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There were no motion pictures for pleasure at Eden.
Why would there be? Almost everything was lost in the Silent Rapture, and anything that was saved, Eden controlled; and they definitely weren't going to give that knowledge and leisure away so easily.
This led to Simon never knowing what to think when it came to Grace’s “Friday Movie Night.”
It was mainly since it was always Grace’s choice solely because Simon and Rocky knew nothing about film before meeting the scientist. The other was because with Grace, there was never a consistent genre.
Tonight, apparently was a double feature. Something about “dancing cats.”
Simon made the mistake of asking why his black shirt had two yellow eyes earlier that morning during breakfast.
“Oh! It’s from my favorite musical! Cats!” Grace responded excitedly.
“Musical? Oh, I have never seen one.” Simon of course knew what they were in concept, since Grace once explained what a genre of film meant and proceeded to explain each of them when Rocky started to get animated. But like most things on Erid or before the silent Rapture, he never actually encountered one himself.
Simon raised his head from his breakfast to see that Grace had what Simon liked to call “I have an idea” smirk on his face. “Oh yeah! Guess not, huh? We got to watch both versions of them tonight!”
However, his delighted expression quickly shifted to a frown. “One of the versions is really bad; but I have a weird love for it.” Grace scratches the back of his head. Grace nervously contuined, “Got me through some tough times due to how absurd they were.”
Simon realized that Grace was probably feeling guilty about forcing his friends — family? — into something he knows they will most likely not enjoy.
Simon found it sweet.
“Sure. We can if you want. We have the time.”
There was nothing better to do on a Friday night on Erid; and it was technically movie night. “Ask Adrian if we can borrow Rocky a bit earlier.”
What's the harm? Can’t be that bad.
Grace’s eyes basically shined with pure childlike enthusiasm. Simon silently chuckled to himself as Grace quickly turned to race off to tell Rocky about the plans for the night.
What did I get myself into?
-o0o-
Simon walked in with his large cup of black coffee to Grace and Rocky setting up the movie. He decided to tune into the conversation as he sat on the end of the couch.
“Human music messy messy messy. Rocky only like classical. Or Queen. Rocky love Queen.” Rocky chirped excitedly, raising his body’s carapace. “Does ‘Cats’ have Queen, question?”
“Sorry Rocky, no Queen today. If we watch the 2019 live action however, it does have Taylor Swift!”
“Rocky no understand.” His tone lowered confusion.
That makes two of us buddy
“Ok! Decision time, do you want to watch the horrible version first or Broadway pro-shot?”
“Rocky not understanding why Grace want to watch bad movie if he knows it is bad?”
Grace huffed out a laugh, not quite knowing what to say. “Human thing. Mainly because we do it for fun. We call them ‘time wasters.’”
“Humans dumb; too much time wasted for such small lifespan.” Rocky climbs on his spot on the couch between Simon and Grace.
Rocky’s carapace apparently always ran hot like a sauna. He couldn’t lean on grace for long periods of time, or his skin would burn. Even with the thick Eridian barrier. For some unknown reason this did not affect Simon. After a while the three of them concluded it was just some fucked up side effect from his time on the blood moon. Add another one to the list.
Due to Simon’s heat resilience, he had now become Rocky’s favorite pillow to lean on.
It bothered Simon originally; both Grace and Rocky were very physically affectionate beings. Simon wasn’t, although he knew he was indeed touch starved. It took him reminding himself constantly that touch didn't equal pain.
Simon set his cup down so he and Rocky could get more comfortable, “I vote bad first I suppose. Get it done?”
“Rocky agree with Simon. Bad first, only good after.”
“Alright!” Grace sat on the other side of the couch as he pressed play. “And we have our heading!”
-o0o-
Grace looked over to see that Simon's jaw was hanging open. He busted out laughing, not able to keep a straight face. “That bad huh?”
Simon shuts his mouth close and shaked his head rapidly. “I thought you were being overly dramatic!” How the hell did this movie release? “Like; Skimbleshanks was cool I suppose?”
“Yes! I absolutely agree!” Grace nods, “His number is the only song that feels like it belongs in a musical”
“Huh.” So, Grace decided that for Simon’s first musical, to show a musical that didn’t feel like a musical at all.
That checks out
Rocky’s voice warbles, “Rocky’s ears hurt. Nothing in tune.”
Grace looked sympathetic, “I am sorry Rocky, I guess that you would be more sensitive to this stuff. Why didn’t you tell me during the movie?”
Rocky stood up firmly, almost as if offended that Grace did not think that the Eridian could handle some irritating noise. “Rocky fine! Rocky wanted to know if story had happy ending.”
Grace gave another one of those classic Ryland Grace smiles as he gave the top of Rocky a loving head rub. “Well! Who is ready for the original?”
Rocky let out a plaintive groan. Simon gave a weak nod.
“I promise this one is good guys!”
-o0o-
“WHAT?! Does this version not have the conjuring turn?! I have every piece of entertainment known to humanity and I just so happen to pick a version that doesn’t have my favorite part? Fudge!”
-o0o-
“Rocky not understand appeal of ‘Cats’ show.” Rocky leaned on grace for a second. “But if Grace happy, then Rocky happy as well. Happy happy happy.”
“I had this friend in high school and through my young adult life who said almost the exact same thing. He loved one of the director’s other films.” Grace took his glasses off and started to clean them. A habit Simon noticed he did when he was a bit uncomfortable, not knowing what to say.
Grace then chuckled. “I would refuse to watch it because he would always insist “It was one of the best films ever created.””
“Did Grace and Grace’s friend ever watch Grace’s friend’s movie?”
Grace looked up at Rocky's question, smiling, an eye on the verge of shedding tears, “Yeah. I hated every second of it.”
Simon wasn’t used to seeing anyone share their emotions, let alone show them. Yet, there was an odd sense of both jealousy and happiness for both Grace and the friend from the story. Numerous fond memories to look back upon well growing up; he was glad his friend at least had some of those.
Simon felt for his pendent, soothed by the thought there was still time for him to make new memories now. He survived the blood moon. He had Grace; he had Rocky, Adrian. Everyone else on Erid too.
Now is not forever. You still have time. You are right where you need to be.
“Why are both Simon and Grace sad? Movie night that bad?” The Eridian started to almost vibrate anxiously, not knowing how to react.
Grace frantically looked to Simon, not knowing what to say again.
Simon sighed as he patted Rocky’s head lightly, “We had a great time buddy. Sometimes; memories are triggered when certain topics come up.”
“It isn’t necessarily bad memories that make us feel this way.” Grace explained softly, like a teacher might, “it is just a feeling of both happiness and sadness at the same time.”
Simon chimed in, “Bittersweet, that is the emotion we feel.”
“Rocky understand now! Not perfectly, Eridians have same emotions. Just show it different. We have song for this! Long song to explain.”
Grace looks tenderly at Simon then Rocky. “Would you be willing to share it?”
Rocky then sang a melody that the computer could not interpret, but Simon and Grace were certain they could still understand. Simon decided then that he would be willing to watch anything related to ‘Cats’ if Ryland Grace asked, for only to make his friend smile once more. Simon’s ears be damned.
-o0o-
“There is this great hour-long video on why the music in the 2019 version of ‘Cats’ is worse than you think on YouTube as well!
YouTube? What the hell is he talking about?