October 25, 2003
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Tigers and the Trident
Yesterday we went to the Trident cafe to look for books and have something warm to chase the chill from our tummies. I would like to officially declare that although Trident has a decent selection of books, their food is horrible and miserably overpriced. I ordered some fries, but the limp, burnt tubers they brought me were completely unpalatable. It made me mad, because I was hungry, and I wanted something other than snotty boston fashionista food. So now I’m ranting about it.
A good thing, though – I rediscovered Pablo Neruda (Tonight I can write the saddest lines…) and spent some time leaning in the poetry aisle soaking up some words. And when i got change from paying the bill for my pathetic food, I got an interesting five dollar bill. “Help track this bill as it travels the world, ” it invited, www.wheresgeorge.com ” my fiver is apparently not very traveled. oh well. It was interesting at least.
We went to see Lost in Translation later that night. I don’t really know what to say about it. When I see or feel something poignant, I sometimes think it’s a waste to try to describe what i think about it. Love does that to me alot, or good books, or going to the movies. It’s one of those films that follows you around for the next few days, showing up in your thoughts or your memory at odd moments. Like life reminding us of fiction, setting us deeper into it, instead of the other way around.. Whatever that means. I feel inadequate about it right now, so I’ll keep silent.
I finished The Life of Pi this morning, instead of going to City Year. I know I promised to go and paint and do something benevolent today, but when I woke up that sort of thing just wasn’t part of my daily calling so I engrossed myself in the story of the Tiger and the boy. Imagine being lost at sea on a tiny lifeboat with a bengal tiger……it sounds ridiculous, but it has to be one of the most compelling, complete, and awesome stories of spirituality, science, faith, and survival I have ever read. And so fiction reminds us of life, and removes us from it for a while.
Speaking of being shipwrecked, halloween party tonight. I plan on being the opposite of anything benevolent. I am going to dress up like a pirate and get myself crocked on rum. I’ll deal with the guilt later.
