Good story. I like how you have Josh not be consciously aware of the Rules he's playing by, something that is true for him, I think, and true for a lot of the rest of us as well.

Wonderful character study of a complex man. I've always thought that his friends didn't support Josh as much as he supported them. A similar story told from Donna's viewpoint would be a nice bookend.

That was beautiful and great to read, but very depressing.

So intense, makes me cry to think of him feeling like that. So well written.

Poor Josh...

"He doesn't hold a grudge, not against people he cares about. Not against anybody, really, except Republicans, and what he feels for them when they're not immediately provoking him isn't anger, it's disgust." - Lucky josh. I hold grudges the longest and hardest against people I have made the initial mistake of caring about (though, to be fair to me just a tiny bit, some of them SO deserve it).
AW, poor Josh!

So sad
Great writing, great story