A Villain

 

“Thou art a villain,” Tybalt.

Act III, Scene I – Romeo & Juliet.

I thought of this quote on

my drive to work this

morning.

 

I was cursing the poor

driving of some unfortunate fool,

who made the mistake of

driving too slow in front of me

in the fast lane.

 

I thought of them: a villain.

Which made me wonder

how often I have been the

villain in other people’s

stories.

 

We all think of ourselves

as the hero of our stories,

it’s common enough to have

its own sort of trope in film

and TV, books and even music.

 

I do my best to never be the

villain at all, but I’m sure in some

telling by others, I’m the worst

person they have ever met and

they hope to never come across me again.  

 

“By my heel, I care not,” Mercutio says.

Which is how I suppose I should

respond to the thought of being the

bad guy in some stranger’s story of

our meeting.

 

Yet, I linger on it.

Villainy. By my hand?

Surely not.

And though, it is likely true.

I have been someone’s villain.

 

A burden unconsciously borne.

Conscience whispering a reminder

to always be better, kinder, gentler,

and be not a weight on the shoulders

of another.  And not be fortune’s fool.