The Lament of the Black Fly

In the bustling city of New York, where the air was thick with ambition and the streets rattled with the sound of opportunity, lived a little Black Fly named Benny. Now, Benny wasn’t just any fly, mind you. He was a Black Fly surrounded by a world that all but shunned him. The other flies buzzed around with bright colors—blues, yellows, and reds—shimmering in the sunshine like party balloons at a birthday bash. But Benny? He was the sad, depressed black sheep of the fly community, blending in darkly against the city’s grungy grime.

Every day, Benny would flit along the edge of the park, listening to the other flies chat about their sunny travels and elaborate love lives. “Did you hear that Cathleen finally hooked up with that handsome blue fly?” one would buzz with excitement. Benny would sigh, and think to himself, “If only I could find someone to see past my dull color.”

But life was a tad tougher for Benny. His black wings were seen as a sign of misfortune, his dark complexion a warning to others. While he tried to muster up the courage to join a group of flies sipping nectar from fallen fruit, he was often brushed aside as “the unlucky one.”

Determined to beat the odds, Benny donned a pair of tiny sunglasses—perfect for the occasion—to help him look more vibrant. He strutted over to the group, sunglasses gleaming under the sun. But alas, instead of acceptance, they erupted in laughter. "What’s with the shades, Benny? Trying to hide in style?" they taunted.

With a heavy heart, Benny decided to leave the park, buzzing off in search of a friend. He whizzed past pigeons who cooed in sympathy, and rats who simply ignored him, caught in their own gnawing dilemmas.

One fateful day, while dining on a luscious piece of orange peel, Benny encountered a sickly green caterpillar named Carlos. They soon struck up an unexpected friendship, bonding over their shared experiences of being different in a world that craved sameness.

Together, they roamed the city, evading human swats and living their best lives. Benny found joy in sharing tips on avoiding sticky situations and Carlos offered insight on how to embrace one’s true self, even if you weren’t the fanciest in the room. Yet, in his heart, there was an unyielding sadness. Despite their whimsy, Benny couldn’t shake the feeling that no matter how far their friendship took them, acceptance among the bustling flies would remain out of reach.

Then one fateful day, Carlos underwent a transformation. He built a cocoon and promised to find Benny and tell him all about his transformation into a magnificent butterfly. Benny waited by that very same orange peel, watching the days pass, love and loyalty at the ready.

Weeks turned into months, and as Benny buzzed alone without his dear friend, he couldn't help but grow despondent. Finally, a beautiful butterfly emerged, shimmering in hues that dazzled the very sun. Carlos, now majestic, fluttered his wings. But as cheerful as he was, he no longer recognized his old friend.

“Who are you, little Black Fly?” he asked, fluttering away to mingle with other butterflies who accepted him for his brilliance. Benny's heart broke as he realized he had been cast aside yet again.

And so, Benny the Black Fly continued to buzz through the city, invisible to the world around him, battling loneliness among the lights and shadows—sometimes coming to rest on the very orange peel that saw his blossoming friendship. But in that depth of solitude, he clung to the hope that someday, he would no longer be just a Black Fly in a kaleidoscope of colors, but a being accepted for his very essence. Until then, he would fly on, a tragic figure in a city that often forgot the beauty of the overlooked.