Oscar

When I was in high school, I participated in Quiz Bowl.  There were four of us on a team and we would drive 5 hours to Reno to compete in a 30 minute show (which was televised on public access TV that no one watched, so yes, pretty fancy).  We would stay the night in Reno and they were really fun trips, much better than the basketball trips I took around the state.  For one thing, we went in the school car instead of a rattling uncomfortable bus.  For another thing, Quiz Bowl didn't require me to wear shorts that revealed my gawky white legs.  For another thing, I was a lot better at Quiz Bowl than basketball.

Mr. Hutchison was the teacher that took us to Quiz Bowl.  He was terrifying as a PE teacher when I was in junior high, slightly unsettling as an English teacher when I was a sophomore, and a lot of fun as a Quiz Bowl coach.  He would take us out for steak if we won and threatened us with the Circus Circus buffet if we lost.  (If you've been to Reno casinos, you know what I mean.  Bleck.)  We ended up winning all the time and I think the thought of the Circus Circus buffet had something to do with it.  We also usually went to a movie which was fabulous.  There was no movie theater in our little town so it was a treat.

Since it was back when dinosaurs roamed the earth, we would gather around a newspaper to see what was playing in the theaters.  On one particular trip, everyone else on the team wanted to see a movie that was rated R.  Mr. Hutchison said, "Thelma can't see that movie."

One of the other kids wondered why.

He said, "Marianne would never watch rated R movies."

So for about the two millionth time, I was grateful Marianne was my older sister.  Because no, I didn't watch rated R movies and when Marianne was on the Quiz Bowl team she had established that fact and paved the way for me.  (Also because of her I knew that the Mayflower wasn't one of Columbus's ships.  Sorry Marianne, too soon?)

The one sole movie that was PG was "Oscar." None of us had ever heard of it.  The rest of the kids were disappointed about the other movie they wanted to see and I had every finger crossed that they would like "Oscar" so I wouldn't have ruined their chance to see a good movie in the big city.  (Or you know, The Biggest Little City in the World)

"Oscar" was great.  We all laughed and laughed.  We quoted funny lines the next day on our way home.

Awhile ago, Adam and I came across the movie on Amazon Instant Videos.  We showed it to our children Friday night.  We all laughed and laughed.  I've always appreciated "Oscar" for being funny on that night in Reno so many years ago.  It's still really funny.