Em dash

Stupid.

Stupid, stupid, stupid.

It was a momentary slip. It didn’t mean anything. This is not who I am.

Yet I’m now a social pariah.

My colleagues avoid me. My friends lecture me. And my students …

Who knew they could be so cruel?

But the pity’s worse.

The occasional sympathetic half smile. The assurances that it’ll eventually blow over. The damningly patronizing faux empathy.

Stupid.

Stupid, stupid, stupid.

All for one seemingly-insignificant little em dash.