Scratching an Itch

Summary

Eric, haunted by his mother's advice, grapples with the expectations of society and personal grief as he obsessively scratches an itch in his eye, leading to a disturbing outcome.

Abstract

Eric, a man who has recently lost his mother, finds himself struggling with the societal pressures to conform to a life of routine and work, as symbolized by his neighbor Johnny's success. As he scratches an itch in his eye, he enters a state of denial and detachment, ignoring his mother's imagined admonitions and personal hygiene. The act of scratching becomes both a coping mechanism and a form of rebellion against the life he resents. The narrative culminates in a macabre revelation as Eric peels away more than just the surface of his itch, suggesting a descent into madness or a metaphorical shedding of his former self.

Opinions

Eric harbors resentment towards societal norms, questioning the necessity of following in the footsteps of previous generations.
The character views successful individuals like Johnny as part of a system that oppresses others, reflecting a cynical view of financial industries.
Eric's continued scratching despite the consequences reflects a deeper psychological struggle, possibly indicative of his inability to cope with loss and change.
The mention of Eric's mother's advice and his subsequent actions imply a tension between filial obligation and individual autonomy.
The author, Dash Ip, uses the act of scratching and its aftermath as a metaphor for the process of self-destruction and transformation that can occur in the face of personal tragedy.

Some last longer than others

Eric’s eye itched. His mother would’ve told him to stop scratching it.

He kept scratching. She wasn’t around to tell him anymore.

There were other things she would’ve told him. She would’ve told him to get out of bed. A grown man like him should not be sleeping in so often even if he did not have a job. She would’ve compared him to Johnny next door. Except he was no longer Johnny “next door.”

He was Johnny “on the far side of town that was too expensive for Eric and his mom.” Johnny who made millions in finance or whatever bloodsucking industry that he spent thirty hours a day empowering to enslave the rest of us while Eric was thinking about the important issues: Why did we have to spend everyday doing something we hated just because everyone else who came before did the same thing? Why did we have to listen to those who came before us just because they had come before us? Wasn’t it possible that all they knew from their time did not apply to us?

Eric kept scratching. He was already feeling better. He had forgotten to clip his nails last night. Again. He did not notice they were tipped with red.

His mother would’ve told him to wash his hands. The joke was on her. He had washed his hands very thoroughly afterward. Too bad she was no longer around to see.

The scratching continued. Something peeled off. More red.

He could hear his mother telling him to stop. So much red. Something else peeling off. Some scratching. Not being done by him. But still to his eye.

He hadn’t stopped, and he would not stop. Eventually, he would stop hearing his mother.

But he could still see her.

Dash Ip is a fan of eye drops.