Mothman Therapy
Foxwolf doesn't understand why she feels like this. Maybe Mothman has some helpful advice.
Mothman Therapy
Panel 1:
Foxwolf and Mothman are walking down a tree-lined trail. The mountains of West Virginia roll behind them. Mothman puts his hand on Foxwolf’s shoulder as she says, “You won’t understand, Mothman. You’re an eternal being.”
Panel 2:
A convenient gust of wind blows several polaroid photos and leaves through the air past them. Foxwolf looks startled by the sudden movement as she looks over her shoulder following one of the photos as it flits by her head.
Panel 3:
*SNATCH* Foxwolf grabs the photo out of the air. The picture is of an older woman with glasses lifting a tray of cookies out of an oven. She is smiling down on two young children who look excitedly back at her and the cookies. There is a caption handwritten in cursive in the white space below the image: “Baking cookies with Grandma - Dec 1999”
Foxwolf continues her thought from earlier to Mothman:
“You don’t know what it feels like…”
Panel4:
The panel zooms in on the photo. Foxwolf continues, as if to herself:
“…to need more time.”
Panel 5:
Foxwolf continues walking and the mountains continue on in the background. She says, “Is there any way to slow down? I’ve felt like I’ve been in a dead sprint through my life. It sucks that being an adult with a full-time job means never having a “break” ever again. As soon as one thing’s done, I need to move on to the next. There is so much to do, and I have such little time to do it all in.
Panel 6:
Mothman walks along with Foxwolf as she talks. He is nodding and taking notes in a little black notebook. Foxwolf says, “I feel like my memory is even suffering. It’s like I don’t have time to reflect on anything so events seem hazy.”
Panel 7:
Top Caption: “I’ve got one week off, and I need to make it count.”
Bottom Caption: “But I’ve been neglecting so many things on my to-do list all year that I can’t decide which one to attend to when I finally have the chance.”
Foxwolf is dwarfed in front of a huge “2024 WORK CALENDAR” with days marked off counting down to a week labeled in large bubble letters, “VACATION!” At the top of the calendar, there is a big circle with a line through it over the word “UNION,” and a message that reads, “REMEMBER! THERE’S NO “US” IN “UNION” - DON’T SIGN, “IT’LL BE FINE!”
CELEBRATE 45 YEARS UNION FREE BY DONATING YOUR PTO BACK TO THE COMPANY TODAY!”
Panel 8:
Foxwolf stares at the calendar and is surrounded by thought bubbles:
“Do I spend time with my family?”
“Hange with my friends?”
“Do I fix the bathtub? The floor? Get the lemon off the roof?”
“Should I turn my attic into an indoor garden for when we can’t afford groceries anymore?”
“Do I play a video game?”
“Do I make art?”
“Should I study French so I have a shot at immigrating to Canada?”
“I need to get bloodwork done, and go to the dentist, and take my car to the shop, and trim the dog’s nails, and…”
Panel 9:
Top Caption: “And then when I realize how many things I need to do, I realize how few of those things I have time to accomplish.”
Bottom Caption: “Realistically, I’m going to spend the vast majority of my waking life and mental energy working for a soulless corporation. I’m not going to “be free” one day.”
Foxwolf lays in a dark room under a blanket, illuminated by the light of a TV in the foreground. An overlay of the work calendar’s “VACATION!” week floats by showing that several of the vacation days have now been crossed through. She is frowning and looking at her phone.
Panel 10:
Top Caption: “I don’t think other people in my situation feel this way. My bills are paid, there’s food in the fridge, and I have a happy, healthy family.
Bottom Caption: “Many people don’t have any of that. I used to not have any of that.”
Foxwolf’s holding her phone up partially blocking the glowing TV screen. The screen shows a text exchange between Foxwolf and Dearly Beloved Friend:
“Dearly Beloved Friend: Hey do you want to do something one day this week? I would like to spend time with you.
Foxwolf: Sorry I can’t. I’m busy deciding what to do.Foxwolf: If I don’t pick the right thing, I’ll end up wasting my time off and everyone will be upset with me.
Dearly Beloved Friend: (thumbs up emoji)”
Panel 11:
Back in the present moment on the trail walk, Foxwolf looks distressed as she says, “Why then is it so hard for me to simply EXIST? Why can’t I go out after work and see my friends? Why won’t I schedule doctor’s appointments for myself?”
“Why can’t I just behave like a functional adult and appreciate the life I have?”
Panel 12:
Foxwolf looks up, mouth agape, to see Mothman zooming off and waving. He has left beautifully penned skywriting in the clouds above the mountains. It says:
“You Have Depression
- MM (heart)”