Grievous

 

Being second in line is a matter of diminishing hopes, as each new heir is born into the world. If hope is the word, many have preferred to escape the chance. Soon enough you are bumped down the succession line, a spare for a time, soon a longshot. It is grievous. Unless you adopt a role or a role finds you. Queue jumping is not an option. Ask anyone in the same position. Observe how they dealt with no longer being a contender. Some rode horses, some hit the drink. Very few of them became memoirists, how outré, there to set straight the grievous truth. Being knocked to the floor is not an occurrence for retelling, as boys may do in the heat of argument. Leastways, not when the brother heir apologises and the other brother shows he cannot forgive. This script for a forthcoming episode of The Crown will be a bestseller. Call it Longshot. Parodies will stream in the firmament, all very Jacobean. The fight takes on instant mythic status that can only be dispelled by more mythic contests, whether with fists, phrases, or franchises. It’s grievous, but not grievous bodily harm. It’s Jacobean, but Marvel Heroes too, as No. 2 calls the heir, hereafter No. 1, his arch-nemesis. He might talk to the arch-bishop about the nature of mercy and forgiveness. Rather than talk to professional confessors (read also, interviewers) surrounded by costly vases and Californian armchairs designed by the House of Privilege. Breaking one of those could put you back. The extended one-hour interview could include sly surprises about the three grievous sins. How is selfishness opposed to faith? asks the compere of No. 2, in jocular fashion. Do you find that lust is opposed to hope? Given everything you’ve said up to this point, would you say that pride is opposed to love? Thought-provoking, but will it lose the viewer base? The networks could sustain a grievous loss of promised income. Born to fulfil a job, he chucked it, it was unfulfilling, finding instead a job ghost writing Longshot and talking of Longshot in decorative, if fragile, locations. Ephemeral is a word of longstanding. How long will Longshot last? No. 1, by saying nothing, leads. It’s a game of chess not found in Afghanistan, with No. 1 in control of all the pieces. He even talks to bishops and knights. Add these words to the Top Secret profile file, together with every short view and big story online to do with same. As Europe endures its hottest year on record, any comment to make? Though Britain is not part of Europe, but rather an ego in search of an empire, would you agree? It’s grievous, a most grievous fault, but that’s all we have time for now folks and okay here’s a word from our sponsor. If you can’t read this, it’s because you don’t have a screen.