Ming

Ming loathed his nickname. It was wholly unfair. He wasn't merciless. Yes, from time to time opponents would threaten his power or his life and he would be forced to dispense righteous violent justice upon them. This, he would say, was not a lack of mercy but simply common and reasonable practice. One cannot abide traitors or assassins if one's government is to have any sort of stability. For this they called him merciless? What about the puppies he adopted, or the time he took everyone in the office to lunch at the food court? No one would dare call him merciless now, not if they wanted a brownie with their sandwich and lemonade.

- Originally mailed to B. Bowser in Brandon, Mississippi