V is for ...

... Verklempt.

Verklempt is a Yiddish word that means "overcome with emotion".  I love these old languages, full of singular words, rich with meaning that would take English 18 sentences to explain (because, really, 'overcome with emotion' doesn't really cut it).  Greek is full of these, too, as I'm sure most languages born of a people who FEEL first are.  We need more words to convey the intricacies of how we feel, don't we?

In any event, I spent the better part of my past weekend verklempt.  I hate this time of year so much.  I long for a time when I'll be marginally melancholy and properly nostalgic, wistful in my memories as I brush aside a lone tear from my face, whilst (as you can see, proper nostalgia calls for the use of 'whilst') smiling at a happy memory.  Well, better luck next year.  This year, we had some anger.  And sadness.   And a complete inability to actually speak.  And some hopelessness.  Good times.

I have some Class-A friends who try to take my mind off things and what better way, what better place, than the movies - I can transport myself to anyplace when I'm at the movies.  I can be anyone when I'm at the movies.  I don't want to be me right now.   I want to be in a frilly romantic comedy right now.  I want to see About Time.

You know this one, maybe?  Richard Curtis - writer, screenwriter of some of the best RomComs in the history of mankind!  Director AND Writer of THE best RomCom in the Galaxy! - wrote and directed it, Rachel McAdams, Big Brother Weasley & my old man crush Bill Nighy are all in it.  This had confection of the highest order written all over it.  Add an enormous chemical filled beverage, an obscene amount of popcorn & a Superfriend and we've got the makings of a most glorious in-denial afternoon.  Or so you would think.

About Time isn't a RomCom people.  Sure, there's a love story and it's cute & charming but the real love story here took me by complete surprise:  you see, we have time travel and a Dad that dies and a son that has to choose about moving forward in his own real life or being able to go back in time to visit his Dad.  I am leaving out many details but too bad, the details are not the point.  The point is, this was by far THE WORST MOVIE CHOICE FOR ME ON SATURDAY NOVEMBER 9TH.  So, there I was, centre / centre in the theatre sob crying like no tomorrow, overcome with emotion, completely and utterly verklempt.  A mess, as they say.  Poor CF.  CF who NEVER cries at movies not only shed a ton of a few tears of her own but also had me to worry about.

After I composed myself and embarked on my ride home, where there was of course more crying, I realized quite quickly that this wasn't actually the worst movie choice ever.  It was, by fluky misguided accident, actually the best.  Is there anything more magically nostalgic than being able to travel back in time to moments that made you so happy and relive them, somehow, again?  To say all those things you wanted to say but didn't have the guts to?  To hug someone one last time?  To share in a laugh or hear them shout?  To just be with them?  Where would I go?  What would I do?  Taking the awning down from our back deck, rope burned hands and all, for sure.  Putting up the Christmas lights, holding steady that ridiculous ladder, absolutely.  Pouring a cup of coffee and silently reading the paper, side glancing as we listened to my Mom and brother drone on and on on Sunday morning, hell yes.  Maybe not the 2-3 days we went without talking to each other when we'd had a fight, we don't need to go back to our stubbornness, do we?  No, but most definitely the marathon games of Gin Rummy, though, oh yes, please.  Take me back to there.

That's why I'm going to watch About Time every year on November 9th, and I'm going to let Big Brother Weasley & my old man crush Bill Nighy do all the things I wish I could do, if my life was a Richard Curtis movie.  And, hopefully, I'll calmly brush aside a few tears as I laugh to myself thinking about all these magical moments that I wish I could have back, just for one sweet second.  Hey, wait.  I'm doing that right now.  And I am verklempt once again - with a heart full of love.  Thank you, Richard Curtis.  Thank you, CF.  Thank you, Dad.


V is for ... Verklempt.