Am I determined to prove a villain?

Soliloquy of Mr Z, an underdog, a former monarch. A present day kingmaker

They say it is impossible. They’ve said it before, remember? I may be down, but I am certainly not out. I’ve lived in the shadows of a goddess for many years, I’ve outlived the shadow and the goddess

To be, or not to be, that was never the question. It was foreordained that I’ll make it grand, eventually. I’ve donned many garbs in my life, tasted water from many streams in my four score years. I’ve been through the thin and I’ve been through the thick. If I’ve acted in a film as a child star, I’ve also braved the unspeakable torture by many cold, steely hands for almost a decade. And I, dearest sirs and ma’ams, am the most quoted, most mocked, most hated (or was it General Yahya Khan?) president of this republic so far.

I am Mr Z. An underdog, the former king. A present day kingmaker.

Our best-laid plans are written way before our time. The great Bard wrote mine and attributed my scheme to one of the most vilified, most cunning king of a land far, far away. \

The plan goes thus: Since I cannot prove a lover, to entertain these fair well-spoken days, I am determined to prove a villain, and hate the idle pleasures of these days. Plots have I laid, inductions dangerous, by drunken prophecies, libels and dreams, to set my enemies one against the other.

They say it is impossible. They’ve said it before, remember? I may be down, but I am certainly not out. I’ve lived in the shadows of a goddess for many years, I’ve outlived the shadow and the goddess.

Mr I, still an immature novice, thinks I am siding with a certain Mr N. He forgets that one never sides with another in a dog-eat-dog world of politics. One only supports the other to sideline some other. In this case, Mr I. It is always best to battle it out one-to-one than wrangle one’s wits out in a free-for-all.

Trust me, it hasn’t been a smooth sail at all. It took decades to master my signature Cheshire Cat grin.

For quite some time, there was no veni, vidi, vici for me. Before coming in the limelight, I hanged around like an extra. From petty ministership to long, tiring periods of incarceration to years of banishment, my life was nothing short of one long roller coaster ride. I held my wits about as my time was yet to come.

The savage assassination of the goddess ended my slumber. Her dusk made way for my dawn. Then I came back, I saw the mess, I knew a way out, I plotted, I planned, I beat the odds and finally, I was the monarch of all I surveyed.

Mr President, oh the sweet, intoxicating sound of it. I remember people used to equate possibility of me being a president with that of pigs flying. Well, what do they say now? That I just got unreasonably lucky against all odds, eh?

Once again, I am doing the art of the possible. The next election is around the corner. And let me share a little secret with you. Once again, they say I won’t make it again. Once again, I’ll prove them wrong

They say I am corrupt. I say, prove it beyond the shadow of a doubt. They say I never forget my friends. I don’t forget my enemies either, dearest sirs and ma’ams. They did all to tarnish my repute and taint my character. I persevered with a grin on my face and no grudge in my heart.

I befriended my enemies, even made them my allies, sat with them at one table, ate out of the same bowl of soup, broke bread with them, called him elder brother.

Things remained hunky-dory for sometime. We all had our fair share of cake and we were wolfing it down too. Then some evil eye estranged us from each other. We were again back to square one. We were again enemies.

Power started slipping from my hands. My two warriors were bruised, battered and ravished by Lordships of Big Marble Palace. Things went haywire after Americans raided a compound in Abbottabad and left it with Mr OBL in a gunny sack. The beginning of my end started when a philosopher-cum-diplomat friend in all his smartness bungled up my already frayed ties with gentlemen in khaki.

Loathed by many, considered as a crook by most, my march continued nonetheless. Then I was about to meet my Waterloo in 2013. However, I managed to narrowly skip past it.

I locked horns with those who run the show. I flew away before, I took the same way out again. But now I am back with a bang. I and my young son will gain back what was robbed from us.

Once again, I am doing the art of the possible. The next election is around the corner. And let me share a little secret with you. Once again, they say I won’t make it again. Once again, I’ll prove them wrong.

Answering the question, am I determined to prove a villain? No, dearest sirs and ma’ams, I am not. I am determined to prove good old Mr Z. The most loathed, least loved king who’ll be back through your ballot. Be ready for another Z-style veni, vidi, vici.