I have discovered who I am.
In an unexpected twist of fate -- that nobody saw coming -- I discovered who I truly am today. And it didn't take an obsessive French Inspector. Nor did I have to accompany Tyrone Power to the fake mountains of sunshine.
No. Truth came to me while sitting on the couch, eating food, indulging in childhood nostalgia, and watching That Darn Cat!
I didn't expect this to happen. No one ever expects this to happen.
One moment, I was sitting there. The next moment, I understood.
Basically, it's your standard realization.
I realized that I AM CANOE.
I don't why I never got it before, but I understand now.
Hayley Mills questioned how he could watch SO many surfer movies, and also mused aloud, "Do you ever get the spooky feeling that we keep seeing the same movie over and over, and all they do is change the titles a little bit?"
Canoe's enthusiastic response, "Yeah! It's terrific stuff, isn't!"
Well, man, that spoke to me.
And his inability to understand that it's TIME TO LEAVE.
Well, I got that.
And his unkillable vehicle.
It reminds me of my own 1993 Subaru, Simon Templar.
And his overriding insecurity and/or paranoia.
I so understood.
And his decision to deal with his own insecurity and/or paranoia by donning a trench coat and fake mustache.
I'VE TOTALLY DONE THAT, errrrr, I mean, I chuckled at the absurdity.
Basically, I am him and he is me.
Even his angry late-film confession that he actually doesn't like watching surfer movies all the time -- even that felt true-to-life.
And, by the way, did I mention that Canoe (alias Tom Lowell) once played a STINKIN' GNOME.
I weep because what a wonderful world.
So, in recap, when I'm not Richard Schuyler (and honestly, I'm writing a post about him soon) -- I'm Canoe.
And, it feels so right.
Hayley and I hanging out at the drive-in:
^Actually, I just want to be Hayley Mills. Ugh. Look at her.
Anyway.
P.S. My life's philosophy summed up in one minute:
-Meg
originally published on ClassicForever on July 4, 2013