Some people are born with their destiny laid out before them. Others forge their own destiny. But most have no destiny at all. They exist only to provide background color for the people who will go on to do the bigger, better things.

It’s not their fault. They can’t help it. Thousands of people can attend a game of tennis, but there can only be two players. Not everyone can change the world.

Norman was all too aware of this. He was one of the background players, and knowing this he did his best to stay out of the way of people who would truly make an impact. He wasn’t bitter, he wasn’t angry, and he certainly didn’t hold any resentment towards a reality that didn’t require anything special of him. He was quite happy to merely exist.

This was because he was all too aware of what became of people with destinies. It often started with celebrations and ceremonies and no small amount of female attention, and it usually ended swiftly and, if the Gods were merciful, painlessly.

But Gods are seldom merciful.