Escape to the Cinema

Catching her reflection in the

mirror, she is taken aback at the

look of aging—the sagging skin,

accumulating lines, shadows

that can neither be hidden nor

masked under the eyes.  Then

they walk out the door, half a

mile down the street to the oldest

neighborhood theater. It’s not

just that she loves films, or goes

to the movies all the time, it is

what happens once inside of the

darkening theater. Five minutes

into the film, there is no viewer,

no film, only the experience of

of being the story, following the

lead ‘till she is the lead—the

character Meg Ryan, Gwyneth

Paltrow, or Anne Hathaway is

playing, falling in love with the

character John Cusak, Hugh

Grant, or Colin Firth is playing.

The romantic comedy sweeps

her away every time. Her loving

husband doesn’t look surprised

when the film is over and she is

not 28.  So she must be 28, at

least for an hour or two—at least

‘till the mirror tells the truth.