How the legend fades

Jack the Janitor was an ugly, overweight and nasty teenager, when I first met him in late 1990s.

He considered himself to be someone far more interesting than he really was. What's worse - he used to think about himself as a leader of our small community and an idol of young girls. Particularly the latter was something he wanted more than desperately - appreciation and worship from women. Now I know that the reason for this attitude was that he grew up in a home without real love and warmth. His mother used to spend time reading cheap romances and watching soap-operas, while his father would never stop regretting he hadn't used a condom that night when Janitor had been conceived... and would always remind his son about this shameful fact.

Well, parents should never reveal to their children the basic facts of life concerning their conception - it is somehow humiliating for both sides - at least in my opinion. And for sure it was humiliating for Jack the Janitor. That is why he also liked to humiliate his mates.

I said "mates" on purpose, wanting to emphasize the fact that Janitor never had any real friends. Not because no one would be ready to offer him friendship, but because he was somehow unable to take it. That is common among people who are brought up in dysfunctional families - they are incapable not only of giving something to others, but also - more importantly - of taking anything others have to offer.

I disliked Jack from day one and would never understand a girl who was fascinated, strongly and strangely attracted by his arrogance and false pride. There was one girl who even offered Janitor what is considered to be the most precious gift a man can get from a young woman. He didn't appreciate it, though, so the girl was left hanging without any support, with an emotional baggage that would affect all her life. Not to mention small, sweet surprise that would have seen the world nine months later, but never had, because it had been taken out after mere ten weeks. I'm not normally a fan of this medical procedure that affects only women, but in this case I was kinda glad that Janitor's descent wouldn't increase the general amount of evil in the universe.

Something that Jack the Janitor really hated was schooling. He graduated from the school system at the age of 19 and never came back to receive any formal degree. I think this is good for the world, because evil people tend to be more dangerous and harmful when they are educated. Janitor is not, and that is also why he is nothing but a janitor.

Last month, when I found out Jack worked as a simple, humble janitor, I was very glad to hear that. The distance between us is so huge now, I would have never suspected it may be so. And this confirms the old saying: "all the play and no work, make a Jack a dull boy".