[Ohio-talk] 2 books 2 movies

[David Cohen]

Red Dragon Thomas Harris

I read this book several years ago and have not forgotten how the
author portrayed a blind woman because it was so simple and true.
It's really neat.  I imagine many folks probably know something about
this already.

The movie was released by the same name Red Dragon and I have not
seen/watched/heard/listened to/experienced/engaged the movie.

The Night Listener by Armistead Maupin I watched last night.  I read
the book a few years ago.  Maybe others have read this.  Another blind
woman herein and the author again writes so simply and knowingly.
Again I said to myself that Maupin must know a blind person or
possibly someone who works for Guidedogs for the Blind because he
writes of  San Francisco routinely and this woman character works a
guide dog.  Anyway, this is not important.  I just have a fondness for
dogs and Labradors from GDB.  The way he writes about the guide
dog/woman relationship within the woman's life is again... neat.

The movie is really good and most of all, one scene featuring the
woman and her guide dog in a coffee shop is excellent.  The subject is
feeding the dog and whoever is behind the direction of the scene is
again in my imagination someone who has experience and the knowing
that comes with familiarity.

The blind woman says, "Better not to start a habit."

This is a good portrayal, even better on-screen in context.  The scene
could have also worked if the blind woman reached beneath the table,
down to the head of her guide dog and playfully lifted the Labrador's
floppy and bottom-heavy upper lip repeatedly while speaking the
response "No thanks.  Mamma told me not to take candy from strangers"
a la Forrest Gump.