Dream a Little Dream

          Today, Sean and I hopped the train to North Station to catch the commuter rail out to North Andover, where Haley, her friend Megan, and her pool awaited us. We were aiming to catch the 11:30 train, but we learned the tough way that the commuter rail departs the second the time comes up. "Whatever," we said. "Andy has his computer, we can watch a movie and chill while we wait for the next couple of hours." The only problem was, a Justin Bieber concert was apparently going on that night, and North Station was swarming with squealing teenyboppers and their disgruntled guardians. One woman -- I wish I could say I was joking here -- one woman sat like a beggar, holding a bedazzled sign that read, "Please Help My Daughter's Dream Come True - Help her Meet Justin Bieber". Ignoring for just a moment the sheer, inherent stupidity, I also think I'd feel cheated if I was someone who actually had to beg for money. After I finally found someplace to charge my computer (an outlet behind a penny-flattening machine), we began Se7en, which I think I enjoy more each time I watch it. We finished the movie on the train and spent the rest of the ride just stretching out and relaxing.
          Haley and Megan picked us up at the Lawrence stop, just five minutes from our destination. The swimming was as wonderful as I had hoped. I wrestled with Sean in the water (he won 2-1) and we played some Sharks and Minnows as well. When the horizon began to glimmer with orange and pink, we headed out for pizza at a local establishment. For me, pizza with friends on a summer night is an almost sacred event. It may not be out of the ordinary, but maybe that's just it -- it feels so right. After this, we drove into nearby Andover (apparently differentiated from North Andover by its snobbery) for frozen yogurt at Orange Leaf. Have you ever noticed that froyo places are all the same? Pink Berry, Orange Leaf, Red Mango -- they all use that weird, sterile, brightly colored style of decor as well. This got us to contemplating what it would be like if they tried to appeal to niche audiences, like metalheads or ravers. I enjoyed a huge brownie batter/cookies and cream twist (cups > cones 4 lyfe) with crumbled Reeses Cups, a handful or two of cookie dough pieces, white chocolate chips, and a couple of popping strawberry boba which left me unimpressed.
          Back at the house, we all crashed in the living room and decided to watch a horror flick. After some discussion, we figured out that we were in an Exorcist kind of mood, and settled on a film called Exorcismus. I wouldn't recommend against watching it, but it was not great. There were some decent scares, the supporting cast wasn't half bad (especially the priest), and the twist near the end was genuinely surprising. Unfortunately, the main character was an unlikeable, rebellious scene kiddy, which made the rest of the affair difficult to enjoy. 5/10, would probably not watch again. With some time left before we left for the station, the males among the group persuaded everyone to watch the first two episodes of Justice League of America, henceforth abbreviated as JLA. The ride home looked to be quiet when we boarded, but at the first stop, five brodudus bromagnii appeared to occupy the seats right ahead of us. To use Sean's words, these people encapsulated everything I hate about men. All while making the noise of twenty people, they talked about a) how much money they're making b) gambling in Las Vegas c) what bar they should go to (this was an argument, with one bro earnestly declaring that "these girls are giving it up") and d) how shitty Obamacare is. Bro number two earned some bonus points during a tangent about Chick-Fil-A by exclaiming, "Who gives a fuck about gay people?"
          We piled off the train at North Station with relief, finally free of these douchers, but it was out of the frying pan and into the fire. The Biebs had just concluded his ritual and spewed forth his devotees like so many shrieking gnats. The emphasis is on "so many" -- our abilities to bob and weave through crowds were sorely tested -- though "shrieking gnats" might also bear emphasis. Girls hardly old enough to wipe themselves wearing shirts that say "Swag" on them should not be a thing. Even more so if it's the horrible "Keep Calm and Stay Swaggy," possibly the worst of the many incarnations of that meme (aside: there are no good versions outside of the original, but seriously.) Now would also be an appropriate time for your daily reminder that Justin Bieber is a product of Canada, not the States. Continuing, Sean and I did our best to immediately put as much distance between ourselves and TD Garden as possible, disregarding the path home in favor of escape from the teeming masses. At one point, we crossed a street under the protection of a walk signal, someone rudely honked at us, and I got to spit on the ground in contempt for the first time in my life. (Giving the finger to an asshole driver seemed rather too crass.)
          The rest of the walk home was peaceful. We stopped on the sidewalk near State Street to watch an old building being demolished with a wrecking ball. Its steel frame was illuminated with high-powered floodlights, catching dust as it swirled around the structure. Every time the ball glanced off, it was accompanied by the clanking rumbles and screams of metal on metal and a momentary trail of flying sparks. Without the normal street noise or voices that one would hear in the area in the daytime, the scene had a dreamlike, almost otherworldly feel. Soon a little crowd was gathered, just looking up. I could have stayed there all night, just watching, but Sean needed to go and we went. We were nearly run over by some guy driving in reverse, we witnessed some creepers nearly begin a confrontation with some young ladies, but we were bone tired in that wonderful way that only happens after a long, satisfyingly full day. I got home at ten minutes to one, and my night was complete when I learned that a Superman/Batman film is slated for 2015. I don't know how it could succeed given the mediocrity of Man of Steel and the apparent finality of the Nolan trilogy, but I can hope.
          Quotes of the day:
"If it's organic, it'll supersize your bill." - Sean, on a billboard hawking organic food
"The fact that I'm not dead is nice." - Sean, on infant mortality
"FloYo: hip-hop themed frozen yogurt." - me
"Punk froyo. We'll throw in barbed wire pieces for an extra 25 cents!" - me
"BroYo: workout themed froyo." - me
"Eat capitalism!" - Sean, on JLA
"America!" - Sean, on JLA
"Can't fuck with the Silver Line." - Sean, on T racism
"Call up ya boy Sam Brownback." - me
"I figured out why their chests are so big. That's where they keep all the justice." - me

Pretty much everything you need to know about this movie.