#human weakness

I am reminded of that infamous bath scene, when Sebastian gives our earl quite the talking to about the frailty of humans. Even a scratch could lead to death if not cleaned properly. But we have to remember that Sebastian is chiefly concerned with keeping his young master healthy until their contract is over. Then the demon gets to eat this rare “delicacy” of a delicate human being.

Bard/Baldo’s memories of a little boy come back to haunt him, and I do expect this to be a son whom he lost. Either he had a wife who took the boy when she left him, or perhaps they actually died. Probably simply left him, much like he said to the others at the sanatorium.

Of course, Sebastian can’t read Bard/Baldo’s mind, but he can sense the guy’s thinking about something bittersweet from his own past. I guess we can hope for him to tell Sebastian (or maybe even Finny) about this little boy ….

The jealous person wants to be the only source of their beloved’s wellbeing. And yet, as we know, the press of life is strong, so fiercely expansive, that it can’t be completely fulfilled by one relationship; all of us are tempted to risk even the most solid bonds when attracted by others. If we maintain some clear-headedness and a little self-control, we can see that a large part of our beloved’s existence inevitably takes place outside the enclosure in which we want to place them. To keep watch is impossible; every attack of jealousy underlines our condition as a frail human being – we’re not indispensable, we’re afraid of abandonment – and it is degrading. And for that reason, we try desperately to contain our jealous rages. At times, we even manage to transform them into an impulse to give the other all the attention, all the kindness, all the understanding we are capable of. It’s an exercise that doesn’t always succeed. Inevitably, the feeling of inadequacy prevails, along with the impossibility of making oneself the sole purpose of another’s life. We try to shut our beloved up in a cage, preferring that they die spiritually and even physically – rather than expose ourselves to the humiliating wound of their escape.