SO CLOSE AND YET SO FAR

As if I needed confirmation that listing my house was the right decision, today I passed up an opportunity I’d have jumped at if I lived in Vancouver.

I noticed in yesterday’s Vancouver Sun that the new movie “A Single Man” was going to be showing at 10 a.m. today with the screenwriter present for discussion. This movie is an adaptation of the Christopher Isherwood novel. Directed by Tom Ford, it stars Colin Firth and Julianne Moore and is generating Oscar buzz. (Xtra West calls it "one of the best gay films ever".) Sure, there will be more screenings when the film goes into wide release, but this was a chance to hear the writer, David Scearce, talk about his process and the final product. (Tom Ford shares a writing credit, having revised Scearce’s original script.) As a fledgling writer, I would have been inspired listening to this Vancouverite’s success story. Moreover, I would be able to identify because he is an acquaintance of mine though I haven’t seen him in several years. I have heard bits and pieces of the process over time from a mutual friend.

So what stopped me? I had planned to go. As is so often the case, I was gung-ho last night, only to be awakened with practicalities in the middle of the night. By the time my alarm went off, I’d backed out. A twelve dollar movie ticket was going to cost me $52, factoring in the ferry cost. (I’m on a year’s leave from work to focus on writing. It’s a wonderful experience except for the fact that my bank account is being battered.) On top of that, the two-hour movie would have taken eight hours to see, from the time I left to catch the morning ferry to the time I caught the first available afternoon sailing and arrived home. Once again, the ferry sank my plans.

I’m going through some regret at the moment. Should’ve gone perhaps. But that’s the reality of living where I do. The movie hasn’t started yet and, if I were living in Vancouver, I could still make it. However, the ship has sailed. That personal helicopter and pilot? Not gonna happen. After all, my house has a slanted roof.

Listing house? Great idea. Selling house? I sure hope there are some impractical dreamers looking to buy.