Tuesday, June 05, 2007

Think for yourself

You may recall an episode of Revolver I wrote about eighty years ago titled "The Long and Winding Road." While the feedback for Revolver episodes is generally pleasant and well-meaning, the most often-discussed scene of any in the whole of the series occurs in that episode: Jason and Patrick go through virtually an entire scene speaking only in Beatles song titles.
MICHAEL: Astros lost.

JASON: Cry, baby, cry.

MICHAEL: And we're still in the car, and the game's over. Which means Patrick owes Jason ten dollars.

PATRICK: ...When I get home?

JASON: You can't do that.

PATRICK: [handing it to him] I should have known better.

Jason takes the money. Everyone seems to wait for him to respond.


JASON: ...No reply.

MICHAEL: That's weak.

Jason shrugs.

JASON: I'm so tired.

MICHAEL: Right.

Patrick points to someone in front of the car.

PATRICK: Girl!

MICHAEL: You've used that one already.

PATRICK: ...She's a woman.

MICHAEL: Uh, sure.

JASON: Michelle?

PATRICK: Carol?

JASON: Dizzy Miss Lizzie?

PATRICK: Julia.

MICHAEL: That's probably it.

JASON: Lucy. In the sky. With diamonds.

MICHAEL: Or that.

PATRICK: Baby's in black.

MICHAEL: Yes, she is.

PATRICK: She loves you.

JASON: And I love her.

MICHAEL: Okay, really, maybe we should call this off. You're starting to creep me out.

PATRICK: ...That means a lot.

MICHAEL: Seriously.
I was told this was a little too dorky, even for me. So be it -- I was proud of it. I was helped, of course, by Beatles song titles -- so many of them just sound like everyday conversation. "I'll Be Back," "I Don't Want to Spoil the Party," "She Loves You," "You Can't Do That," "I Feel Fine," "Yes, It Is."

But now I read of a judge in Montana handing down an opinion with a similar feel:
If I were to overlook your actions and ‘Let It Be’, I would ignore that ‘Day in the Life’ on April 21, 2006. That night you said to yourself ‘I Feel Fine’ while drinking beer. Later, whether you wanted ‘Money’ or were just trying to ‘Act Naturally’ you became the ‘Fool on the Hill’ on on North 27th Street. As ‘Mr Moonlight’ at 1.30am, you did not ‘Think for Yourself’ but just focused on ‘I, Me, Mine’.
Great minds think alike? Or greatly dorky minds think alike? And I love the idea that he was inspired by a misspelling -- as you know, that stuff drives me up the wall.

But mine's better.

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