M: Hello, elated?

E: Is that you melancholy?

M: Yeah, it’s me.

E: How you hanging in there good buddy?

M: I’m melancholy. How do you think I’m hanging in there?

E: Right. Well cheer up because it’s a glorious and beautiful day!

M: I suppose. Anyway, I just wanted to congratulate you on winning that thing again. You really deserved it.

E: Thanks, melancholy. That means a lot coming from you. And I should congratulate you for finishing second. You have all the pieces in place. The only thing holding you back is you.

M: Right, right, because I’m all doom and gloom. Sorry I’m not all rah, rah, rah like you.

E: I’m just saying if you try a little harder to look at the bright side more often, you might just crack a smile and find yourself on top.

M: Yeah, well you can thank Mr. Dictionary for that. He’s the one who made me melancholy.

E: And he made me elated. So what? Look around. You don’t see blue whining all the time. He’s blue but he’s not yellow when it comes to finding a silver lining once in a while.

M: Don’t you compare me to blue. He doesn’t have a condition like me. Being me is no laughing matter. I’m melancholy for crying out loud. Show some compassion.

E: I’ll show some compassion when you stop raining on my parade. I just took first place!

M: And how does that make you feel?

E: ELATED!

M: There you go again, following yourself with an exclamation point.

E: Well, maybe you should start using them. It would do you a world of good.

M: Listen, I know you’re elated. But why can’t you be more like content and end it there. He’s neither sad nor ecstatic. He’s just content. Notice he hasn’t an exclamation point?

E: That’s because he’s not elated! Look, I’m elated and no one can take that from me. Not you, or content, or anybody!

M: Okay, okay, I don’t want to get into a whole thing here. I’m melancholy but I can recognize a good thing when I see it. I’ll let you be elated if you let me be melancholy. It’s who we are and nobody does us better than us.

E: You’re right, melancholy. Boy, this revelation makes me feel elated!

M: Yeah, and I’m melancholy and I feel like myself for the first time in a long, long time.

E: Hey, I’m off to that new restaurant to celebrate my victory. Do you want to come along?

M: Nah, I think I’ll just hang around here and wallow in self-pity.

E: That’s my man! Well then, have a miserable time?

M: I’ll try my best.

Illustrated by Rosalie Sajovie