Mr. Button.
Button. George Button.
Apropos, Competent, Enlightened, Brilliant, Ingenious, Literary, Observative, Politic, Reflective, Sagacious, Endowed, Witty.
Ludicrous, Blanched, Flimsy, Gaunt, Slender, Appalling, Scandalous, Detestable, Offensive, Revolting, Obnoxious, Unwanted, Fragile, Frightful, Delicate.
Mr. Button, the man with pretty hands. Fingernails always clipped and tidy. Only resolving himself to the finest of luxuries. The hand soap he used smelled faintly of vanilla and chocolate roses. Back in the day, his hair used to be rather crinkly, but now glossy and thin. He prided himself in the fact that he was a powerful businessman; owning many companies and being an obvious trillionaire. He loved the good old days, always looking back at old photographs, laughing at his younger and much humbler self. He hated the way he was so unkempt and ratty. But he didn't care -- just so long as people heard his story and his rise to riches. He enjoyed, more than anything else, making people wonder how that poor, clumsy boy had grown into a fine, well-groomed gentleman. Being in his early twenties, Mr. Button felt he had conquered the whole world. When traveling, he used his fancy private jet complete with his personal butler, Alfred. When visiting new cities, he always took up residence in elegant hotels only the truly rich could afford. He only accepted five star hotels with excellent staff and wonderful three course meals. His room was always the one at the very top. He very much did enjoy a beautiful view before falling cozily asleep on his plush, expensive bed. Although he did own many hotels, he much rather enjoyed staying at places that weren't his own. The reasons were so that he could keep an eye on his competition and maybe, if it was a particularly remarkable hotel, steal some ideas and use them as his own. Mr. Button had a wife and three children. The last time he had heard from them was on his wedding day. The day after, he had left and swore never to return, for he wanted to make a star out of himself. Though he did achieve riches, he never went once to visit his family. After a few years of intense thinking, Mr. Button finally decided to return home. He envisioned his whole family on the porch, happily waving him home, shouting to him how great he was and how proud they were. But crushed were the dreams of old George Button, for upon his arrival, his children recognized him not. The first child he encountered, Benjamin, looked him over with disgust and said he didn't know who this man was. Appalled and thinking that this was some sort of joke, Mr. Button approached his other child, Lucy, in attempts that maybe she would remember him. But she ran screaming for her mommy, shouting that a strange man had come knocking on the door. George gave up hope as his third and eldest child looked away disdainfully and grunted. With caution, Mr. George Button approached his wife with an armload of flowers. "For you, my sweet wife." But she just looked at him with curiosity and murmured, "Who are you?" After a full hour, the family came back to delicate memories with their father. They remembered how he used to be so down to earth and kind. Now he was wearing expensive suits and had a businesslike, almost professional, aura about him. Everyone remembered clearly the day he had left and the exact words that came tumbling out of his rehearsed mouth. "I'm leaving and possibly never coming back. As far as I can tell, this family has nothing to offer me. So I'm leaving and starting a new life. Think nothing of this departure, for you will see me again sometime soon -- in magazines and billboards perhaps." And they did see him. Within a few years time, he had dominated the front cover of almost every magazine in the market. Not only that, but he was also on television. Doing commercials, starring in movies; things in that range. Slowly, his name became almost widely known around the country. He was top man. And know one was quite sure how he had done it. And for this, naturally, his family hated him. They never got a card, a phone call, or even postcards from this weasel of a man they called their father. The family shunned his arrival and wanted nothing more to do with him. But unfortunately for George, he had chosen this time to finally settle down and have a nice, quiet life with his family. He wanted, needed, LUSTED for his family's attention. Whenever he saw them in the street, he would always make a great deal of showing off to prove to them he was still a worthy father. But he was a scoundrel. A nasty rat filled with grime, that George Button. Always disrespectful to strangers and poor people, thinking the whole world was his. Thinking that anything and everything could be bought at a certain price. He had so much money to spend he didn't even care what was happening to it. At first he tried showing off his brain to his nerdy son, Benjamin, by discussing rocket science and the basic laws of physics. Benjamin, however, was clearly not impressed. He only started liking his dad when he offered to pay for rocket parts that Benjamin so needed for an experimental project his was working on with his best friend, Fred. The mother did not approve of this, though, and always told Benjamin not to hang out with that wet rat of a father. But Benjamin paid no heed, as his father seemed legit and top-notch. Determined, George Button set out to buy his way to his children's hearts. He bought a mansion for Lucy, but to no avail. She was yet a little girl and didn't know what she wanted. Within hours of buying a very expensive mansion, George yet again had to sell it, for Lucy became distracted and pleaded she no longer wanted the mansion. Whenever he got too close to his wife, she would slap him hard across the face. But George Button didn't mind. He was determined to do whatever he had to do to get back in the circle of his family.
So I suppose the question remains, unanswered and still hanging in the air, waiting above our heads like a silent killer ready to pounce on its prey; or a large, destructive bomb, ready to explode at a delicate touch. Will Mr. Button succeed?