Use the chatroom to get off

You log into the old chat room. The interface is clunky, a relic from another internet era. You create a new profile, name: "JohnDoe42." Your description: "Married father. Feeling stuck. Just want to talk." You don't post a picture. You feel a little better. The chat room is a slow-moving river of text, anonymous and flowing. People trying to get attention from messaging for a daddy dom, sending their lewd selfies, and others posting porn gifs.

You watch for a while, a lurker in the digital dark. Then, a private message chime. A small, rectangular box appears in the corner of your screen.

"LonelyDad85: Rough night?"

You hesitate, fingers hovering over the keyboard. Who is this? How do they know? You type back, a simple "How did you guess?"

"LonelyDad85: It's in the name, brother. And the 'stuck' part. Teenage drama?"

You relax a fraction. Another dad, a comrade-in-arms. You type, "You have no idea."

"LonelyDad85: Daughter?"

You type back, "Yeah. She was always the good one. The responsible one. Now... she shoplifted. Dropped out of college."

"LonelyDad85: Oof. That's tough. My kid's failing algebra and I feel like my world's ending. Can't imagine. You love her, though. That's the main thing."

You nod to the empty room, a wave of relief washing over you. This person understands. They get it. You type, "Yeah, I do. But it's not just that. It's... everything. The mortgage, my back, feeling like a walking wallet. I love my wife, my kids, but sometimes I just want to run. Start over."

"LonelyDad85: I hear that. The fantasy life, right? Where you're not 'Dad' or 'Honey, can you fix the sink?' Just... you." You feel at home with this guy until he ask. "You got pictures with your daughters? Why don't you let me see them."

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