Last night, I had a long and riotous conversation with my friend Mitchell, and a brief interlude when Alex got onto the phone, and we raved about our lives, and James Joyce, and many other topics.
Mitchell was telling me about his upcoming summer job – when he will be – er – what exactly is your title, Mitchell? – with Circus Smirkus – a traveling circus, “where kids from across the US and around the world collaborate with professional circus coaches to immerse themselves in exciting, entertaining, and life-enhancing adventures under the Big Top!” Mitchell is very involved in these kids lives. He loves them. He is invested in their futures. And they love him right back. One of the kids from last summer (this is Mitchell’s second season with the circus) recently called Mitchell to tell him about his triumph as a wrestler, and that he had also been accepted into one of the best culinary schools in the country – a goal he had confessed to Mitchell last summer. Many of these kids come from nothing, they have had a tough road … and their exposure to life outside their small realm in many cases saves their lives. They come to the circus camp and they have to learn discipline, being on time, having respect for authority, going farther than they think they can, pushing themselves beyond what they think are their limits … all life-skills which will serve them so well.
Mitchell said, in re: culinary-school kid, “He got the letter from the school, and he called me. How cool is that?”
I wrote an essay a while back about a teacher who, in my estimation, saved Mitchell’s life when she read Stuart Little to the class.
So when Mitchell was telling me about how amazing these kids are, and how great it is to see them succeed in life – I said, “You know what you’re doing here, my friend? You are paying it forward, baby. You are doing the Stuart Little pay it forward.”
Mitchell started hollering, “I’M PAYIN’ IT FORWARD, MAN, I’M PAYIN’ IT FORWARD!”
I calmed down. I said, “I actually hated that movie.”
Mitchell said, “I did, too. It was so sickly sweet that I think I developed Type A diabetes while watching it.”
I howled. Type A diabetes? Not any other type?
I love how Mitchell’s mind works.
I didn’t like the movie, but I did like the book. Did you read it? The Kevin Spacey character is actually a man who is black and who is much more severely disfigured – and I believed more in that relationship than I did the one in the movie.
Also – I read about what Mitchell is doing and just smile – I’m sure he is simply magnificient in that job – well done!
Bets – No, I did not read the book. I guess I don’t buy Kevin Spacey in anything other than a snarky cynical wise-cracker. When he gets all sentimental, or tries to, I just don’t buy it.
Mitchell has literally grown up to join the circus. I think that is so brilliant.
Despite his much larger roles, Kevin Spacey for me will for some reason always be “Bob from Arbitrage” in Working Girl.
Dave J –
Oh yeah!!
I don’t know if you ever saw “Heartburn” with Jack Nicholson and Meryl Streep but Kevin Spacey plays the punk-kid on the subway who mugs Meryl Streep and steals her wedding ring.
It was his first role.
I’m going to be the only one here who liked it. I liked what it said, and how it said it. I ceratinly don’t think it was a great film, but the lesson that wafted over me felt true.
I agree Sheila, Mitchell’s certainly giving it back, and I think when you do that, it not only comes back to you, but to people around you. That’s why he has you.
As a sidenote, Helen Hunt blows.
Alex
BWAHAHAHA
My brother does just about the funniest imitation of Helen Hunt imaginable. I can’t describe why it is so brilliant, why it is so spot-on – but it is like he channels her energy. And once he starts, he cannot stop. It is hilarious.
He has the same thing with George Clooney. His Clooney imitation is positively uncanny. And very annoying. Once he becomes Clooney, he finds it very hard to snap back into himself. We chase him out of the room. And then we’ll turn around, and there is damn Clooney standing at the door.
Hilarious.
Sheil..we will be in New Hampshire the week of July 15th..isn’t that when u and ur family will be there?