Ben

Ben, the two of us need look no more,
We both found what we were looking for.
With a friend to call my own,
I'll never be alone, and you, my friend, will see,
You've got a friend in me.

so i'm listening to the classic michael jackson track "ben". i don't often listen to lyrics, but after playing this song on repeat for the 34th time, i made an effort to hear the words. initially, i thought "aww...what a nice tribute. hope my friends think of me that way." (insert happy tears)

then... the lines got dark. im concerned- what is wrong with ben? why is he running? and why are people mean to him?  

i decided to reach out to wikipedia. like ben, she, too, has been a great friend.
it turns out that  "Ben" is not this  loner, misunderstood, flannel-wearing kid but a  RAT
the song is from a 1970s horror film titled "Ben".

wikipedia:
A lonely boy named Danny Garrison befriends Ben, the rat leader of the swarm of rats trained by Willard Stiles. Ben becomes the boy's best friend, protecting him from bullying and keeping his spirits up in the face of a heart condition.

However, things gradually take a downward turn as Ben's swarm becomes violent, resulting in several deaths. Eventually, the police destroy the rat colony with flame throwers, but Ben survives and makes his way back to Danny. The film closes with Danny, tending to the injured Ben, determined not to lose his friend.

insane, right? well, let's add the visuals, shall we? 

used to say I and me, now it's us, now it's we.

i can only assume the writer was on lsd, didn't read the script, or traumatized by homeschool.

nonetheless, RIP Ben.