- Sep 22, 2013
- 4,956
- 250
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This is a modernism paranoia parable about discovering 'strange magic' amidst the flow of everyday traffic and normalized culture. This story was inspired by the film The Muse.
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"At a typical American high-school, a typical young man and young woman, both students at the high-school, decided to start dating in their senior-year. The boy, Eric Shaw, and the girl, Tandy Newton, were a handsome couple and prepared to attend their senior-prom together. Eric was the class vice-president, and Tandy was the head cheerleader of the prolific high-school football team. This ideal high-school couple were about to attend their ideal high-school prom together as dates and glorify the general cultural pageantry of their social institution. Isn't that life in America?"
"Well, as it turned out, Eric and Tandy, were crowned the high-school prom king and queen. This was of course a great honor, for those of you readers who're unfamiliar with the weight or social value or esteem of 'prom king/queen' titling in modern American high-school proms. So, since Eric and Tandy were crowned high-school prom king and queen, they never forgot how magical their prom turned out to be, capping a senior year of great memories and romance while being together in their typical and bright American high-school. Man, this almost like an idealized Norman Rockwell painting!"
"Unfortunately, real life stepped in, and Eric and Tandy both became working adults in what we simply call the real world. Eric and Tandy separated and followed different ambition paths and career goals. Eric became a lawyer in Manhattan, while Tandy became a social worker in Los Angeles. However, Tandy never forgot the basic magic of her prom night, during which Eric and Tandy consummated their love-bond and relationship in a very very expensive hotel-room Eric purchased with his earned high-school money. Tandy also never forgot the magic of being crowned prom queen along with her boyfriend-date Eric, the prom king. Tandy began wondering if she should step aside from her work in Los Angeles and give Eric a call or email and reconnect. She was daydreaming."
"When Eric Shaw got her high-school girlfriend's email and decided to reconnect with Tandy, he realized he never got over his prom magic memories either. He cherished being prom royalty with Tandy and then consummating his love for her on prom night in that very very expensive hotel-room he purchased (or rented I should say) with his hard-earned high-school work/job money. Eric realized he wanted to rekindle the flames of his passion with Tandy and sought to create some kind of relationship with her, despite being separated for years after going to separate colleges and then pursuing different career goals in two very distant cities (NY and LA). Eric realized he was remembering Tandy like he was a high-school boy with an inflated suddenly dioramic crush (again?)."
ERIC: Thanks so much for meeting with me in Chicago, darling!
TANDY: Don't call me Darling just yet, because I'm not sure of our destiny, Eric.
ERIC: Don't you remember the magic of our prom night, Tandy?
TANDY: If I didn't, I wouldn't have wanted to find you again, ok?
ERIC: So, where do we go from here, darling?
TANDY: Well, you agreed to meet with me in Chicago, so it's a start!
ERIC: Sure, but is this like some kind of childhood nostalgia or something?
TANDY: If it is, what's wrong with that?
ERIC: I guess nothing is bad about it, since, I mean, well, kids play with toys, right?
TANDY: Exactly, Eric; kids play with Aer Lingus airline toys as if they know or care about Ireland airlines.
ERIC: Don't be sarcastic, but I understand what you're saying.
TANDY: Well then, what am I saying, Eric?
ERIC: Darling, you're implying that our prom magic is something that can be relived out of context!
TANDY: Right.
ERIC: In that case, let's just enjoy this Chicago weekend as if it's prom night again!
TANDY: That was my thinking.
ERIC: Afterwards, I'll buy for you an Aer Lingus toy-set...if you get married and have kids.
TANDY: I think they might appreciate such a memorable gift...if I get married and have kids!
ERIC: Ain't love like a diary?
"The moral of this story is, in this new age of high-speed traffic and consumerism and emails and tweets, we might find pockets of relived and vital serendipity and magic and even enchantment in forms of meaningful connections. For after all, not even the flurry of dizzying emails can drown out the basic human voices pleading for everyday human dance! What do you think? Are you a fan of Twitter?"
