Oklahoma!

In December, 1969, when Abraham Rose was 5 his mother took him to see a revival of Oklahoma! at the Palace Theater in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. By the time Gordon MacRae had finished stroking Shirley Jones with his fringe-top surrey fantasy his mother was dead and the hand he held grew quickly cold. He glanced up with a smile at the hicks being regaled by how everything was up to date in Kansas City.

Her eyes were closed and her neck drooped away from him.

Abraham knew his mother had to leave the movie early--to get to work on time on the other side of town--but he had figured she just needed the sleep and so he let her.

He kept watching.

On another birthday

The brother sent two films, one sparse and comic and 60s, the other also 60s but juicier and which features Joan Baez cussing.

The former was one of the movies I first latched onto when I realized that movies were more than just a reason for popcorn. The Graduate while not a current favorite has its moments even if I have to wonder what I used to like about this particular Mike Nichols movie.

The latter is a Scorcese documentary, supposedly. I like this one mainly because I get a kick out of seeing the Love and Theft-era Bob Dylan and his beard.