ARNOLD by Kathryn Merrifield

At the suggestion that we stop by the library after school as part of the pre-blizzard prep, Venna Rose told me she didn’t want to go because we wind up getting movies like THE TERMINATOR (we’ve checked it out twice at Luke’s and never watched it).

ME:  “THE TERMINATOR is a very important movie.  Arnold Schwarzeneggar is part of American history.”

This segued to a morning story told to three amused faces…

It went something like this:

My dad used to take us to The Palm restaurant every other weekend.  It was this really cool restaurant.  There were murals all over the walls – caricatures of celebrities and a lot palm trees.  Sawdust covered the hardwood floors.  We’d get a plate of some kind of meat and sides of vegetables.  There was a dish called Half-and-Half, piled high with half homemade fried onions and potato chips from scratch.  Clams Casino with clams on the half shell – bacon pieces on top and bread crumbs.  We’d tear off pieces of the big sliced loaf of bread and spread butter on it or dip it into the Clams Casino juice. 

I saw a couple of celebrities, one of which was Arnold Schwarzeneggar.  Then, he was body builder who no one but my dad knew because he followed body-building and martial arts.  Later on he became and actor and starred in the TERMINATOR film franchise (explanation of what a franchise is followed but affirmation from me to Leo that, yes, a franchise is like SPIDERMAN).  After that he became the governor of California (explanation that a governor is the boss of the state).

Yawns and giggles from Venna Rose… 

I thought it was a good story chock full of memories about the few times the wait staff brought a lobster to the table and showed us that by petting its head, it could be put to sleep.

That and Woody Allen’s ANNIE HALL are the reason I stay away from lobster and keep close (with my eyes covered) to the movie franchise.  Not those that serve as political resumes.

For example:  http://moviepilot.com/posts/2014/09/17/watch-arnold-schwarzenegger-kill-everyone-2276715?lt_source=external,manual

The commentary is worth it.  The violence is not.

We didn’t get the library.  Sticking to animation for the blizzard.   Luke decided not to watch it which brings me back to what is important in American history…  Shut-in sweetness.