In school I was famous for being the one who "ruined it for everyone", though nobody seemed to hold it against me, since my antics were so entertaining. The teacher always said it in a way that made it clear her intention was to turn crowd favor away from me. Good luck, ya old hag!
What do you think would be more fun for 4th Graders -- to listen to an ancient, cry-baby of a teacher wax pathetic about Hawaiian music, or to watch me leap on the table for an impromptu hula, which would, inevitably, make the old bitty cry, at no extra charge?
Hell, it's not as though I didn't like Hawaiian music -- my earliest memories of music are of Highlife (by way of my Nigerian brother) and Klezmer (by way of my Jewish roots), and this combination developed in me an early taste for most anything exotic-sounding. But both Highlife and Klezmer insist a body become one with their emotionally-stirring melodies, and I was not to be undone by lack of a grass skirt!
Alright, so my true motives were to fuck up the teacher and cause a little mayhem -- you'd think, still, I could get some credit for being so enthusiastic about her obsession! Everyone had groaned when she dragged out the rickety old box-turntable and her well-polished Hawaiian 45's -- and then, after my demonstration, even the shyest members of the class got in some arm-floating butt-wiggling! You'd think she'd thank me for turning the tide, or maybe praise me for my leadership qualities!
Nope. My caper caused the abrupt end of everything Hawaiian, and you know why? Because I RUINED IT FOR EVERYONE! Wow, can you imagine? RUINING IT FOR EVERYONE??? That's a lot of damn power! At home I was a miserable speck of insignificance, but all I had to do was to walk a half mile down the hill, and my power was unlimited!
I exercised my omnipotence at school in any way I could think of, all the time, but nothing ever compared to the heart-fluttering glee of accomplishment I felt whenever I was able to bat it out of the field, and ruin it for everyone!