One often tries modelling oneself on leading characters of the books one reads. The lord knows that I have at different times tried to assume the airs and manners of Sir Launcelot, Psmith and Lord Peter Wimsey. I have failed spectacularly, of course, but that’s another story.
But what on earth do you do when you come across a character in a book who is just like you? Well, the person who recommended the book did say that the lead character bore some similarity to me and warned me not to identify too closely with the chap, but hell, obeying that has been tough.
I mean, apart from the fact that the lad happens to be rather handsome, likes his (sadly expired) dad and is a good baseball player, he seems remarkably like me (I forgot to add, he does not read too much either!) . He roots thoroughly for the underdog, has a keen sense of right and wrong, seems hyper-sensitive, lives with his mum, has not exactly been a winner with the ladies and has a colossal ego! And yikes, he is even the same age as me – a masterly thirty six. He also has the same number of eyes, arms, legs, ears and nostrils as me! Alas, he does seem in better shape and has more cranial fungus than Yours Truly but those are minor matters.
I was well and truly spooked. And some of my assumptions about myself took a bit of a beating too.
Needless to say, I am doing a serious rethink on whether I have as many screws loose as this feller did. Will keep you posted on progress on that front.
Just in case you are curious, the chap ends up married to a wonderful lady (the heroines are always pretty, dash it!), conquers his weaknesses and, while doing all that, manages to play a major role in having his best friend reduced to a crisp!
Hmmm....some of that I would not mind!
(No, I ain’t telling you the name of the book.)
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