Well, the poorly kept secret is out--the word "Normal" in this blog's title doesn't refer (see more below) to the usual, standard, regular, expected mental condition of TNB, but rather to the movie theater pictured (circa 1970) at left. This theater, at the corner of 119th and Normal on Chicago's far South Side, was operated by TNB's parents from 1953 to 1981 and was where TNB learned how to make popcorn, change posters and most important for his prolific literary career write incisive 4 line ads with the correct show times (not a standard practice in those days). Since we're halfway between Mother's Day and Father's Day, it's time to reveal the homage to TNB's parents to which this blog is dedicated.
As far as "normal" is concerned, don't we all believe that we each provide the most accurate measure of just what that word describes? Anybody whose outlook, demeanor, conduct, appearance, etc. varies from ours to any significant degree is thought of as "abnormal", defined generally as undesirably deviating from (naturally) our impression of "normal". Remember the preserved brain marked "abnormal" in the movie "Young Frankenstein" (shown at the Normal Theater in 1971)? After the Doctor's assistant Igor mistook it for a person's name (A. B. Normal) this apparently damaged specimen was inserted in the head of the monster created in the very non-normal lab operated by Dr. Frankenstein. Ultimately, of course, the monster has the last laugh or actually, if you recall, the next to last laugh. If there is a moral (in a Mel Brooks movie?) it's that anybody can be mislabeled as abnormal if they don't exactly conform to our expectations.
BTW (by the way for you non-hip readers) would you say Hillary Clinton's acting "normal" these days (by most standards)? Although last week's post gave 10 to 1 odds that she would magnanimously and modestly agree to be Barack Obama's running mate, nothing of the sort has yet happened. This might be the result of, among other things, Michelle Obama's not wanting Bill Clinton to be sort of "second spouse". Who can blame her, given Bill's extremely "abnormal" behavior during the campaign? This appears to be the new "normal" for him.
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3 comments:
rI say why be normal? I'm not sure that Bill's not acting abnormal on purpose. Maybe he can't handle the thought of playing second fiddle? As to the reference to the Normal Theater, I was also one of the lucky few who got to operate the popcorn machine at the theater, as well as sell candy and have the fabulous opportunity to sell tickets there. I also viewed the original "Herbie and The Love Bug" (starring Buddy Hackett) there as least a dozen times. Thanks for another great column.
demonsdemonsMaybe you can get a DVD of Herbie? Better yet, TNB will try.
Can TNB update the rest of us as to the ultimate fate of the theater? Is it still there?
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