Max proudly approached his father for help with a recent English assignment. Greg couldn’t help but marvel at the similarities between his own son and his teenage self. They were almost identical: obnoxious, lazy, and self-centred. “When’s it due?” asked Greg.
“Tomorrow,” Max replied, reluctantly.
“And you’re asking for help today? How long have you know about it?”
“A week,” he lied.
Greg took a deep breath. “Ok, what’s the topic?”
“‘The Truman Show,’”
“‘The Truman Show?’” Greg repeated. “The Jim Carey film?”
“Yeah,” said Max, nonchalantly.
“I thought you said it was an English assignment. What happened to the classics? Orwell, Wilde, Swift. How is ‘The Truman Show’ part of an English course?”
“It’s in English,” offered Max, shrugging his shoulders.
The father and son sat down and watched the film. Greg paused at regular intervals to point out themes and cinematic techniques. He really quite enjoyed the bonding experience.
“It’s a pretty cool idea,” said Max, at the close of the film. “It’s fun to imagine you’re the most important thing in the universe. Imagine the whole world watching your every move.”
‘Perhaps we’re not so alike,’ thought Greg. At 13 years of age, he would’ve worried about people seeing him on the toilet, wiping his nose on his sleeve, or waking from a wet dream.
“Tomorrow,” Max replied, reluctantly.
“And you’re asking for help today? How long have you know about it?”
“A week,” he lied.
Greg took a deep breath. “Ok, what’s the topic?”
“‘The Truman Show,’”
“‘The Truman Show?’” Greg repeated. “The Jim Carey film?”
“Yeah,” said Max, nonchalantly.
“I thought you said it was an English assignment. What happened to the classics? Orwell, Wilde, Swift. How is ‘The Truman Show’ part of an English course?”
“It’s in English,” offered Max, shrugging his shoulders.
The father and son sat down and watched the film. Greg paused at regular intervals to point out themes and cinematic techniques. He really quite enjoyed the bonding experience.
“It’s a pretty cool idea,” said Max, at the close of the film. “It’s fun to imagine you’re the most important thing in the universe. Imagine the whole world watching your every move.”
‘Perhaps we’re not so alike,’ thought Greg. At 13 years of age, he would’ve worried about people seeing him on the toilet, wiping his nose on his sleeve, or waking from a wet dream.