A deflated red balloon drapes over a brass padlock beside its key against mint green.

Original artwork, not a still

Riff

Boy, am I a victim of disappointment in you.

— West Side Story

Behind the line

What it means

Our interpretation.

Riff casts disappointment as something that has happened to him, making himself its victim. The unusual phrasing gives the feeling the weight of an injury caused by the person addressed. It states the effect on the speaker without explaining which expectation has been let down.

Context reviewed

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