The Riddler: “…Do you know what being an orphan is? It’s 30 kids to a room. Twelve years old and already a drophead, numbing the pain” (2:16:59)

The typically abandoned out-of-school children and orphans know abiding pain!

Abiding pain is an enabler. Towards resignation. Or towards something sinister. Whereas pain that comes and leaves after a season is a gift from providence, as may be found in nature, The Riddler’s experience was with abiding pain. Pain that seemingly refuses to leave.

“Why sit we here still until we die” is the throwback cry of four biblical characters who experienced the abiding pain of ill-health, discrimination and neglect. Abiding pain pushed them to the point where they opted to die while trying to live instead of resigning and waiting for death to come and take them.

The Riddler had the opportunity to give expression to his abiding pain. For those not given a similar opportunity to give verbal expressions to their abiding pain, wouldn’t it become a case of compounded resentment in the end?