2002-11-12 - 7:49 p.m.
Date Night
My mom spent the night on Sunday night and Sonny and I went to see Punch-Drunk Love. We're movie-going fools...that's two in two weeks. Anyway, I give it a big thumbs up. I went in that theater with a margarita in my bloodstream, a date-night high in my heart and NO expectations so I will admit that I may have been easy to please, but I was quite impressed. Fresh, creative, interesting--what a movie should be. My two favorite parts were Barry wandering through the supermarket mumbling, "What am I looking for?" and his business partner falling off his chair. (I didn't ruin anything for you....I hope. Those are two Very minor scenes.)
Bizarre Day
Date night was followed by bizarre day. At about 11am my mom was taking Baby Lou out for a walk and I was getting ready to head out to the bank and find out it was closed for Veteran's Day when a bare-foot woman in shorts and a t-shirt came running through the cul-de-sac pounding on doors and screaming that "the gas lines were going to blow" and mumbling "jesus, forgive me" over and over. (I didn't say it was good, bizarre day.) The most horrific part of this incident was that she was very loosely cradling an 18-month to 2-1/2-year-old child dressed in only a t-shirt and diaper. It was about 50 degrees out. She was obviously not in her mind. I asked her if I could hold the baby for her and she ignored me and kept shrieking and mumbling. I ran back in the house to call 911 and my mom started talking to her.
I'd like to stop this story right now to say I will on many occasions mock my mother. She deserves it. But, I want to take a moment right now to raise my hands in the air like I just don't care for my mother. She did a great thing yesterday. And, I was very proud of her.
I brought Lou in and talked to the 911 operator who wanted me to stay on the line with her in case the woman started to run off. My mom started talking to the woman and the next thing I knew she was clinging on my mom and sobbing. She brought her in the house and we got her a towel for her cut-up feet and a glass of water. I was surprised that she took it. I thought she might be too paranoid.
The police ended up talking to her in my stairwell for about an hour and then took her and the little boy to Harborview to assess the situation. I can't stop thinking about that little kid. He seemed so void of emotion. I can't even imagine what his life is like. A couple of the police people stayed and talked to us afterward and TWO of them mentioned that they weren't sure that was her child (!). Jesus. That horrifies me. In a way, I kind of hope it's not her child so that he might have mentally stable parents; even though, that means their kid was temporarily abducted. Otherwise, I'm hoping she gets the help she needs and is able to function normally as a parent for that child. I'm blown away by the fact that we all have such different experiences in this world. I can't even believe the obstacles that people overcome (or don't). They said he would probably be taken to CPS and then go to a "receiving home." Man, I wish I could have taken that kid in, but I'm sure it's not that easy to do, and I know we're not prepared to do it. The whole situation broke my heart. She was not scary. She was just really sad.
Alright, before this gets too sappy, I'll move on to other news...
Other News
We went to a lovely party for my good buddy, K, on Saturday. She ran off and got married, she did. It was wonderful to see her looking so happy. I wish her all the very best.
More sappiness....it's my diary, damnit.
I hope your evening is filled with good things and lacking crazy people with cut-up feet.
