Sidekicks

They were never handsome and often came with a hormone imbalance manifested by corpulence, a yodel of a voice or ears big as kidneys. But each was brave. More than once a sidekick has thrown himself in front of our hero in order to receive the bullet or blow meant for that perfect face and body. Thankfully, heroes never die in movies and leave the sidekick alone. He would not stand for it. Gabby or Pat, Pancho or Andy remind us of a part of ourselves, the dependent part that can never grow up, the part that is painfully eager to please, always wants a hug and never gets enough. Who could sit in a darkened theatre, listen to the organ music and watch the best of ourselves lowered into the ground while the rest stood up there, tears pouring off that enormous nose.