"After all these years, he's nothing to me but an empty seat."

Ouch, that's gotta hurt! Especially after spending the last few days getting excited about the moment. Especially since the reason you're late is that you had to catch bad guys -- and then the door guy didn't let you in. Especially since the person saying it is someone you care most about.

Although, actually I don't get MJ there. Bringing a date to your show when you're expecting someone else who's -- allegedly -- in love with you? Nice going there, MJ. What would you say when introducing them? Peter, meet John, we've been dating for some time now. John, this is Peter, he's always in love with me, but don't worry about it. Oh, and please don't hate me 'cause I'm beautiful.

Quick comic trivia: John Jameson, son of JJ, would eventually become Man-Wolf, another villain in Spidey's neighborhood.

Now I have to take the quote a bit out of context, though. After all these years. Sometimes when we admire someone so much, as time goes by, we tend to expect only good things from that person. We almost forget that he or she is just another man -- or woman. With strengths as well as weaknesses. And then one day, when that someone is expected to perform -- well, gee, that sounds kinda kinky. Oops!

I mean, when the situation calls for some action from someone, somehow, and we expect our someone to be that someone, well, that someone disappoints. Badly. For an example look no further than yours truly. As a kid I was somehow always considered by parents as the most responsible among other kids. Don't look at me, I was just a kid, what did I know? So whenever we -- a bunch of 8-to-10-year-old kids -- went out, I always felt the parents' looks upon me: don't let these guys go too crazy, OK? And I was so proud. (Actually, the more I think about it, the more it seems like I simply imagined all that stuff. But that's OK, it gets this entry rolling.)

Anyway. One day one of us had an accident. No less than my own cousin. He fell from his bike and injured himself seemingly rather badly. I was 9, IIRC. So what did I do? Nothing. This so-called responsible, ever dependable kid, did not know what to do and just stood there. It was another one of us who finally reacted first and suggested to carry this cousin of mine somewhere shady. Then he and another friend raced home on their bikes to get some help.

That we shouldn't even have tried to move the injured, as we might've made it worse, is besides the point. So is the fact that it was nothing serious, it turned out. It's the empty seat -- the no-show -- I became when called upon. For a while after that incident I couldn't get myself over how I could've done better. So you see, even as a 9-year-old I was quite a thinker.

And guess what, Bison's latest entry reminds me of one of my old signatures: life's easy once you know how to live it. Yeah, once a thinker, always a thinker.

There were several more occasions to illustrate my empty-seat syndrome (I know it's not even an accurate term, but sounds important, doesn't it) but please, lemme salvage some of my bruised ego here. Besides, it's getting late and despite it being my fav day of the week, it means I still have to wake up *coughs, coughs* early for work.

Oh, and if you must know, that very cousin of mine went on to become one of the most successful athletes in the national motocross scene. Coincidentally, his younger brother was the first Indonesian rider selected to join Marlboro Team Roberts Asia. Needless to say, both had countless injuries along the way.

Current music: Alicia Keys - Never Felt This Way (Interlude)
Current mood: happy