All the kids in my eighth grade class had seen all the cool and scary movies, Carrie, the Omen, the Exorcist, Taxi Driver, Deer Hunter. I didn’t see any of those movies. But I did see Blazing Saddles.

I just watched a bulbous priest in draping black robe give a postal worker a hard time. He was mad because he couldn’t understand why the bulk mail he had sent was “returned to sender.” He said the addresses were good six months ago. Delirious.

Puerto Rico itself is one gigantic catholic community. Catholic schools are everwhere, most of them fairly small. So while my school would have never allowed showings of the Exorcist, the owners of El Grand showed what they liked. Besides that it was a different time in a different place. As kids an R rating meant nothing to anyone, just like a drinking age didnt really exist. We started watching R rated movies when our parents said it was ok and drinking when our parents said it was ok. Age had very little to do with it, and what it had to do it had nothing to do with limitations impossed by the government or by the MPAA.

And yes, Rosa, catholics do do it better… though we used to say, catholics do it on their knees.

amen to monica.

great fucking post.

I am personally sorry that I waited to read your post. I had some technical woes, and may not even be able to post this comment, which would suck.

I also enjoy this series you have given us.

I abso-fucking-lutely loved the part where you are glued to floor, as time and people around you move forward with life, as you contemplate how many ways to ask a girl to dance. You get old. Your toenails grow into the floor, and the girl you never saved from dancing alone comes and cuts you down with an ax. That was terrific. I could picture it as a music video. You know how they do that time progression stuff? I really enjoyed this, and everyone else better have enjoyed it too, without offering a lick of commentary.. because they got a deal outta this one.

Always look forward to your posts…

and wow, your religious community (was it?) allowed The Excorcist in that theater? I often wish I grew up in a little city/town. It was pretty much the woods for me.

The preist shouting blasphemy and all is hilarious!! My hardcore Catholic parents would have approved.