Tuesday, May 29, 2012

The Trinity Complex


We have three children, a boy who is ten, and two older boys: 15 and 17 years old. This past weekend, after the boys worked as hard as my husband with the mulch and the wheelbarrow and the spades and the rock moving outside, I knew it was time.

After a dinner of three hamburgers each, a gallon of lemonade, and two packages of Ore-Ida curly fries, I made up my mind. They were man enough. Definitely man enough. I turn to them at the table and ask in a low voice along with a direct unwavering gaze,

You guys ever hear of a movie, Matrix?

Yeah, they say, I think so.

Know anything about it?

It's in the future or the past, or the future that looks like the past. Like Steam Punk. Robots take over and it's all grey and dirty like industrial London.

Well, it's my favorite movie of all time, and tonight, my children, we are going to see it.

I walk to the living room, I silently kneel in front of the shelf where we keep John Gray's Children Are From Heaven and William Bennett's The Book of Virtues. I reach behind and pull out the DVD of the greatest kick ass movie of all time.

I can barely talk when I think of that movie.

When I saw it for the first time, I dreamed, for days, that I was Trinity. I have made it through the toughest situations in my life by being Trinity. The leather bracelet around my wrist is stamped WWTD.

When Matrix hit the theaters in 1999, my poor husband had to endure my round house kicks to his butt and karate chops to his throat as I roamed around our house, hiding behind corners, in black wrap-around Neo sunglasses and a duster coat. If I could have squeezed my pregnant body into liquid latex back then, I would have.

If you have no idea who Trinity is, or who I'm talking about, well, I don't want to stop being your friend over it or anything, but still ... Just. Watch. Her:



The only thing wrong with that clip is that it needs to be about eight times longer.

With the DVD in my hand, I take a deep breath. There is no tip-toeing to the edge of the cliff with this movie. Seeing Matrix is a full blast all engines wide open leap and no going back.

Get ready, boys.

Yeah, whatever mom.

Silence. For the entire length of the movie. (yup) Afterward, fully satisfied, I turn to my offspring, hopeful -- looking at those faces that are so much like mine it makes me ache to share everything with them. Every time.

Well? I ask. Best damn movie or what?

And as if out of some picture perfect world where all dreams come true, my boys jump up, grab black sunglasses and my husband's rain coat and start beautifully spin kicking the air and trying for somersaults.

If there was ever any doubt before, there no longer is now: I lead a charmed life.

_____________________________________________

**Can't get enough of my parenting style? Follow my weekly parenting column, at milwaukeemoms.com

38 comments:

  1. As much as I like Keanu, can't say I've ever seen this. So not my kind of movie.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Trinity is SO kick ass! Matrix is one of my all time favorite movies too. We're like... soul mates.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Those boys sure have the right Mama, and vice-versa! How much do I love you even more (and I did not think that possible) that this is your favorite movie? I LOVE Matrix and even like 2 & 3 a tremendous lot. I am a major sci-fi / alternate realities gal.

    So how did I get through yesterday evening when I came home from the hospital and desperately needed to be distracted from worrying non-stop about my Mom? Pop down to the local theater for MIB III with the whole family, of course. It was the boys first night-time movie (8 pm showtime!) and they were very excited.

    Also? I wanted you to know that today I wore the "Super Mom" pendant you gave me. I strung it on some of my mom's purple beads, and it was my "hold tight" Talisman. So I bought you with me to the hospital. (Here's the pic of me wearing: http://instagr.am/p/LLSIJLojoE/)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, Varda, you are wonderful for so many reasons.

      I have thought all day about your mother, and holding on tight to hope that she pulls out soon.

      That you have my talisman for you? NOTHING could make me happier than to remind you that YOU ARE SUPERWOMAN.

      I love you, V. We saw MIB III and the 3 boys LOVED it, too.

      True escape, every second of it.

      Happy to see you. Praying for all of you. Especially dear mama.

      Delete
  4. I've seen a whole lot of movies in my life and in my work, but certain ones divide the before and after. Before I saw that film I had no idea what digital cinema was going to make possible. I can only imagine that it was akin to walking out of a talkie for the first time. How was it possible? It revolutionized the industry.

    I'm so glad you shared that with your boys, and that you could treasure the first time you saw it as much as this time.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Alexandra, you have thrilled me by being here.

      THANK YOU so much for taking the time to get to know me.

      People, I met this lovely lady on twitter and can I tell you? Smart, funny, quick with the jokes, and relevant.

      A must read, a must follow.

      Delete
  5. I LOVE that movie. I can't even count how many times I've seen it. I'm such a dork that every time I get a touch of deja vu, I bet you can guess what I say all Neo style, "There's a glitch in the matrix". The Dudes just look at me with their huh faces. I can't wait until they are old enough to get down with that. It will be amazing!

    ReplyDelete
  6. You are the perfect mama for them, but you already knew that ;).

    ReplyDelete
  7. I thought Carrie Anne Moss was pregnant in some of the movies, of course they have special pregnancy reducing liquid latex in Hollywood that us regular folks don't have.

    Watched that clip with my girls, they were not as impressed as your boys. Or my husband. I expect a round house kick from him any second.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I do so adore you.

    I love that movie. The whole series, actually, though #3 still tends to confuse me a bit. What's REAL!?!? A repeating dream in a computer world?? It hurts my brain.

    Also? My kids love it, too. And they're probably way too young for The Matrix, but we are way too liberal with what our kids can watch...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well, it all depends, right?

      I know some people hide any idea of guns, but, we tried that with our first.

