Whenever I begin to wonder why, after all these years, this is all I have to show for myself, I do what most men my age do. I look back to high school, when I was popular.

Now, don't get me wrong. I wasn't that kind of popular. I didn't play sports; I dropped out of basketball halfway through sophomore year to be in a play. I didn't get invited to the parties and I didn't date cheerleaders, or anyone else for that matter. But I was the Prom King! And it wasn't exactly a school-wide practical joke to elect me.