Sidekicks
They were never handsome and often came with a hormone imbalance manifested by corpulence, a yodel of a voice or ears big as kidneys. But each was brave. More than once a sidekick has thrown himself in front of our hero in order to receive the bullet or blow meant for that perfect face and body. Thankfully, heroes never die in movies and leave the sidekick alone. He would not stand for it. Gabby or Pat, Pancho or Andy remind us of a part of ourselves, the dependent part that can never grow up, the part that is painfully eager to please, always wants a hug and never gets enough. Who could sit in a darkened theatre, listen to the organ music and watch the best of ourselves lowered into the ground while the rest stood up there, tears pouring off that enormous nose.
I remember reading this poem for the first time a couple years back. I didn't get it.
ReplyDeleteThe hero and sidekick are parts of ourselves. The sidekick sacrifices so the hero can be the hero. All the world is a stage or maybe a movie. People give up the kid in themselves so they can be the hero in life: by growing up, being uneager to please, and never wanting hugs.