by Chris McGinty
Sure, he was a giant lizard. Sure, he could breathe fire and stomp on buildings, but was that really who he was? Maybe it was imposter syndrome, but what he liked was Saturday morning picnics and long walks on the beach. A long walk on the beach usually took 2 minutes and 14 seconds, because his stride was pretty expansive. It was also best if he didn’t go when people were there.
He just wasn’t the death and destruction type, but it’s almost like his parents expected him to follow in their footsteps. His dear old dad would often say, “Kids these days, can’t take a few thousand bullets to the chest without whining.” He could see his dad’s point, but the rampages seemed pointless. Sure, he could take the damage without too much pain, but why waste everyone’s time? If he wandered into a phone line and electrocuted himself it looked cool, but it would never stop his advance, and some guy would have to get out of bed in the middle of the night to go restore phone service.
In truth, he wanted to go to college. He wanted to learn algebra. He wanted to be forced to read “The Catcher in the Rye” and claim to his friends that he relates to Holden Caulfield, even if he didn’t understand the book. He wanted to be in a jazz band.
Stomping all over major Asian cities was for the older generation. Besides, he had a few conversations with grandpa, and dad wasn’t always so gung-ho about city destruction either. He even found a picture of dear old dad with a mullet and a Blue Oyster Cult t-shirt hanging out with some frat boys at a keg party. He would just have to understand.
Chris McGinty is a flash fiction writer who probably should have got into the medical field.