When you can snatch this pebble from my hand...

When I was going to university all those years ago I lived for two years across the road from this really interesting 72 year old guy. Alex was one of those people who has done everything. I met him one day as I was walking back to my house and he invited me to stop a while to sit on the porch and have a beer (and not in a creepy old guy way, either). As I had the beer (what student would ever say no to free beer?) I discovered that conversation between us flowed easily and the "beer on the porch" soon became an almost daily ritual. We had great conversations, though it was mostly Alex doing the talking - he did have fifty one years more material than I did. It was from Alex, who had spent some time at the end of WWII in Thailand waiting for his naval ship to be repaired, that I learned that for a little bit of coin you can get ANYTHING in Bangkok. ANYTHING!

Apparently, if you're an aging one-time cultural icon, you can get yourself killed there, too.

Ahhhh David Caradine...

This is how I want to remember him.

Looking back now, I know Kung Fu was cheesy. I know it was, but for an eight year old kid it was the coolest thing on TV. I wanted to be Kwai Chang Caine - minus the bald head, of course.

Actually, I really wanted to be Master Po - far better, I think, to be the gent holding the pebble than the poor bastard trying to grab it.

Anyway - it is sad to see him gone. Some reports say suicide, others suggest auto erotic asphyxia. Regardless, the news did not surprise me. All the police will officially say is that they found him hanging in his hotel room's closet with a curtain cord around his neck.

He was in Bangkok making a movie called "Stretch"

Really - that was the name...

Up lifting

I promised a more cheerful post after the unpleasantness of the last one.

Today, in conjunction with celebrations of my wife's birthday, the whole family went to see the new Pixar release, Up.  We went to see it in 3D.  

I have avoided the new rash of 3D movies for a couple of reasons.  The clips I've seen have always made the use of 3D look gimmicky, as if scenes are contrived to take advantage of the effect while lending nothing to the story.  The second reason was the last 3D movie I saw.  Many, many years ago, long before kids and small town living, we had friends living near Los Angeles.  On a visit to California, we went to Universal Studios and watched this in 3D.  Not only was the 3D effect fairly poor, but there was the emotional damage to contend with.  Needless to say, the entire thought of a three dimensional motion picture was tainted for me from that day forward.

I am so happy that the technology and subject matter have advanced leaps and bounds.  The 3D effect in Up is just magical - as is the story.  It was a deeply moving picture and there was something for all ages.  It dealt with so many issues and pulled no punches.  It was masterful story telling and, in my opinion, is the best of the Pixar movies to date.

One little note about the 3D glasses - I must have received a defective pair because at a few critical, emotional junctures in the movie the glasses caused my eyes to inexplicably water.  Now that I think of it the whole theatre must have received a defective batch.  

At times there wasn't a dry eye in the place.

I don't cotton to that book-lernin'

Book-lernin'.  

We've all heard about book-learning but here's a different take on it.  After my failed attempt at the good old Creative Writing MFA (silly me including a really good genre story in the application package) I had pushed the idea from my head...for a while.  I came across the above program and I must say it bears further investigation.  I'll keep you posted.  

In other news, the helicopter traffic has diminished and the police presence about town has subsided to the usual small-town level.  Sadly, a little girl's body remains missing and one wonders if now she'll ever be found.  Of course, since our town appeared to be the disposal site for four days (and might still prove to be) our kids have learned about the fate of Victoria Stafford and that her body is missing.  These are conversations that parents should never have to have with a six and eight year old.  

How do you explain that there are sick, sick people in the world that not only murder children, but dump their bodies to avoid being caught? 

Well... you do the only thing you can - You tell them there is no explanation for it.  That sometimes a person's brain is wired so differently that he or she becomes capable of doing the unthinkable.  But you also take the opportunity to go over every little safety lesson and every stranger warning you've ever had.  You tell them that if an adult in a car asks a kid for directions that they must yell and run because only a predator asks a little kid for directions.  And that it doesn't matter what they look like - old or young, man or woman - a creep through and through.  And if they aren't a predator, then they are an idiot - but still yell and run away.  

Lost puppy - what kind of creep asks a little kid to help look for a puppy.  

Free Candy?  That's the oldest one in the book, Creep!   

Mommy and Daddy were injured in an accident and they told me to fetch you.  Oh, yeah?  Where's the cop and what's the secret code word, Creep.

Yes - I have told my children to call such people creeps - you know, because they are.  I have also told them to run.  If grabbed - to bite, kick,  punch and scream for all they're worth because we've told them that if such a person gets you they will hurt you and kill you.  

Should I need to tell my little children such things?  In a perfect world - no.  But we don't live in a perfect world and I'm willing to sacrifice a little of my children's innocence if it will help them survive an encounter with just such a monster.

I look forward to a cheerier post next time.