Last Night

Last night was a great success. I got to John's house around 6:20PM to find it was at the time just John and Nancy. It was quite pleasant. Later on Tim showed up with his father, then his father left, and man he got tall! Seems like more than a year since I last saw him, he's turning into a fine looking young man. A little while later JJ showed up with his mother. It was good to see her again, it was good to see Dan again too.

The first movie we saw was "Black Cat" a 1934 horror movie. Not bad, not great. Laughable in a lot of places, and a movie you could walk out and miss large parts of and come back and pick up right where you left off.

I went into the living room about a third of the way through for a smoke, by myself - but the room is very well laid out now with the fireplace and dark blue striped(white) wall paper. Antique and old style furnishings, white base boards and trim work. The old full mirror on one wall. It's quite nice. I sat in a high backed chair by the window and smoked my pipe feeling the lord over all creation. So tasteful. So elegant. So Dapper. A proper gentleman. I forgot I was wearing battered jeans and workshirt, and enjoyed my moleskin vest and it was just... wonderful.

I returned again at the end of the movie for another with the same feelings of ease. I was joined briefly the second time by Tim and JJ but they left before I lit the pipe, though there was some laughter, we were beginning to warm back up to each other - I hadn't seen either of them since Thanksgiving 08.

The second movie was "American Werewolf in London" 1981 - directed by John Landis - I have always been a fan of his movies, "The Blues Brothers" gets top billing in my book. It was a splendid film and we watched it almost silently, every so often John would warn of a scary scene and you'd watch Tim get prepared for it on the couch knees up to his chin hands near his eyes.

Following the movie Nancy left, and I was joined by Tim and JJ in the livingroom for my smoke, which was nice.

The next film was "Them!" 1954, a movie about killer giant ants that came about as a result to nuclear testing in the deserts. Always a good film to watch. Though I'm sure terrifying in its day, it is just to be appreciated now for what it once was. JJ and John were both sound asleep and Tim and I were knocking back cans of Pepsi like it was our job. Both of us - tall thin guys - were beginning to shake as a result, him more so because I have about 30 pounds on him.

Pain was beginning to creep up my legs and crush my hands and I was contemplating going home, but both Tim and JJ had been quite insistent that I stay the whole night, John had made up a spare bedroom for me, and I was far from tired - so I decided for better or for worse I would persist.

Them! ended and Tim and I moved to the living room to have a smoke, rather I smoke - he keep company. I quite like the boy, he's 13 now and choosing where to go to high school. He wants to go to the school I went to, all my friends, his brother, his father and uncles, hell John teaches there - its how I first met him, indirectly. His parents want him to take a test for a more deluxe high school in the city which is also a boarding school. Tim would rather be among peers at ours than "the poor kid" at the other. I had forgot how much apprehension there is in going to high school - especially one where your classmates will not follow. So we had a good talk about that, and when I finished my pipe we went back to the den to choose another movie.

Now may I say that I have never really been effected by horror movies. I rarely jump, scream, get un-nerved. (I did get spooked watching "The Ring" but that was because afterwards I had to drive along a resevoire through the woods, at night, to get home). We chose the original "Amityville Horror" 1979. Neither I nor Tim had ever seen it before. Man... BOTH of us spent the movie on the edges of our seats, mouths open, totally creeped out! We're "tough guys" so we'll never admit it in person, but my god...

The movie concluded and we descended back to the living room with JJ who was once again awake. Half way through my smoke the boys went back to the den to find a new movie. When I returned they were watching "Maverick" on TV which they'd never seen - the movie with Mel Gibson and James Garner, not the old TV series with James Garner =p They couldn't decide on a movie. JJ wanted "The Excersist" which Tim and he had never seen. Tim was standing his ground against it. I've seen it a million times and had no interest but would have watched it for Tim if he had wanted to.

I cast a vote for "Interview with a Vampire" which Tim didn't want to watch because he was getting tired finally at 4:30AM. He kept looking to me to make the call and I kept refusing to "It's your night boys, you decide", JJ wanted to watch it because he knew it would keep Tim awake and if Tim went to sleep I was going home. Not out of overt preference to Tim so much as John was out cold, Tim would be out cold, and I had no inclination to stay past that point, staying up with a boy I see twice a year and have little common ground with.

In the end, Tim decided to go to sleep, so I told them they'd have to lock me out, I got my stuff together and they followed me down the stairs. Showed them which switch to throw, and said goodnight! Walked cross to my '86 Olds climbed in, lit the pipe, turned the engine fan on - a toggle switch on the dash - and headed home pretending I was in a movie about my life and the sad music on the radio was the credits.

It really was a wonderful night. Woke up today to a voicemail from John telling me that "I was the hit of the night" and that he was glad I'd stayed so long. It was quite wonderful to hear.