Editorial
Front Page - Friday, July 16, 2010
Are we there yet?
Murder, vacation and paint
Jay Edwards
“Somehow it’s reassuring knowing I’m not the only one pretending to be normal.”
– Dexter Morgan
I guess I should be somewhat disturbed that my favorite TV show is about a serial killer. I’m talking about “Dexter,” the Showtime series that recently completed four seasons. I’m too cheap to subscribe to Showtime so I have to wait for the DVD or iTunes. I usually go with iTunes, which, while more expensive, comes out sooner that the DVDs.
The character Dexter Mor-gan is played by Michael C. Hall. He is a blood-spatter analyst for Miami metro police, and he’s a serial killer. When “Dexter” was a small boy, say around three, he witnessed the brutal stabbing death of his mother, which, had a lasting effect. Harry, the cop who found him at his mom’s crime scene, adopted him. Harry realizes over the years that Dexter needs to kill, and because Harry believes that Miami is full of bad people who need killing, begins teaching Dexter how to stalk, slay and not get caught.
Not long ago Showtime attempted negotiations to begin airing “Dexter” on CBS. The Parents Television Council (PTC) publicly protested the decision. I’d have to agree with the PTC. I wouldn’t want my kids watching this show. For that matter, I’m not sure I’d want my parents watching it either. That being said, if you are looking for great (middle-age) TV entertainment, “Dexter” is it.
•••
Just 73 days until the first day of fall.
I’ve mentioned here before, more than once, that we have been going to the Destin area just about every year for some time. This year was to be no exception as the plans for an October trek began in earnest about a month ago. My wife’s brother’s wife’s family (???) owns a home at Blue Mountain Beach between Sandestin and Seaside. The backyard for the four-bedroom house is the Gulf of Mexico, now under siege from the company known as BP (bad people).
Anyway, the plans were made to go the week of October 11, which was a problem for me because that is the week Bobby here at The Daily Record is going on his honeymoon. Bobby and I can’t be gone for a week at the same time, and since his engagement looks solid, it appeared I would be seeing the Emerald Coast this year on post cards or The Travel Channel. I told my wife Kathy about the conflict and she said, “We will miss you.”
Then a few weeks back we were at the movie with Kathy’s brother and his wife, alias beach house owner. They began talking about the October trip and I told them I wouldn’t be going. My sweet wife also had decided to stay behind with me, at home in our land-locked state - for better or for worse. The next day we got an e-mail from beach owner sis-in-law and hubby saying that the dates had been pushed back a week. Everyone agreed to it and we were back in. (Most of them are retired anyway, like Kathy’s other brother from Dallas who responded in his e-mail, “Let me see, the month of October, yes it’s open.”)
When I told my friend Fred from Fayetteville that story he said I should be ashamed because I’d taken the art of mooching to a new level.
Fred: “Aren’t you ashamed of yourself?”
Me: “No.”
Fred: “I can’t believe that five other families would rearrange their schedules just so you can go!!”
Jay: “What can I say? They like me.”
Fred: “UGH!”
So now there is something to look forward to again, which everyone needs from time to time, especially Fred, who still says my behavior in this whole matter disgusts him. Maybe I should tell him to go rent “Dexter,” although a series about an ethical serial killer would probably give him the wrong ideas.
•••
“Eventually most serial killers get caught. There’s really not much of a retirement plan.”
– Dexter
•••
Besides the joys of wholesome TV last weekend I was fortunate to participate in an idea that came to my wife Saturday morning. She called it - “You do want to help me paint a bedroom today don’t you?”
It was an idea, not one I would have come up with, but an idea nonetheless. I told her that as soon as I finished watching the “Dexter” episode about the man who murders his wife because she didn’t want him watching so much television, I would get right on it, which I did.
•••
“Lt. Maria Laguerta: So then he must have already had the head with him in the front seat. Huh, that’s weird. Why would he keep it there?
Dexter Morgan: I don’t
know. So he could use a carpool lane?”
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