It was suggested to me by a friend that writing this post would be ‘cathartic’ for me.  I am not sure I agree, but ‘friend’ is not a word I use lightly, and so as friends go, so goes my nation.  I’m not even sure that my narcissist is a narcissist, as opposed to your average garden variety sociopath.  I know my friend thinks that my getting this out will help me to deal with the ‘hurt,’ but I’ve written it before, and the few people who have actually been privileged enough to read the story have even served as the vindication I craved.  But it didn’t ease the hurt, and it didn’t stop it either.