Dark Crystal Remembered

I caught it just as the credits were starting.  I nestled myself into the couch and smiled. In an instant I was reminded of childhood. I thought of Mom, the Unc and me watching it together. All three of us delighted in trying to mimic our favorite characters.

I thought of my ex too. Not the most recent one, the one before. The one that sometimes pops back into my life when he needs his confidence boosted.  I remembered us watching the movie together over and over again. Curled up on the couch, his legs over my lap. He'd never seen it before I showed it to him and I think we were both surprised that he fell in love with it as much as I had.

"Today, Jen's pipe brings no comfort." 

"Challenge!"

"Trial by Stone!"

"End, begin, all the same."

Only about fifteen minutes into the movie and I start texting the ex the lines I was sure he would remember. I don't get a response at first but it doesn't really matter. I'm also ignoring that my personal vow to never be the one to initiate contact has just been broken.

Finally, I text him, "Guess what movie I'm watching yet?" Do you still think about me when you watch movies we used to?"

"That one with all the weird muppets and shit. Sorcerer's Stone or something."

I can hear his teasing, even through a text message. And I'm glad for the thousandth time that we're not together anymore.


I'm done texting after that.

Mom's favorite was Fizzgig. Little Pomeranian-ish dog with two rows of teeth and a serious case of separation anxiety. He was cute though and Mom always said if we ever got a small fluffy dog it would have to be named Fizzgig.

My Uncle loved the Skeksis. He especially liked Chamberlain, a whiny misfit skeletal creature that is extradited from the newly appointed Emperor's castle. He is the loser in aforementioned "Challenge!" and has a fantastic whine that is surprisingly hard to imitate.

And my favorite, Aughra. Her face resembles a Pug and she's missing an eye. The other one she can remove and does so often. Her line is the one referring to Jen's life questions.  "End, begin, all the same. Big change. Sometimes good. Sometimes bad. "

I watched The Dark Crystal alone just after Mom died and it brought me comfort. I didn't really understand what death meant. I don't think anyone does until they have someone they love die. It's something I had tried to put into words a million times and never achieved.

Aughra said it.

Jen tells Aughra that his Mystic (father figure) has died after she asks his whereabouts.

She pauses, looks into the sky and takes in her surroundings, "Hmph. Could be anywhere then."

I love this movie.