A Brief Interruption

And you hardly miss me

You don’t need me, well, that is, not normally. And yet, some of you just can’t refuse me. I’m just a line in your writing, nothing special about me if you think about it. Some printer back in the day named me after a couple of characters, but it didn’t really do me any justice in the 21st century. My cousin is even shorter and she’s a lot more useful in everyday settings, but me, I’m just there when you need me.

I used to think I had an inferiority complex. I mean, your Hemmingways, Steinbecks, and Twains hardly ever used me, couple per novel really. But then it dawned on me. That’s what sets me apart. Let’s just call me a rarity. Yeah, I like that. Since I’m so rare, I stand out.

Take Colonel Nathan Jessup’s speech while on the witness stand in A Few Good Men. “…you weep for Santiago, and you curse the Marines. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know – that Santiago's death, while tragic, probably saved lives; and my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves lives. You don't want the truth because deep down in places you don't talk about at parties, you want me on that wall – you need me on that wall.”

 Twice in one speech! See what I mean, Jelly Bean? And that’s the speech that’s remembered by many because it’s such an awesome performance by Nicholson. But first – but first – it was written in a script and then acted by Jack himself. (See what I did there?).

So, you don’t want me in your sentences – you need me in your sentences.

Eh, I better stop now before I am no longer a rare thing. Then I’ll just a common ordinary comma or period. I mean, who really needs to be so common nowadays? Right, none of us.

Signed,

The Dash Guy

*******