Who’s Your Favorite Dictator? (Marshall Chronicles)

I once asked a very dear and older friend of mine who his favorite dictator was.  He laughed hysterically and couldn’t answer, because he actually didn’t have a favorite.  That would have been a terrific answer and question on Jeopardy. My friend, Mark, would have been stumped and Alex Trebec would have intimidated him by providing the correct answer or question with supreme confidence.

(I don’t know the spelling of names and I don’t have time to look up celebrities making more money than me)  Trebek:  You don’t know who your favorite dictator is???  The answer is “Who is Mussolini?”

My friend:  “F off, Mr. Trebek.”

I was a child then in my mid twenties and didn’t recognize what the term “Dictator” represented.  Thinking of people such as Ronald Reagan, George Steinbrenner, Donald Trump, or perhaps one of the Kardashions, I didn’t feel it was such a ridiculous question.  Incredulously, I didn’t understand why he wished to watch the Seattle Mariners lose rather than satisfy me with an answer.  Therefore, upon pestering him for nearly an hour, seeking, in fact begging for a reasonable response while the Mariners were losing their 19th straight game, I made it easier for him.  This was the only way to shut me up and wake him up. I made it multiple choice.  Reagan, Steinbrenner and Trump were all on the list.  He wasn’t aware of this Kardashion Dictator person, so I immediately helped him with the process of elimination.  My friend, Mark, asked me if he did provide an answer if I would please shut up and leave his domain.  That’s when further negotiations proceeded.  I replied, “I’ll shut up if you give me a sufficient answer, but I won’t leave because I don’t have cable and I want to watch the Mariners lose as much as you.”  Finally, he complied but raised the ante.  Requesting to choose someone not on my list, I thought, ok, I’ve given this friend of mine enough trouble.

His definitive response:  Captain Kirk.   I would have never thought of that guy.  But, I was most definitely satisfied, so I honored his request…………for about five minutes before asking him my next profound question:  “Who was your favorite character on Gilligan’s Island?”  That’s when I was forced to leave.

I still love that guy.