Guess what I had for breakfast today?
Blueberry waffles with extra protein, topped with vanilla yogurt!
Yep, there's a toaster here, so I've treated myself to a change of pace at brunch.
I wish I could say it was a most pleasing alternative... but, no.
That's okay, the morning's entertainment was quite appealing!
I get the Science channel here, so that's let me enjoy "How It's Made" and learn about the construction of a myriad of different things!
Yesterday, the topics were: stapler; disposable cartridge for a razor; allergen-free chocolate chip banana mini-loaves; bassoon reeds; and dive computers for wrist wear.
Today, I was treated to: shale bricks; organ, including the tuning of the pipes; surgical retracters and clamps; vending machines; ketchup; and wooden walking canes.
What a fabulous start to my days here!!!
A doubleheader at a fabulous little cinema at Sea Pines, that's what, with two movies that weren't coming any closer to Savannah than here on this little island.
I got lost in the traffic circles for a couple of go-arounds, but I absolutely adored this lobby the moment I walked in.
Adorable, isn't it?
In a way, it reminds me of Cinematique, down in Daytona Beach, but this place boasted three screening rooms - and every one of them had a film not in rotation by the chain cinemas near me.
Such a treat!
For both, the subject matter was quite serious and heavy, not frivolous in the least way.
Take this first one, "Blue Bayou".
I was about fifteen minutes late to it (as Nuvi cannot handle roundabouts, sadly, and had me literally spinning my wheels), but I caught up quickly.
The new husband of the cop's former wife had gotten into a fight with the cop's partner, causing the arrest of the new husband... and subsequent finding out that he was not a US citizen.
When he'd been adopted here in the 1980's as a child, somehow the paperwork to naturalize him had not been done.
The end credits were full of others in the same sad state.
All were people who had been adopted here by US citizens and raised here, but never given citizenship, so now being deported.
The second movie, "The Card Counter", followed a man who had been in prison for 8 years after photographs of the torture he'd used on prisoners were posted on the internet.
I remember those events in Abu Ghraib in 2004.
The man was making a living at the casinos and staying out of trouble until the son of one of his military mates approached him, wanting to exact revenge on the civilian who had trained them in torture.
Both movies dealt with the aftermath of chance encounters that led to big changes in their lives, and the lives of those around them.
Both movies had serious messages about the inability to change anyone else.
But the second movie was the one that impacted me the most.
The former torturer had received parole and was trying to live a quiet life, quietly, winning small amounts that allowed him to live anonymously in motels and travel from one casino to another, leaving no trail of discord, interacting with no one.
Then, this young man, full of anger, recognizes who the he is and sees him as an ally.
What to do to dissuade this young man from the path of destruction?
Money was needed, so the former torturer gets a backer and goes on the celebrity poker circuit, convincing the young man to go along with him.
Money was made, enough to pay off the debts of the young man and of his mother, enough to allow him to go to college and make a future for himself, and the former torturer tries to give the money to the young man and has to threaten him to get him to take it.
All to no avail.
The young man goes after the civilian torturer on his own, getting killed.
The former torturer then exacts revenge for that death from the civilian torturer, knowing that he will be returned to Leavenworth, but seeing no recourse.
He had tried to do good for someone, he had allowed himself to become friends with someone, and he had failed to keep them safe.
Prison was the best place for him to be.
Wow... heartbreaking.
Tiffany Haddish was the woman who backed his bets for the celebrity poker, proving to me that she can actually act.
Usually, she just plays the same blue, wild, coarse person in every role.
Not this time; she was excellent: refined, smooth, stable.
That was good.
Even so, the two movies were still rough on me and had my nerves jangled.
Perhaps it was the salty food I'd had as lunch that was partly to blame.
The cinema had some gourmet offerings, like the large Greek platter, loaded with black olives, slices of red bell pepper, circles of cucumber, banana peppers, wedges of Parmesan cheese, toasted pita, and savory hummus - that was lunch!
Still, it probably edged up my blood pressure.
And then, right there at that intersection where I happened to be stopped for a red light, I saw it: Slapfish!
Right place, right time!
Talking to the young man in there while I waited for my to-go order really perked me up, too.
I told him about me first hearing of the restaurant in Pooler and that's what started us to animatedly chatting about seafood and good food and food that's good for you!
Very nice.
Just look at all those chips!
Doesn't that make a pretty sunflower arrangement?
Then there's all those perfectly sauteed vegetables!!!
Plus, the process of unpacking the food - finding that glass bowl to showcase the shrimp ceviche, plating it with the crunchy, homemade tortilla chips, opening the veggies and breathing that aroma - quieted my nerves and settled me down.
And what more did the universe have for me?
Like, a movie for which I'd traveled down to Jacksonville to watch it, along with the first in the series, once upon a time.
Yes, yes, indeed, its Yondu Udonta, strutting his stuff, whether as Mary Poppins or evicted Ravager, in "Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2"!
Yes, I was having dinner again with Michael Rooker...
and that was perfectly fine with me!
Right place, right time...
i thank You, God.
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