Saturday, December 24, 2011

A Christmas Story Chinese Christmas dinner


In 2005, on what was to be our last Christmas together, my son Sean and I spent Christmas evening in Westport, Kansas City. That afternoon, we had watched his favorite Christmas film, “A Christmas Story”. We decided to continue the “movie day” and go to the wonderful Tivoli Theater to see “Capote” with Philip Seymour Hoffman. Before the film, Sean had the idea of having dinner at the Chinese Restaurant nearby, the New Peking Chinese Restaurant.

The highlight of the meal was the eggrolls, a food item we both savored. The film afterwards was fantastic. There were three people in the audience. We talked briefly with Jerry Harrington in the lobby. It was a fun night. Sean asked me more about “In Cold Blood” (1966) and wanted to read it. The next day, we went to Border’s and got a copy of the book and a copy of Capote's novella, “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” (1958). The famous Audrey Hepburn film is his sister, Jens’, favorite still.

A few weeks later, after I had returned to England, I received a letter from Sean, explaining his amazement at the dark edginess of Capote's story, "Breakfast at Tiffany's" in contrast with the rather lighthearted film interpretation. He mentioned that the story deserved a remake. He dreamed of being a director and, in my humble fatherly opinion, he had a keen eye and ear for film and a good story.

Moon River
Wider than a mile
I’m crossing you in style
Someday…

Tomorrow, I’m resurrecting the tradition of Chinese food and film, with a few dear lovely friends…and eggrolls.

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