The Moral of the Movie,” Eric P. Nisula

Eric P. Nisula

I.

The shot cowboy looking up at his partner asked, “What was it—gold?” “Sure, Luke,” he said, “Lots of it.” The cowboy grinned, coughed and died.

II.

In war-torn Poland workers refuse to work; Truckloads of Nazis come. They spill out, weapons at the ready, and grab a worker. “I’ll work! I’ll work!” he jabbers as they move him toward the wall.

III.

Ma Barker and her boys, on the lam. Dad’s a useless drunk. They pull over. “Boys,” barks Ma, “get rid of the old man.” “Let’s go, Pa,” they say.

He staggers to the bushes, bottle in hand, sees the drawn pistols and says, “I wish I never…”

IV.

Ned loves Hattie, but Hattie was devoted to her college teaching, turning out judges and senators.

Yet he faithfully served her, year after year, doggedly trying to get her to marry him.

Now we’re near the end of the movie.

Hattie has her testimonial dinner. The judge and the senator rise to toast her teaching.

In the last scene they sit in rockers, grey-haired. Hattie thinks now of Ned.

“Was there something you were going to ask me?” He smiles and pats her hand— “Naw, that’s ok.”