James Smith stood approximately 5’9, however, he told people that he was 5’11. Although he once was an athlete, his slender waist had grown to leave him with the stocky satisfaction that comes with age, yet he considered himself in good health. By age forty, he was working a mid-level job at a middle level corporation. He made 735$ a week, had $75,600 debt between a brief foray into higher education and a mortgage on an 1,800 square foot house built during the 1970’s in Cleveland, Ohio. Additionally, He carried 34$ in his wallet. His wife, Mary, was a retail salesperson. Together, they had a kid, 2 dogs, and 2 cars. And James, despite the worries of modern life, was happy.
The day began like any other, Mary dropped off the kid at school and James commuted 26 minutes to work in his grey Honda Civic. Sometimes, when he was younger, James sang along to the radio, but now he just hummed with dignity in his seniority. James worked and ate lunch and worked and came home. But when James walked in the front door, something was askew.
“Hello”
But there was no answer. He perused the empty house in silence, his wife’s car was there, and the kid would home from school by now. Toys were littered across the room and dinner was partially made. James cleaned the toys to clear a path and to return some semblances of order to the room until a muffled laughter emanated from the kid’s room.
James slowly walked down the hall until he arrived at the half-opened door. He gently pushed the door open.
“Behold” a bellowing voice roared, “Tis my nemesis”
In that moment, a masked supervillain draped in red held his sword against Mary. “Are you prepared to do battle for your Lady” Shouted the villain.
“Is that even a question” James mockingly said back “Why… isn’t umm, errmm” James paused for a second, “Generic-MAN always prepared to defend his lady!”
“Then”, responded the masked supervillain, "Prepare for your doom, Generic-man!" and the villain flew at James.
Generic man deflected the villain and tossed him from the house onto railroad tracks, they both fought well, avoiding the tackles and charges of the other. Although the villain had spirit and energy, Generic man had strength and years of fighting experience over his adversary. But the villains punch caught Generic man off guard, “whew” Generic Man laughed to himself as he took a quick breather. Generic man grappled the villain and temporarily pinned him down, till the villain broke free. The villain shouted, “Release the hounds” and the mongrels leapt on Generic man. Fortunately, no dog was immune to the powers of his Generic man’s charms.
The villain hurled his body at Generic man, knocking him into the city. A large building collapsed into a thousand pieces. The city was frozen by the chaos. The sidewalks were busy with the constant flow of unique civilians which always occupied the streets, cars remained stationary in place paralyzed by the surrounding action.
"Wait! There are civilians here, let's evacuate them first!" said Generic man.
“Ohh shoot, your right” said the villain.
So, James and the kid moved the Lego minifigures and cleaned up the toy railroad tracks, and later Generic Man and the villain wrestled.