The Other Guys

I've always been one of those other guys.

Not one of the ones who causes people to stop talking and look when I walk into a room. Not one of those guys who knows immediately what to do in any situation or circumstance. I was never one of those who had the confidence to know that whatever line I used to pick up women was going to work every time.

Hell, I just deleted and re-typed "pick up women" three times before I decided to leave it in the preceding sentence. The phrase felt too bold, too sure. Feelings with which I'm inexperienced.

I'm methodical. Built for distance. I'm quick to size up a situation so that I can ponder it for as long as possible, making sure all the peripheral options are covered, before I act. It isn't sexy. It isn't dynamic or cool. But it's me.

Mark Wahlberg has a reoccurring line in The Other Guys that stood out to me. He sees how he wants his life to be, but feels held back by himself and his co-workers from realizing his ideal. In his moments of frustration he yells: "I'm a peacock, you've gotta let me fly."

It's funny for a number of reasons, but especially because peacocks don't have the ability to fly more than a few feet, and when they do their flight is awkward and clumsy. Wahlberg feels what he wants and needs to do, but can't quite get it right. He's one of the other guys, after all.

I understand.