===
"Money is everything" (Ecclesiastes)
====
"At a typical American high-school, a typical young man and young woman, both students at the high-school, decided to start dating in their senior-year. The boy, Eric Shaw, and the girl, Tandy Newton, were a handsome couple and prepared to attend their senior-prom together. Eric was the class vice-president, and Tandy was the head cheerleader of the prolific high-school football team. This ideal high-school couple were about to attend their ideal high-school prom together as dates and glorify the general cultural pageantry of their social institution. Isn't that life in America?"
"Well, as it turned out, Eric and Tandy, were crowned the high-school prom king and queen. This was of course a great honor, for those of you readers who're unfamiliar with the weight or social value or esteem of 'prom king/queen' titling in modern American high-school proms. So, since Eric and Tandy were crowned high-school prom king and queen, they never forgot how magical their prom turned out to be, capping a senior year of great memories and romance while being together in their typical and bright American high-school. Man, this almost like an idealized Norman Rockwell painting!"
"Unfortunately, real life stepped in, and Eric and Tandy both became working adults in what we simply call the real world. Eric and Tandy separated and followed different ambition paths and career goals. Eric became a lawyer in Manhattan, while Tandy became a social worker in Los Angeles. However, Tandy never forgot the basic magic of her prom night, during which Eric and Tandy consummated their love-bond and relationship in a very very expensive hotel-room Eric purchased with his earned high-school money. Tandy also never forgot the magic of being crowned prom queen along with her boyfriend-date Eric, the prom king. Tandy began wondering if she should step aside from her work in Los Angeles and give Eric a call or email and reconnect. She was daydreaming."
"When Eric Shaw got her high-school girlfriend's email and decided to reconnect with Tandy, he realized he never got over his prom magic memories either. He cherished being prom royalty with Tandy and then consummating his love for her on prom night in that very very expensive hotel-room he purchased (or rented I should say) with his hard-earned high-school work/job money. Eric realized he wanted to rekindle the flames of his passion with Tandy and sought to create some kind of relationship with her, despite being separated for years after going to separate colleges and then pursuing different career goals in two very distant cities (NY and LA). Eric realized he was remembering Tandy like he was a high-school boy with an inflated suddenly dioramic crush (again?)."
ERIC: Thanks so much for meeting with me in Chicago, darling!
TANDY: Don't call me Darling just yet, because I'm not sure of our destiny, Eric.
ERIC: Don't you remember the magic of our prom night, Tandy?
TANDY: If I didn't, I wouldn't have wanted to find you again, ok?
ERIC: So, where do we go from here, darling?
TANDY: Well, you agreed to meet with me in Chicago, so it's a start!
ERIC: Sure, but is this like some kind of childhood nostalgia or something?
TANDY: If it is, what's wrong with that?
ERIC: I guess nothing is bad about it, since, I mean, well, kids play with toys, right?
TANDY: Exactly, Eric; kids play with Aer Lingus airline toys as if they know or care about Ireland airlines.
ERIC: Don't be sarcastic, but I understand what you're saying.
TANDY: Well then, what am I saying, Eric?
ERIC: Darling, you're implying that our prom magic is something that can be relived out of context!
TANDY: Right.
ERIC: In that case, let's just enjoy this Chicago weekend as if it's prom night again!
TANDY: That was my thinking.
ERIC: Afterwards, I'll buy for you an Aer Lingus toy-set...if you get married and have kids.
TANDY: I think they might appreciate such a memorable gift...if I get married and have kids!
ERIC: Ain't love like a diary?
"The moral of this story is, in this new age of high-speed traffic and consumerism and emails and tweets, we might find pockets of relived and vital serendipity and magic and even enchantment in forms of meaningful connections. For after all, not even the flurry of dizzying emails can drown out the basic human voices pleading for everyday human dance! What do you think? Are you a fan of Twitter?"
===
"Money is everything" (Ecclesiastes)
