To My Abusers:

  I think you lost. You didn't take the part of me that matters, the 
basically kind, good person that I am.
  While I wouldn't cry if you contracted AIDS, I don't have time to hate you 
anymore. You aren't and never were worth it.
  I won't ever forget what you did, but it won't run my life and mess up 
everything I am, do and feel. The only thing I ever did wrong concerning you 
was to let you run my life for the past 28 years.
  But I didn't have much choice. I was just a kid, who believed you when you 
made me feel like trash. I did a lot of damaging things to myself because I 
believed you, but the worst thing I ever did, the most destructive thing, 
was to deny my humanity, my worth and my self.
  And I think that's all I have to say to you. Our "association" is over, 
and I'm free of you. 
  Free to be the good person I always was.

     Stephen H. Stocker
     March 27, 1999