Only

He hated his boss and only hung in for the pay-check. If only he hadn’t lost that stock tip, he would have made a mint and been able to tell the bastard to fuck off. Then he would have finished his novel – only all his ideas were in that notebook. If only he could find it, the book would be a best-seller, and he wouldn’t be in the rut he was in now. Carrie might never have left, especially if he’d stopped drinking.
     If only he’d gotten a few breaks along the way. All he’d ever had was serial misfortune.