Why are superheroes often so lonely?
Dozens of shape shifting shadows darted manically about at breakneck speeds in the opulent Italian bank. Tills were violently ripped open and millions of euros were emptied frantically into large duffle bags. And just as the screaming of the bystanders seemed to reach a deafening crescendo, everyone’s heart momentarily dropped. For a massive vault door erupted out of the granite floor. It crashed through the glass dome ceiling and disappeared into the sky.
As a shower of glass rained down upon the crime scene, a gigantic black figure clawed its way out of the crevice. Upon its back was a massive sack that was bulging with gold bullion bars.
“Well that was easy…” snarled the massive muscular man. “Let’s go before, before The Patriot catches us!”
But it was too late. Before he was able to finish his sentence, a powerful hand gripped his gargling throat.
“P-P-P-Patriot” stammered the giant with fear. “P-P-Please don’t kill me! If you spare my life, I will grant you one wish!”
“How?” questioned the hero with an air of intrigue.
“With this…” hissed the giant as he pulled out a long silver genie lamp. A steady stream of blue neon light slithered from its spout. “Me and my bandits have stolen this from an artifact collector and have already used up 2 of the wishes. That is why we move so quickly and are so supernaturally strong. But the last wish can be yours…if you let me go.”
“Fine” replied the hero as he reluctantly let go of the squirming bandit. His other hand clutched the pulsating genie lamp. In a hushed whisper he said, “I wish I was no longer lonely.”
In a blink of an eye, he suddenly found himself lying in a hospital bed; flocked by doctors and nurses. When he tried to burst into the air… nothing happened. He was permanently imprisoned in a paralyzed body that was now devoid of all his super powers.
Loneliness is sometimes the curse some people may feel for thinking they are too good at too many things in their lives. They may end up living quite independently for they don’t feel the need to rely on anyone else. But our flaws and our weaknesses are actually the keys needed to free us from a life of solitary confinement.
