The Greatest Supreme

All the worlds a stage,

And all the men and women merely players;

They have their exits and their entrances;

And one man in his time plays many parts,…

—

Creak.

A twenty-year-old man entered the dormitory room I was residing in. I didn make an effort to look at him and just laid most of my attention on what I was studying.

I was sitting on my bed with my back leaning against the headboard, reading a monologue when he suddenly grabbed the review paper in my hand and took it away.

This jerk…

My eyes looked at him disinterestedly.

”Hmm, ” he mumbled as he scanned the page.

He put his closed index finger at the top of his mouth and narrowed his eyes while silently reading the paper. Then he glanced sideways to look at me while maintaining those eyes and smirked. What was his deal?

He faced me and gently took a step.

And suddenly…

”All the worlds a stage! By William Shakespeare, fr-from As You Like It. Bow! ”

And he bowed with his right hand on his chest.

I closed my eyes and just lightly snickered at his childish stupidity.

He continued with his declaration.

”All the worlds a stage, and all… all the men and women merely the, uh merely players. They have their exits and their entrances. And one man in his time plays many parts… his acts being seven ages. At first, the infant— ”

”Rin, give it back. ”

”Hm, why should I? I am just teaching you the right way to recite a poem. You should be grateful, ” Rin replied with a teasing tone.

”Thats a monologue, not a poem. And also, Im not going to recite it. ”

”Mewling and puking in the nurses arms. And then the whining schoolboy, with his satchel… ”

Oh.

There was a wry smile on my face, and my mouth opened to spew some things I could think of.

”Do you know that this monologue inspired sociologist Erving Goffman for his theory of impression management, also referred to as the dramaturgical perspective? In this theory, he observed and analyzed the complexities of social interaction using a theatrical metaphor of stage, performers, and audience. According to this viewpoint, the self is made up of the different faces that individuals portray, and one of the primary goals of social performers is to display their various selves in ways that… ”

Yes, that was the reaction I was longing to see.

”Haaa, ” Rin sighed with a detached expression on his face. He gave the paper back and sat on his bed.

”Hey, enough with your nerd talk. Thats why you don have a lover despite your handsome face. ”

”Hm? Intelligence is sexy, don you know? ”

Rins right hand covered his face, then he glanced over the table stacked with piles of books and reviewers.

He asked, ”What are these for? The finals are already over. ”

”Ah. Im the representative of the United States and Im reviewing for an international event. A quiz show, in particular. ”

Rin had an impressed expression on his face.

”…Haha. ”

”Oh? You
e proud of me? ”

”Then, why are you reviewing the speech so earnestly? ”

”Hm, Im memorizing it. Maybe there will be fill-in-the-blanks in the actual quiz show? ”

”Haha, so hardcore. ”

”Wh