The Taboo

When someone asks "How are you?" I don't tell them that I woke at 4:00 AM pummeled by doom and gloom thoughts, my monkeys swinging from the chandeliers and smashing all of my plates. 'You might as well give up,' the monkeys say, laughing, smoking cigars, dealing cards. 'Make it easy on yourself, call it quits,' they cackle, then cough, spitting on the floor.
"Good to see you," I say, and I mean it. There's nothing like a friendly hello to banish the monkeys, and for this I am grateful.