Phone call

My parents and I actually had an interesting conversation.

I mean, the phone call wasn't without jabs, which I'll recount first:

Mom: How's... what's her name? Your animal?
Dad: Gracie.
Mom: Right.
A.: She's fine. She was in a playful mood this morning. She was trying to capture a string out from under the table...
Mom: You know, animals are like people: some are smarter than others. We were really blessed with C.--she was a kitty genius. Your cat, not so much, I think.
Dad: She was probably just playing. that doesn't mean she's dumb.

There were also echoes of conversations we've had many times (it doesn't get cold in DC, DC is devoid of quality opera, etc.). The perceived lack of river did not come up.

But then we were talking about opera, theatre, film, etc. I mentioned that I might go to see "Ward No. 6" at the National Gallery, especially as it's halfway to my friend's house, to which I'm going later tonight. Mom talked about how she saw a Japanese production of "The Idiot" that was amazing. (Incidentally, I'm reading about a South African's version of "The Nose.") We talked about how that kind of production speaks to art as a vehicle for the universal human experience. I mean, when you can take a story and make it work in an entirely different context (and I'd argue that the Shakespeare's Balkanesque production of King Lear didn't work--I mean, the play did, but the Balkan part was lost on me), it really works.