NPD Theater - The Clown Father | Act 7

The theater lights dim, and I stare coldly at the ledger.
The numbers told the story of the theater's struggle.
Suddenly, there is the sound of a creaking door.
Standing there was my father, looking exhausted.
I sigh, saying, "You're the clown today, aren't you?"
"I drank too much; the master was in high spirits."
With that, my father hands me a scrap of paper.

In the dim light, I stare intently at the scrap of paper.
The remark, "You know what this means, right?" doesn't bother me.
It is just that a dry, sandy wind from the desert blows through the theater.
The scrap of paper dances, intertwining with the numbers on the desk.
My father sighs a little lonely, saying, "I understand."
The sand covers the numbers completely.

In the dark hallway, my father stands still.
As if remembering something, he says quietly,
"He was praising you."
"I know," the voice in the mirror overlaps.
The desk was buried in sand.
I open the heavy drawer and hand him an envelope.

Yes, this is fine.

Commentary

The protagonist (I) is a busy person who manages a small theater while also performing on stage. Because of their perfectionism, they try to take everything on alone, and their heart is worn down by a reality that does not go well. One night, after the performance, their father appears. He is dressed as a clown and seems to have been entertaining the theater's patron (supporter). The father pressures the protagonist to pay for the tab from that entertainment. The protagonist, struggling with management, does not want to respond immediately. Then, the father reveals his victim mentality and shakes the protagonist with silent pressure. However, the protagonist, who has NPD (Narcissistic Personality Disorder) and cannot introspect, feels no guilt. Finally, as a last resort, the father says, "The patron was praising you." This single remark sharply stimulates the protagonist's self-esteem. Thus, the protagonist decides to give money to their father once again.

Afterword

The father has brilliantly "conquered" the NPD protagonist. The three-stage shaking of "imposition," "playing the victim," and "excessive flattery" seems like the culmination of anti-NPD strategies cultivated over many years of turmoil. In the beginning, it was a landslide victory for the protagonist. The "imposition" does not work because, due to black-and-white thinking, they already view their father as "below" them. The "playing the victim" is also ineffective, as the protagonist's interest is directed only toward the numbers (= the reality of management). However, the tide turns with the final "excessive flattery." For someone with NPD, there is nothing more pleasant than being affirmed by an evaluator of their ideal self, which is "society." Moreover, it is even more so if it is the words of an "authoritative figure (= the patron)." Because of this one remark, the harsh reality is pushed aside, and an action is chosen for the "maintenance of the ideal self." It is always the people around them who pay the price for that.