Spitball Army

I love the moment in Water for Elephants when they discover that the elephant responds to Polish commands. Otherwise? Meh.

At the start of this year, I began compiling a list of films and other entertainments that I viewed either in the theater or via disc and cable. My Mom does this and, while I can’t say that she necessarily inspired me to take up the habit, I’ve enjoyed going back to the list and reviewing it on occasion. What caused me to begin this list was an article in The New York Times, dated April 29, 2003, that alphabetizes “The Best 1,000 Movies Ever Made.” I printed it out, went through it – checking the ones I’d seen – and decided to subsequently start watching the ones I hadn’t. That, and a bit of a clean-sweep through some boxes of DVDs that I had piled in the corner of a closet to eventually view and pass on, propelled me to this geekiest of list-making endeavors.

Here are the films that made the top tier (9.0 to 10.0) on my 10-point rating scale, organized in ascending order by rank and the alphabet. Incidentally, it was the first time I had seen any of these fifteen films, ever.

9.0
America, America (1963)
Little Fugitive (1953)
My Mother’s Castle (Le Château de ma Mère) (1990)
Wit (2001)

9.1
Buck (2011)

9.2
Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)
The Wave (Die Welle) (2008)

9.3
The Descendants (2011)
The King’s Speech (2010)
Margin Call (2011)

9.4
East of Eden (1955)
Incendies (2010)

9.7
The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976)
The Quiet Man (1952)

9.8
The Tree of Life (2011)

Of films released in 2011 (with some carry-overs from 2010 that didn’t make it to me until this year) – besides the four listed above – I also really enjoyed And Everything Is Going Fine (8.2), A Better Life (8.3), Biutiful (8.3), Captain America: The First Avenger (8.9), Certified Copy (8.0), 50/50 (8.2), The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (8.4), Hugo (8.4), The Ides of March (8.3), In a Better World (8.2), Midnight in Paris (8.2; second viewing 9.1), Moneyball (8.0), Pearl Jam Twenty (8.2), Poetry (8.6), Rabbit Hole (8.4), Rango (8.8), The Way (8.5) and Winnie the Pooh (8.0).

Oh, and this: I have a part-time job as a film projectionist at a local multi-plex. I might have previously thought that might afford me an opportunity to watch more current films, but that’s the Grand Misconception. Such opportunities never arise. Thus, the relative imbalance between new and older films on this list – not a bad thing, in my opinion.

[Letter addressed to Mrs. Harry V. C., c/o Mrs. J. W., 20 Block Street, Dundee, Scotland.  Return addressed to Cpl. Harry V. C., 33428766, 1409^th A.A.F. Base Unit, E.D.A.T.C. A.P.O. 741 c/o P.M., U.S. Army.]

England
December 16, 1944

Darling Mary.

Just a few lines dearest to let you know that I am well and getting along O.K.

I received two letters from you today.  They were wrote on the seventh and eighth of this month.

I was very sorry to hear that you have been sick.  I sure hope when you get this Dearest, that you are feeling allright, and getting along fine.

What does these letters mean that you had on the letters you sent me H.O.L.L.A.N.D.  Please Mary let me know when you answer this, will you Dearest.

What did your Mother mean when she said if any thing would of happened to you?  Ask her what she thinks about what we were talking about.  Don’t forget will you Darling dopey.

Keep on Mary Dearest, putting putting the babys to sleep.  It will keep you in good practice till we get the six of our own.

I haven’t been keeping account of all the kisses that you sent me but I will count them all up before I send for you and Darling I will add some to them.  I think I will be able to send the cake home.  I will try awful hard to any way.  If I am unable to I will write and tell them what it tasted like.  You would not mind that, would you.

Dearest please try and find out what causes the pain in your side, will you?  I would hate to have you here and you get it when you would have to stay all day by your self.  I just could not stand it.  Will you promise me Darling that you will see about it.

Dear Jimmie still looks for me to come up to the house?  Tell him I might be up to see him some time.

Mary if you could only hear the gang of us here in this hut tonight.  The old bunch are here.  Hirsch, Hank, Werth, Grey, Spangler and a couple more.  I think if any body would look crooked at any of us we would bite their heads off.  The longer we are here dearest, the worse it is.  Every body wants to get back up there.  You know two of the boys that was up there with Werth got engaged.  If it keeps on I think about all the fellows that was single will be getting married.

Dearest, what do you mean about putting me to sleep when we are together again.  You will be doing good, Mrs. Cole, if you get any sleep at all.  I miss you so much, Mary darling, that I think I could just stay awake for a week just looking at you.

I could never laugh at you dearest, no matter what you wrote, but I could not help it the first night.  It seemed so funny.  I guess you think so your self now.  Darling, there were just one hundred and seventeen kisses in this letter.  That is hardly enough to start on.  Just wait till I see you my wonderful dopey darling wife and I will show you what I mean.

Mary darling, tell your Mother that I said that I miss her a lot and am sending her my love.  Tell Aunt Babs that I miss her too.  Tell the rest that I said Hello.

Well Dearest, I can not find out any thing more to say, only that I love you about a million times more than any thing else in this world.  Answer as soon as you can darling.

Good-By dearest sweet Wife
All my Love forever and ever.
Your Loving husband
Harry.

This new Kindle Fire is wonderful, but the neighbors’ unprotected wireless access FTW.

