Sunday, September 05, 2004

“Yeah, well, you stick by your family.”

The Movie: Miller’s Crossing, 1990 (Joel & Ethan Coen, screenwriters; Joel Coen, dir.)
Who says it: John Turturro as Bernie Birnbaum, a grifter
The context: Bernie has just said something awful about his sister Verna (Marcia Gay Harden) to political fixer Tom Regan (Gabriel Byrne); Tom’s response is, “She speaks highly of you.”
How to use it: To affirm your loyalty to your family, even after you’ve criticized them.

What a happy day yesterday was. Rain moved the ceremony from the Betty Ford Alpine Gardens to the ballroom of the Lodge at Vail, but that was fine, because it just got the reception started that much faster. I sat at a table with my dad and his surviving siblings -- my Uncle Eddie and Aunt Marie, my Aunt Debbie and Uncle Ziggy. It was the first time everyone had been together since my Aunt Judi's funeral, a year ago. Only children must be the loneliest people in the world.

Yesterday was also my cousin Phil's 30th birthday -- and that reminded me that I missed my nephew Patrick's 13th birthday, earlier this week. Patrick, I am really sorry, and I will make it up to you.

Dad says Vail reminds him of the town in "The Prisoner." I can see that. It's beautiful, but it's a resort town. It's not supposed to be real.

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