I once saw a dead rat on the F train that was still moving. In these uncertain times, I had to consider that it was a zombie rat. On closer inspection, it turns out it was simply full of maggots, and for those who were paying attention in freshman biology, you know that the lifecycle of a maggot ends when it becomes a mature fly. And when little girl flies and little boy flies grow up, they hope to ascend. They hope to leave a legacy. And on Wednesday night, at the Vice Presidential debate, one proud, American fly had his or her place in the sun. Or at least, in the deeply coiffed and apparently numb follicles of Vice President Mike Pence.
As the predictably tense and longwinded debate came to an end, a fly landed on Pence's head as he attempted to navigate the complex waters of speaking about Breonna Taylor and Black Lives Matter. As social media called "bullshit," so did said fly. Landing right atop Pence's noggin, the social media-minded flocked to their televisions to snap a quick picture of this, our new American hero.
How is this fly a hero? Well, to quote Senator Kamala Harris, "Let's have that discussion." These debates are hellish. They are oftentimes joyless. But as soon as the fly landed, we all had something to root for. For nearly two minutes, this fly just hung out to let us know, I will not be silenced. I will not be ignored. On stage, it seemed that no one noticed, which is strange because I've seen open hand slaps that were more subtle than this fly's presence, but hey. Don't take my word for it.
Here are the best reactions to that brave, American fly.
God bless this fly, all the low bar Halloween costumes it will inspire, and most of all, these United States of America.
Justin Kirkland is a Brooklyn-based writer who covers culture, food, and the South. Along with Esquire, his work has appeared in NYLON, Vulture, and USA Today.
