August 8, 2012

Today’s square on the events calendar reads 3:30 PM – B-day of Dustin Hoffman Discussion.

We sit facing the program director and his Mac book on a stand. He reads off of Dustin Hoffman’s Wikipedia page, then accidently right clicks a bunch of times trying to open YouTube in a new tab. He plays three minute movie clips that no one can hear but me. I am the only audience member under eighty.

When he gets to Hook in the cinematography section,he asks the audience if anyone remembers the story of Peter Pan. A woman behind us answers. She has cropped white hair and a pale gray, fine-creased face.   

“He’s a boy. A boy with nothing to speak of. Not a SINGLE. SOLITARY. THING. Every day, he is getting into trouble. THEN, he meets someone…” she stops, stares. “I won’t go farther. Because now I’m seeing the pictures.”

No one else volunteers. The program director clicks back to YouTube.

When a close-up of a polished silver hook resting in a red velvet pillow appears, she hoots ohhhhh boy.