M and I are going to go to see
the total eclipse of the sun.
To a place I’ve never been to
before: Columbia, Missouri, where the brainiacs are saying, under ideal
conditions, folks in the city and region will fall into a pitch black at 1:20
p.m. that will last about 2 minutes, 40 seconds. On Monday, Aug. 21.
Man, does this country need a
colossal distraction, or what? That’s part of why we’re going. I may be mad to even suggest this, given how loud and vicious the socio-political discourse has
been in my adopted land for months, and how hellacious it’s been since the
events of Virginia last weekend (Aug. 11-13).
Recently, I saw the movie “Dunkirk”
by director Christopher Nolan. I didn't love it but I admired it greatly.
What is germane to this argument
is that the actions are divided in time segments, very eclipse-y, like the kids
say: You got your boys on the beach (one week), old fella, shell-shocked sailor
and boys on a civvy boat (one day), and Spitfire pilots en route to Dunkirk (one hour).
With the eclipse, folks will be
carving out the time across the country, what will be your partial eclipse
minutes, and the thoroughly awesome minutes for those in that narrow total solar eclipse band across the country, where the
forecast calls for 40, count ’em 40, Woodstock-like events.
Here’s a crazy thought. “Dunkirk”
is a three-time segment movie that recounts stirring narratives that helped to
spur a nation to action, that literally brought people together to fight for
what was seen to be the common good.
Wow! How’s about it, eclipse? You
up for the job?
Next: Running for Your Life: Why I’m Not ‘Treading’ These
Days
