Bringing Film into the Real World or Sobbing from the Soul

This afternoon I listened to a friend cry from his soul. I don't think he'd want to be named here so let's call him Monroe. Monroe is a long time friend of mine. We've seen a lot of films together. He's not the film buff that I am but he enjoys discussing film with me from time to time. I know that he likes odd films. So after I watched Vincent Gallo's The Brown Bunny today I gave Monroe a call to see if he'd seen this odd little film that most people seem to think is crap.

I was more than surprised at the conversation that ensued.

He'd seen The Brown Bunny and in fact owned a copy of it. His copy was the only dvd he owned that has yet to be unwrapped from the protective plastic. I asked why this was and he thought for a moment before answering. Then he said,

"Because I'm afraid I'll watch it again."

Before I had a chance to respond my friend asked, "Can we bring film into the real world for a minute?"

Yeah, sure Monroe. Whatever you wanna talk about.

Then he spilled his life over the last couple of years to me. He told me about his wife confessing that she had cheated on him just a little over a year into their marriage. Somehow, he had found it in his heart to forgive her and wanted to try hard to work things out. For a while things got better. But he began to feel lonely in his marriage. And although he didn't have any reason to believe she was still cheating on him, he couldn't forget the image he'd carved out in his mind of his wife with another man. Out of that loneliness and that image he began to look for ways to cheat. One day he went so far as to meet a woman he'd only talked to online. After dinner together Monroe was to meet her at a nearby hotel. Instead he just drove home. He couldn't do it.

You still love your wife, don't you, Monroe?

"I hate her for making me feel this loneliness and this heartbreak."

Yeah, I understand.

"Remember that part of The Brown Bunny where Vincent Gallo's character Bud is lying in bed sobbing as he pours his soul out to Daisy?"

I remember.

"I'm Bud. I mean, I know how he feels to hurt that deep when someone you love hurts you that way. It's a deep scar on your heart. When Bud says he hates Daisy, I know he loves her. Because I love my wife even when I hate her."

And then Monroe wept.
And wept.
Over the phone.

This was exactly what Monroe needed in his life at this very moment in time. Neither one of us could possibly know what was going to happen when I made the decision to call Monroe and he made the decision to answer the phone.

After Monroe settled down he said he was going to take the rest of the afternoon off of work; that there was something he had to do. I said goodbye and told him we should talk again soon. We hung up and I sat on the edge of my couch with my head in my hands praying for my long time friend. I smiled and thought to myself, I bet he's going home to unwrap The Brown Bunny and rewatch it before his wife got home.

A few hours later I recieved a picture message on my iPhone from Monroe with the words "Do you think she'll like these?"

He'd boughten his wife a bouquet of daisys.

I think she'll love them, Monroe.
I think she'll love them.

Reviews

[MaryJaneB]

Heartwarming and sweet.
Nice job!