isn't it tragic?

Your life is a television show.

every day, people gather around, going to hair and makeup, fluffing their image and retracing their lines.

"i love you."

"pass the vegetables?"

"i love you."

"it's a quarter past three."

"i love you."

"i love you."

"i love you."

every day.

you recall the plotline and get into character in a mirrored room. you are new at this whole "life" thing; you are nameless in a sea of extras, but the audience knows you're the focus because of the ominous spotlight constantly focused on your freshly cropped hair and neatly painted face. you wash out the background characters with a flourish. you retrace the scenario.

Your husband has left you. you are desperate. the gardener walks in after mowing the lawn. you are so desperate, you walk up to him and---

cameos and famous faces are lead to rooms with starry doors and sat down. scripts are handed to them.
"this is what you do,"
says the director of your life.
"it doesn't really matter whether you put your heart into it.
you don't need to be stellar.
we just need people to put a name to her face after all of this is through.
make her sparkle.
create her.
take your household name and make her dishwater personality shimmer.
give me ratings, baby.
ratings."

You are the gardener. you have a pregnant wife and a dog named spot waiting for you at home. you are about to go and collect your paycheque from the lady of the house. you walk into the foyer and---

commercial break.

of course, you don't really know that everyone watches you.
you have no idea that millions watch you and the soap opera that is your life.
millions who all take pleasure in playing some sick game of god, watching others live on the bright screen.

and don't you dare be boring. if you are boring, people change the channel.
and you don't know it yet, but as soon as they flick open that TV guide, your glitterati life is over.
ratings plummet.
the cast is cut.
downgrade.
downsize.
economize.

it's not like anyone cares anymore anyways.
you are boring.
the people watch something else instead.

and when your show is finally cancelled, nobody mourns. sure, your costars mourn over lost paycheques and tireless hours to be spent making a new resume.

none of the viewers mourn.
they mutter "oh, what a pity" and "what else is on instead?".

and then they settle down and watch the pilot of the latest series to hit the box.

your life is a television show.
with all the drama you have, it sure as fuck better be a soap opera.