I think I am. Or I was- yesterday….
Yesterday I was front page news. All the websites were running pictures of me, or at least the relevant websites were. Upon those sites my words carried weight. My image was telling- my gestures, my facial expression, the clothes I had purchased or somehow fabricated. The decisions that I had made, or was mulling over making, created buzz.
Reporters clamored to hear my words. I was badgered in the hallways, sidled up to, pestered for clues about what I was thinking and where I might go with that thinking. I set policy. I was a decider, a kingmaker, a player.
Others looked up to me. I was a role model, something to aspire to, a leader. I had the right stuff.
The press couldn't get enough of me and I often had to hide from them. I had bodyguards, read prepared statements, had aides, assistants, underlings, spokespersons, lieutenants, and (it was widely speculated) henchmen. The clergy was (sometimes) on my side. I had clout.
But I also had my detractors, my enemies. Oh, did they rail against me to anybody who would listen, or read the stories they had written about me! I was endlessly analyzed, over-the-top scrutinized, and even though my history was thoroughly combed over they still couldn't understand what made me tick. I kept 'em guessing and stayed one step ahead.
I was clever. Smart. Smarter than them, for I was above and they were below. Who was the camera pointing at? Me!
I was relevant.
Picture books about my life and the impact I had
Designecologist- Unsplash.com
But then one day the camera pointed away. Somebody else had showed up with more interesting things to say or do and try as I might, I couldn’t capture the media's attention anymore. No matter what I did they weren't interested. Power was draining from my brand, my image, my camp, and accumulating in theirs.
Oh, members of the media would come around from time to time, do follow-up stories on me, see what I was up to, sniff around to see if I had anything that might vault me back into the limelight for if I did their star would rise too but I had nothing of much interest to offer them.
I had become irrelevant. Even though I was still respected, and would long be, I was not captivating anymore. My star had faded, and it had happened so suddenly! One day I was king of the world, at the head of the conference table, calling the shots, had the ball in my hand, was under the spotlight on stage playing my role, and the next I was obscure. Just another Joe.
But it was fun while it lasted. I tell everybody in the club here about my former life, my many and varied friends, my family at home, and anybody else I can corral, or I just sit alone and reminisce about my days on top.
Lookit there, on the TV! The latest hot new personalities. I kinda feel sorry for them, they're going to get milked for every ounce of interest that they can provide then the machine will discard them. I oughta open a consulting business to help them capitalize on their fame but it's hard to get through, there's such a mob of helpers and enablers around the relevant ones all the time. Never know though, I might get lucky. I'll give so-and-so a call, lay my best pitch on 'im. Got to strike while the iron's hot 'cuz who or what's relevant today probably won't be a year from now. From obscurity to the limelight and back again is the cycle.
Whew! They were right about fame being fleeting!