‘Have a Nice Day’ in Plain Language

Javier Sánchez knows how to open up a can of tough love and share it with his reader. What he wrote the other day in Las palabras de Javier follows, along with my English translation (kindly authorized by Javier). Can his bracing volley be read as a wry challenge to the facile enabling of middling performance, of pollyanna nostrum peddling, of glib, way-to-go atta-boy-ism — when, in fact, if you are alive and having a day of any description, not starving, raped, bombed, held hostage, cheated, goaded, lied-to or bereft, you’re among the world’s lucky people? Decide for yourself.

En caso de que nadie te haya dicho hoy que eres genial, increíble, inigualable, que vales más de lo que crees y que no tengas miedo de sonreír nunca. Pues que sepas que no te lo van a decir, porque eso no pasa y además es mentira. ¡Ahora ve, y ten un día de mierda, como todo el mundo! Con esa cara que tienes. Hala, pasa por caja y paga 100 euros.

Firmado
Dr. Diego Luis Machiatto
Doctor en Psicología inversa por la Universidad de Buenos Vientos Argentina

Translation

In case no one has told you today that you’re ingenious, incredible, insuperable, that you’re worth more than you think and never to be afraid of smiling, know this: They’re not going to tell you that because such things don’t happen and besides it’s a lie. Now go and have a shitty day like everyone else! With that face of yours. Run along: drop 100 euros in the till on your way out.

Signed,
Dr. Diego Luis Machiatto
Doctor of Reverse Psychology at the University of Balmy Winds, Argentina

About JMN

I live in Texas and devote much of my time to easel painting on an amateur basis. I stream a lot of music, mostly jazz, throughout the day. I like to read and memorize poetry.

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