The Sidekick: And The Power Of Savvy
Heroes are savvy: bursting with intelligence, wisdom and common sense. Most of us love them, nearly the rest want to be them and the last few are probably villains who need them. Desperately. Regardless, we all give a look and listen when one of them is around. Savvy is hard to resist.
That’s why Batman’s the smartest guy in any room. Why the Lone Ranger hooked up with Tonto. And why Conan’s still around after a quarter century of the ‘super friendly and forgiving’ entertainment industry. These guys know what’s what.
And so does my most responsible hero, putting the savviest to shame. She’s clever, shrewd and adapts on a dime. Stands up when there’s trouble, faces down the worst and the one you want in a pinch.
Better yet, she somehow saw my hidden potential when I lived in a hole in the wall, on the wrong side of the tracks and without enough pressed shirts or dress shoes to make much of myself. She made me luckier still when she let me tag along with her to Brooklyn, was patient as I figured out my career path and then rode on her substantial coat tails to the suburbs, where we’ve ensured my most stubborn and spirited heroes can expand their horizons — whether they want to not.
It’s the good life. And yes the house is bigger than I expected, the yard certainly larger than I’d choose and something always seems to be breaking whether it’s old or brand new. But no one’s complaining. My most responsible has me mowing the lawn, shoveling the walk and doing the necessary maintenance. She’s content.
And I don’t mind, because she’s the savviest.
