kitchen Angst!

I know yesterday I said Willy Wonka and the Chocolate factory was my favorite movie of all time. I did mean it, although it does share that title with another film.
The Cook, the Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover by Peter Greenaway. This Masterpiece was released 19 years ago today, at the Toronto Film Festival, and made Its American debut on April 6, 1990. Thats right My Birthday! That was the best present I will EVER get!
I had just made the decision to go to Culinary school and was busy packing up my entire life to move to Vermont and start on “my new beginning” when my friend Linda called me up to say she was taking me to see a movie and wouldn’t take no for an answer. She was bossy that way, but with me you have to be, so it worked. She told me to be ready in 20 minutes, that we didn’t have much time to get to the theater. I said ok, hung up, and got ready! At this point I still had no idea what movie we were going to see. Not that it really mattered, my boyfriend was gone (he had left me and moved back to Ohio), I was alone on my Birthday again, I was working 120 hours a week at one job, as a cook mind you, and it was my first day off in over two months. I was ready for anything.
She Picks me up and we don’t even talk about the movie we are going to see, she drives like a banshee and makes small talk. Are you packed? Have you spoken to Chris this week? When is your last day at work? Oh Happy Birthday by the way, but your present is going to have to be late, but you will get it before you leave for school. What ? (I asked), I thought this movie was my birthday? Oh no this is your “becoming a Chef ” gift! As well as your “getting rid of Chris” gift! Your Birthday gift is coming next week. [In all honesty, Chris dumped me and moved off, Linda just didn’t like him because, she thought he took advantage of me, so she always played it like I dumped him and that he was the one really hurting. It was a nice gesture, nothing more.] So, what movie are we rushing to see? I asked, I’m not telling you It’s a surprise, She replied. As it turns out it was the Cook, the Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover, which by the way was only showing in a handful of theaters in the twin city metro area… none of them close. I had never heard of Peter Greenaway, or any of his movies. I walked into the darkness of that theater in an even more blind state of mind.
OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD!
I walked out of that theater a changed man! Not only was I convinced I had made the right choice as a profession, but the artistry of that film (the colors, the costumes, the compositions of the scenes) helped me understand Chris even more than I had before. I know this wasn’t Linda’s intent so I never let her in on that last bit! We were both in tears as we exited the building. She looked at me and asked , Well, what did you think? My jaw just dropped… We both just busted out laughing and continued our walk to the car.