      He somehow found them anyway.

      By Number 3, we kind of just make sure we're around.

      xo

      I adore you, too. xo And thank you.

      Delete
  9. I felt the same way about Ferris Buellers Day Off!

    Can't imagine why I'm Mom of the Perptually Grounded ; )

    ReplyDelete
  10. Ooooh, I haven't gone there yet, my three boys are 10, 11, & 12--but the day approaches! I remember the first time, in the theater...when the explanation of the "battery" we'd become was told--chills. *shiver* There was silence when the credits rolled...and I wanted to kick someone's ass! lol

    I'm glad MIB III is good, we're going next weekend, but you have to look up Casshern. Seriously, a stunning movie and right up your alley! xo

    ReplyDelete
  11. Believe it or not, I have never seen that movie. But now I MUST see it. This summer. With the boys and plenty of popcorn. I sat through Tron with them, the least they can do is watch this one with me :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. I will be the first to admit that Matrix is not in my typical movie genre that I love..BUT I LOVED that movie and was afraid to admit it until now for fear my husband would stop taking me to chick-flicks. xo

    ReplyDelete
  13. I'm hoping the 11 yr old will watch soon. She seems so disinterested in anything that isn't tween/teen drama related (insert extremely exaggerated eye roll here). And I do have to admit that yes, for a while, I did think I was Trinity, so when people say movies have no affect on our reality: crap.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hear you, dear lady. There have been many situations where I have come through by becoming Trinity.

      I love that you understand.

      xo

      Delete
  14. I didn't think I would like The Matrix, but it KICKS ASS.

    ReplyDelete
  15. nice...it is a pretty wicked movie you know...enjoyed the whole series, even the cartoon interlude...and trinity def has it going on...haha...so have fun with the ambushes this week...smiles.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Trinity is like Lisbeth Salander with a worse attitude, if that's even remotely possible!

    ReplyDelete
  17. How could they not love it? They are your flesh and BLOOD!

    And to answer your question above, don't know about the movie but I just died over the books. So good!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know, I know. I KNOW.

      I am clearly blessed.

      xo

      Delete
  18. Clearly the is so much more to learn about you...from the cooking with your abuela to the Matrix?! Such a logical progression. I think I had better watch it again!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Wow! That's like a K.D. Lang kill force!

    (We watched all three Bourne movies this weekend, btw. I feel ya. "Hunh!" *thud*)

    XO

    A.

    ReplyDelete
  20. I have to admit that when we rented this way back when, I fell asleep (I'm sure I had been up too late the night before) and never bothered to watch the whole thing. I think I'll need to get it and give it another go!

    ReplyDelete
  21. This is how I feel about grease and face off.
    One day I will share these with my children and they will dance with me on top of the car.
    Or try to take my identity.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Ha! For years, I had a Matrix screen saver on my computer. Actually, it WAS the Matrix.

    I am not as lucky as you are (as far as the Matrix is concerned), my daughter is not interested in the movie because Justin Bieber is not in it, my son has not seen it yet - but my husband is with me, he is a keeper!

    Glad your boys loved the movie!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Are you in the matrix right now???

    ReplyDelete
  24. This post alone was worth the price of admission!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Contrary to what my Catholic family believes, our daughter Trinity is not named after the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Rather, my husband chose to name her after one of his two favorite female sci-fi characters (he'd already named one of our boa constrictors Leeloo, after the chick from The Fifth Element, and I would've nixed that name anyway). Gabe's middle name is Prime, after a certain Transformer... Sigh. I choose my battles, and it was enough of a fight keeping "Optimus" off of his birth certificate. Marriage is about compromise, right? Haha.

    I'm embarrassed to admit I've actually never seen any of the Matrix movies. I love action movies, but I am shamefully under-informed when it comes to all movies. Josh constantly gives me "I cannot believe you are able to function in society" looks when he casually mentions movies and I confess I've never seen them. We own the Matrix trilogy; I'll have to watch them this week.

    Glad your boys liked it! She seems like a pretty kick-ass chick. From that clip alone, I'm pretty cool with Trin's namesake.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Awesome. We just watched True Romance with the girl and SHE LOVED IT, as we knew she would, because that movie? KICKS ASS.

    Also, The Professional.

    ReplyDelete
  27. I'd go to a Matrix Conference any day of the week. Even Keanu couldn't ruin that movie.

    ReplyDelete
  28. I love it!! My boys are a bit younger (7, 11, and 14) but we do enjoy watching the Matrix (only the first one, though) together, as well as a few other movies that are before their times. It always makes me proud when they share interest in things that I've always enjoyed!! Makes me feel like I've done at least one thing right!!

    ReplyDelete
  29. I love, love the Matrix and Trinity. She's the best one. Wouldn't it have been the worst if they didn't GET it? But, they did. They did!
    I remember seeing the second one in the theater when I was pregnant with Annie with all that noise and gunshots, and she was just rolling around in there loving every minute of it. Or disturbed. But I'm going to go with love.

    ReplyDelete
  30. I can't wait til my boys are older and we can run around in black coats and sunglasses!
    I met Carrie-Anne Moss once because I did a movie with her husband Steven many years ago. You'll be happy to know that under her superhero disguise, she is quite lovely and an incredible mother.

    ReplyDelete
  31. lol. I know you, you do this!

    ReplyDelete
  32. I think I might be the last (wo)man on Earth who hasn't seen Matrix. But I did enjoy that scene. Very much. So glad you shared this with your boys and happy they enjoyed it as much as you do :)

    ReplyDelete

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails