The Forgotten Man

Themes: Attention, Contemporary, Dramatic, Entitlement, Frustration
Length: 1 Minute
Gender: Male

A man stands in a cluttered living room, fists clenched at his sides, pacing back and forth. His voice is thick with frustration and a deep-seated sense of injustice. He occasionally stops, staring off into the distance as if questioning everything he once believed.

I’ve done everything right—followed all the rules, worked my ass off—and for what? To be ignored? Passed over? It’s like I don’t even exist! I’ve put in the hours, made the sacrifices, but somehow, I’m still invisible. I see guys half my age getting promoted, getting praised, while I’m left to rot in the background. And don’t even get me started on home life—no one notices me there either. It’s like I’m just… there, taking up space, doing what’s expected but never what’s appreciated. I’m not asking for the world here. Just a little recognition, some acknowledgment that I matter, that all this effort isn’t for nothing. Is that too much to ask? I’ve given so much of myself, but I’m starting to wonder if there’s anything left to give. How did I become so forgettable? How did I go from being someone with promise to just another face in the crowd? I deserve better than this—I know it, and I’m tired of pretending I don’t.