Ghosts boast

In Spain we commonly call “ghost” to someone that likes to show off. To hold that in Spain ghosts boast doesn´t necessarily imply something preposterous or out of place.

To tell the truth, it´s always been hard for me to believe in ghosts, in both types of ghosts, I mean. Ghosts and people that boast have always prompted in me a similar kind of reaction: I tend to disregard them as soon as I sniff them out.

I´m not fully sure but I think this reaction owes something to my childhood. I remember quite accurately a summer friend of mine. I met him every summer and I recall him desperately wanting to become the leader of our pack. This desire to be acknowledged as our leader took him to a constant showing off, no matter the cost. He wanted to avoid being confused with the rest of us and tried to place himself at any price on the side of those that we all , secretly or not, acknowledged as our true leaders being his rather the case of a fake leader in desperate need of recognition. This chap happened in addition to be the son of a rich businessman that owned a film projector and we were all seized by a mixture of jealousy, anxiousness and admiration each time that he invited us to watch ghost films in his house.

A few days back I think I saw him across the street. I say “I think” because his figure somehow gradually blurred before my eyes as i made the effort to recognize him after so many years.