Deception and mental health

A riff on sheep and wolves.

Once upon a time there was a big nasty wolf.

This big ole’ wolf?

He barked and growled and bared his teeth to everyone.

All the other little critters?

They stayed away from this mean ole’ wolf.

He thought he was a big ole’ mean, rotten, tough, bastard.

He figured it was his job: Show the teeth. Growl. Make them fall in line.

Hackles up, ready to fight, this big ole’ wolf was safe. No one would dare reach him.

This big ole’ wolf?

He was scared.

Terrified really that people would discover that really, he was hurting.

Petrified, that people would smell his fear.

Frozen with the belief that if he were soft, no one would take him seriously.

This big ole’ wolf wasn’t really a wolf.

He was a sheep, in wolf’s clothing.