Hard News: Mr. Big Pants

Macbeth, a talented military general, wins the war for Scotland against Norway. King Duncan, pleased with Macbeth's efforts, ordains the general Thane of this and Thane of that.

*Note to King: No good deed goes unpunished.

Macbeth buys into his good press, becomes intoxicated on the heady aroma of power and listens to his wife's encouraging whispers. Thus begins a litany of social boo-boos. Killing a king when he drops in for an overnight is the sign of a man on a reckless quest for stardom. Macbeth's ego expands to three times the size of Glasgow and there's no stopping him.

In my opinion, his notorious rampage results from an idea that he is above the law, above decent behavior and above the rest of us. He adopts the misguided notion that he won't be caught.

Mmmm-hmmm. Got me thinkin'.

The two most important items Lord Macbeth omitted from his checklist:

1. His own conscience would reduce him to a blithering idiot.
2. Women talk — even in their sleep, Mr. Macbeth — we talk.

When will we ever learn, gentlemen? When?