No Paralelo 23: março 2024

«My young parents went to a lot of movies around this time, and usually brought me along. I'm sure they could have found somebody to pawn me off on (my Grandmother Dorothy was usually game), but instead they allowed me to tag along. But part of the reason I was allowed to tag along was because I knew how to keep my mouth shut.

During the daytime I was allowed to be a normal (annoying) kid. Ask dumb questions, be childish, be selfish, you know, like most children. But if they took me out at night, to a nice restaurant, or a bar (which sometimes did because Curt was a piano bar musician), or a nightclub (which they also did from time to time), or the movies, or even a double date with another couple, I knew this was adult time. If I wanted to be allowed to hang around during adult time, my little ass better be fucking cool. Which basically meant don't ask dumb questions, don't think the evening's about you (it's not). The adults are there to talk to each other and laugh and joke. It was my job to shut up and let them, without constant childish interruption. I knew no one truly cared (unless it was cute) about any observation. I had about the movie we saw, or the evening itself. It's not like if I broke these rules I was treated hashly. But I was encouraged to act mature and well behaved. Because if I acted like a childish pain in the ass, I'd be left at home with a babysitter, while they went out and had a good time. I didn't want to stay at home ! I wanted to go out with them ! I wanted do be part of adult time.

(...) It was in my best interest to keep my mouth shut and my eyes and ears open.
This is what adults did when they weren't around children.
This is how adults socialized.
This is what they talked about when they were with each other.
This is the shit they liked to do.
This is the shit they found funny.

(...) When they took me to the movies, it was my job to sit and watch the movie, wether I liked it or not.

Yes, some of those adult movies were fucking amazing ! MASH, The Dollar's Trilogy, Where Eagles Dare, The Godfather, Dirty Harry, The French Connection, The Owl and the Pussycat, and Bullit. And some, to an eight - or nine-year old, were fucking boring. (...) But I knew, while they were watching the movie, no one cared wether or not I was having a good time.»

(...) Well, I decided. I wanted to go out with them.
And the first rule, don't be a pain in the ass.
The second rule, during the movie, don't ask stupid questions.»