Card is titled: “600 – Skyline Drive from Stony Man Mountain, Virginia. 45509”

Text of written message:

7/5/42
Sunday

Dear Mom, Paul & Julia

Received your letter saying you got the $20.00. I’ll be writing for some of it – by the end of the wee. Also received swimming suit and sewing kid – Got suit yesterday and went swimming last night 20c to swim with suit – other wise 55c – took and hour to get out of camp – bus so crowd and not many cars leaving camp they have 10 buses here and they are always packed. Big 4th of July here – you would know it was the 4th – Town was crowded with soldiers. May go swimming again this afternoon. Still working in office and was it hot there yesterday afternoon but I’d rather be there then outside working.

Regards, CKarsen

Publishing information:

Published by Asheville Post Card Co., Asheville, N.C.

When I hear that space music come on, I fly across the room in a race to see which hand can shut the damn thing off first.

[Letter addressed to Mrs. Harry V. C., c/o Mrs. J. W., 20 Block Street, Dundee, Scotland.  Return addressed to Cpl. Harry V. C., 33428766, 1409^th A.A.F. Base Unit, E.D.A.T.C. A.P.O. 741 c/o P.M., U.S. Army.]

England
December 15, 1944

Dearest Mary:

Well Darling here is another one of my short letters letting you know that I am well and getting along just fine.  I hope that you are well and getting along the same.

I have been busy the last few days and I haven’t been out of camp yet.  I only hope that I can find a place for you soon.

I miss you so much that I don’t think I can stand it for very long with out seeing you, dearest.

Werth said that it was getting like winter up around there when he left.  I sure wish that I was there.  It has been a long time since I saw much winter.

Did you get a letter from Mom yet?  Kenny said he got your letter and he was glad to hear from you.  I have only received one letter from you so far dear, and I am looking every day for one.

Dearest, is there any good shows up there now?  I haven’t seen a show since the one we went to see when I was there.

We have started a N.C.O. class here.  It will be someplace to pass the time and make it go faster.

Darling, I have all the papers fixed out for the allotment now.  I don’t know how busy it will be before you get it, but I hope it is not very long for I know you can use it.

Please Mary dear, let me know what all is happening up around there, for it seems more like home to me than my home in the states.  I know I would sooner leave my home in the States a dozen times than leave you dear, for just a few days.  I never had loved any body any more or could Love any body half as much as I do you.

I did not think that I could write to you like I have but it seems that I can not keep from it.  I guess it is because I love my wife so much.  I think these short letters are like you said the ones you wrote to me were.  I don’t know what you think of them.  Well Dearest I will have to close now.  Answer soon.

Good-By Sweetheart
All my Love
Your Loving Husband
Virgil

Exhibit 9: Slint.

“Nad” is not a valid word in Scrabble.

[Letter addressed to Mrs. Harry V. C., c/o Mrs. J. W., 20 Block Street, Dundee, Scotland.  Return addressed to Cpl. Harry V. C., 33428766, 1409^th A.A.F. Base Unit, E.D.A.T.C. A.P.O. 741 c/o P.M., U.S. Army.]

England
December 14, 1944

Dear Mary Darling

Just a few lines to let you know that I am well and getting along fine.  I sure wish that I can find you a place to stay before long here.  I miss you so much darling I hardly know what to do when I am not working.  I guess I will find a place before long.  This place is not fit for you to live in.  It is worse than any place that I have been in over here yet.  Darling I only wish that I was back with you again.

Dearest how are you getting along at the office now?  Do you have to work late now?  What would you do if I would get back up there for a little while?  Keep on working, or stay at home?  Mary darling have you been writing every day?  I have only received one letter from you so far and that was three days ago.  I am looking for your letters every day.  They mean more to me than any thing I could get.  They are the only thing that brightens the place up for me.

Dearest dopey wouldn’t you like to be sitting in front of the fireplace just now like we used to.  Boy they were the most wonderful and happy times that two people could ever have.  I guess darling we can not say much for we had the most wonder times in the eight months that any body could ever want, but it won’t be long till we will be together again darling and have a little family of our own to take care of.  I sure wish that time was now, dearest.  What do you think about it?  I hope your Father will get home before long for I want to get to know him.  I only hope that he is not too mad at me.

How is Mom and Jimmie getting along?  I hope that you haven’t been having too many arguments since I left.

Dearest, Werth came back today.  He does not get much of a chance to say any thing about Dundee.  I guess that is all the fellows think about.  They all seem like they are homesick to get back.  I know that when I left you darling it was the hardest thing that I ever had to do in my life.  And if I have anything to say about it when we get back to each other again I will never leave you.  When we get back to the States darling where ever I go, I am going to take my sweet little wife with me or know the reason why.

Mary when I see you again I want to see you heavier than when I left you, so you better not stop eating.  I might have to write and tell your Mother to feed you with a bottle like Jimmie eats.  Haw would you like that, Dopey?

Darling what did you learn about things when you read the book that Helen had?

Dearest, do you still want that little blue eyed, wavy haired blond you was talking about?  Let me know if you have changed your mind.

Mary dear, I have just finished writing a big letter to my Mother.  I told her all about us getting married and every thing.  The only thing that I forgot to tell her was getting hit on the head with something.  Boy Darling, that was some time coming down the stairs and going back up.  I would do it every day to get a wonderful sweet wife like you.  Dearest, please don’t call me a hunk of mutton.  Call me any thing else but that.  I eat so much mutton when I was eating in the R.A.F. mess hall that I do not want to hear any thing that sounds like it.  Please, Dopey darling, don’t call me that.

Dearest, I am sending you one of the papers we had filled out.  I hope you get it O.K.  It is in this letter.  Did you get all your other papers fixed out yet?  Let me know when you do.  I will have to close for this time, dearest.  I am sending you all my love, and all the kisses that I can.

Good-By dearest
all my love forever
Your Loving Husband
Harry.