice piece of wild caught salmon, just the right size for the two of us to share. Mr. Big was given the piece of sea bass he'd chosen, and we were all set to place our order. But wait . . . Mr. Big wasn't finished. With a slit-eyed glance in our direction, he told the man behind the counter he wanted more. Yup, he took the piece of fish we'd been foolish enough to admire within his range of hearing.
I wish I could say he didn't do it on purpose, but that glance he'd given us told me otherwise.

One of the criticisms I receive most often about my stories is that the people I write about are so unlikable. I'm going to endeavor to change this. With effort, perhaps I can cross the threshold of world-weary cynicism and actively search out positive attributes in my fellow human beings. Maybe then I can create characters who are kinder, more capable of generating sympathy. But jeez, with guys like Mr. Big lurking about, that is a tall order.