Chapter 1: The Foot Incident

Yesterday, my partner, Hugh, was engaged in a game of handball with my stepson. During the game, the ball rolled away and came to rest under a parked car. Hugh went to retrieve it, but as he bent down on the curb, he felt a 'click' in his right foot. I had stepped outside to join them and noticed him limping back.

Curious, I inquired about what had happened, and he described the 'click.' Just three months earlier, I had experienced a similar sound when I fractured both of my feet, so I suggested we head to urgent care. His immediate reaction was, "Don't be ridiculous, J."

Of course, I wasn't taken aback by his response; he has been evading a blood test since April, so I figured he wouldn't be eager to check his foot either. I proposed we see how he felt in the morning. Yet again, he dismissed my suggestion with, "Don't be silly, J, it's fine."

I was familiar with this dismissive attitude since last year, when I had to employ a bit of reverse psychology to convince him to take his high blood pressure medication. The conversation went something like this:

"Ah, you don't want to take your blood pressure tablets? That's perfectly fine; I understand that those five seconds to swallow them are valuable. But remember, if something were to happen to you, the kids would lose the father they currently know. And your business aspirations? Well, I guess they aren't as important as you've claimed, but that's okay—feel free to skip the medication."

After his blood pressure had spiked to 170 one night, he finally agreed to take his medication, thanks to my successful reverse psychology strategy.

Now, back to the foot situation. This morning, while he was making my coffee, I noticed him limping in the kitchen. I cautiously suggested, "H, perhaps you should consider getting your foot checked out," using the word "consider" as a gentle nudge.

His response? "Don't be silly. I can still move it, and there’s no bruising or pain like you had." I persisted, "I know I've mentioned this before, but I'll reiterate: while it’s wonderful to feel youthful in your 20s, remember your body is now in its 40s."

Yet again, he was unwilling to visit urgent care. I even reminded him of my ex-husband's heart attack, emphasizing how I had to nag him relentlessly to seek help, a move that ultimately saved him. Hugh simply replied, "Yes, but he had pain; I don’t."

Goodness! I think I might need to enhance my reverse psychology tactics; this invincible superhero is certainly not ready to remove his cape anytime soon.

The first video, "Why Most Superheroes in Invincible SUCK," humorously critiques the flaws in superhero portrayals, highlighting the unrealistic expectations we place on them.

The second video, "Invincible: The Trauma of Being A Superhero," delves into the psychological challenges faced by superheroes, exploring the complexities of their seemingly perfect lives.