Having watched the Golden Globe Awards last month and looking forward to the Oscars, I am thinking of Leroy enormously, since he was the one led me walking into the movie world.
Before I came to the US I knew very little about American movies. All I remember were a few movies I saw with my favor characters like Charley Chaplin, Shirley Temple, Cary Grant and director Alfred Hitchcock. I came to US for the first time as an exchange scholar over three decades ago, I was totally occupied with research and never had the time to watch any movies in near 3 years that I was here. Just before I left the US my professor took me to watch a movie about Mozart (Amadeus). Although I had difficulty understanding the conversations, I enjoyed it very much.
It's six years later when I came back to the US again I was even more busy, this time not only doing research but also having to raise a family as a single mother. Everything was extremely hard then, I have had no time for movies for a long time, not until all high pressures from work and family were greatly reduced. That was the time when I met Leroy, and he was a frequent movie-goer. He was an expert in all kinds of movies; he knew most of the actors, actresses, and the directors, both classic and current. When I mentioned my favorite characters, he was of course familiar with them.
When we were planning for our first movie together, Leroy told me to pick the one I wanted to see. I looked at the posters and pointed to Heartbreakers. For some reason Leroy questioned my choice and asked me three times to make sure this was the one I wanted to see. Actually I didn't realize that Leroy didn't like this movie and he thought the story was silly and boring, but it was too late for him to take his back words. Thus we went to the theater and I felt refreshed and excited, since this was one of a very few times that I had actually walked into a theater to see a movie after working in the US for 10 years! I enjoyed the movie very much; the story was funny and rather simple, conversations were not too complicated and I understood most parts. However there were still some places where I felt confused. I turned to Leroy for help I was surprised to find he had fallen asleep! What amazed me was although Leroy fell asleep, he still could answer all my questions and explain them in detail after movie finished. I thus thought either Leroy had special function who could watch a movie in his sleep or maybe he just made up the story to fool me. Whatever the condition was, I did enjoy the movie.
From this day on, Leroy and I saw movies regularly. We joined movie clubs and often received free tickets for movie pre-screening. Shortly after, the number of movies I watched became far greater than how many movies I had ever watched in my whole life. The names of my favorite characters became a long list... Gradually, we found out that each other had different preferences in the kinds of movies we liked. Leroy liked action movies with loud yelling full of dirty words and constant shooting which could deafen the ear, and he also liked science fiction movies; while I preferred comedy dramas plus good foreign films. So we took turns choosing the movie to watch together. Leroy still would fall asleep during the movie from time to time. Often I would try to wake him up but he would get very mad at me...A few times when he fell asleep the loud shooting and explosions made him jump out from his seat, this caused me to giggle. I asked Leroy: "Are you mad at movie?"
Besides going to the theater Leroy also took me to Blockbusters which was a huge movie library. I was so impressed that there were so many movies including those from all over the world. Movies did open my eyes and gave me new experience, and I learned about the different cultures of the US and other countries. I often got lost while at Blockbusters choosing movies, then I found an easy way: pick the winners. However Leroy, who often picked his movies quickly, laughed at my “picking trick”, he often told me that "winner" was meaningless but “shitty”. After watching so many acclaimed movies I developed the interest to give commentary on them. On the way home from the theater I used to like discuss the movie with Leroy. I even wrote short comment on the web. Later, the annual Oscar Academy Award drew my attention and I liked to compare my personal likings to the nominated movies. Leroy didn’t care about the Oscars but he would sit by me and watch a little bit or fall sleep in front of the TV.
Among the so many movies we watched, one was very special. It was called “The World’s Fastest Indian”, played by Anthony Hopkins, who was our common favorite actor. Although this movie showed for a rather short time in the theater and didn't get too much publicity, nor won any awards, it gave both of us extremely deep influence. Burt (Anthony) is a senior man with a heart condition who lived in New Zealand. India is the name of his motorcycle. He tried hard to modify that India in order to make it run fast for world championship. He came to the US for the competition, even though he had to keep taking medicine to control his heart pain. He was not only fighting for first place but also fighting with his own heart. Burt finally won the championship. Afterward Burt came to US nine times and set world record several times. His spirit inspired Leroy and me and everyone who watched it. When Leroy got sick later, he is always a fighter. I see Leroy's spirit shine like Burt's...
In the last year after Leroy left, the first movie I watched by myself was Unfinished Song which reminded me of Leroy. Now every time I go to the theater I always feel Leroy sitting by me falling asleep. Leroy led me into the movie world not only added an important part to my life, but also gave me a way for healing...