06-18-2024, 08:30 PM
It is a dig if Near takes it to be a dig. 'Dig' is not the word Jude would assign to describe Near's feelings though. Could he even describe Near's feelings? Could he differentiate emotions in that kaleidoscopic mass? With every turn of conversation, the feelings twist, the shapes warp.
The PG-13 assignation confuses Jude's hiccupy humanity with his capabilities and proclivities. Or perhaps Near extrapolated from Jude's very poor experience drinking. Jude has no problem having sex and he has no problem killing things; issues are more likely to arise from his blase attitude towards both than any prudishness. Neither is he much of a flirt, and certainly not a boisterous vulgarian. Near's mind is a careful editor: he has forgotten that Jude cut his own hand open to try and make a point. That might make it into a PG-13 movie, as long as there wasn't a long shut of glass opening flesh.
"I'm sure you were," Jude responds evenly. "Your father was interesting." That remains the biggest disappointment of them all: that Near is not a bridge to his father, the man that Jude knew and liked better.
Near is the one intent on smudging out what's interesting about him. He was trying to smudge it out with Guthrie -- Guthrie the good, the normal, the boring. Near doesn't truly believe the relationship is forever-broken -- that would be too much to hope for. Near need only sacrifice his pride on the altar of boring, grovel a little at the mall, and he can have it back. Jude will go like he came, strange weather that rolls in and out, clouds like the back of a tortoise shell that bring thunderstorms and depart after dumping two inches of rain in an hour.
The PG-13 assignation confuses Jude's hiccupy humanity with his capabilities and proclivities. Or perhaps Near extrapolated from Jude's very poor experience drinking. Jude has no problem having sex and he has no problem killing things; issues are more likely to arise from his blase attitude towards both than any prudishness. Neither is he much of a flirt, and certainly not a boisterous vulgarian. Near's mind is a careful editor: he has forgotten that Jude cut his own hand open to try and make a point. That might make it into a PG-13 movie, as long as there wasn't a long shut of glass opening flesh.
"I'm sure you were," Jude responds evenly. "Your father was interesting." That remains the biggest disappointment of them all: that Near is not a bridge to his father, the man that Jude knew and liked better.
Near is the one intent on smudging out what's interesting about him. He was trying to smudge it out with Guthrie -- Guthrie the good, the normal, the boring. Near doesn't truly believe the relationship is forever-broken -- that would be too much to hope for. Near need only sacrifice his pride on the altar of boring, grovel a little at the mall, and he can have it back. Jude will go like he came, strange weather that rolls in and out, clouds like the back of a tortoise shell that bring thunderstorms and depart after dumping two inches of rain in an hour.