A classic hits home

I went to see "The Odd Couple" last night at Theater J. And--side note--I don't think I've ever identified less with the Jews around the community center. This is in stark contrast to when I go to events at Sixth and I, where I feel a connection to the people around me. I can't quite put my finger on what it was... but I got a distinct, powerful sense of "I am not them."

The play was excellent. It was hilarious.

And as it progressed, parts of it felt very close to home. That caught me off guard, because the premise was so different from my former living situation. Oscar and Felix were two friends who moved in together. And yet, the way Felix would never stopped talking while Oscar was trying to read... but that was just icing on the cake. The essence was when Oscar lost it--not just that, but when he lost it, and Felix didn't get it, even though Oscar had been telling him in plain English. I don't remember the exact line--something like, "Why can't he hear me? I know I'm talking!" He'd so plainly said, "this means a lot to me. Please stop doing that." And then, when he snapped, Felix could only say, "what? What did I do?"

There was also the way that the practical became personal. I didn't initially dislike my roommate--everyone is entitled to their quirks, their habits, etc. I didn't care about his eating habits, until continued to make a point of mine. But there was a point--anyone who's ever been really annoyed by someone in any situation can identify with this--where even the little things that don't matter will annoy you, because they represent part of the annoying whole. When someone so deeply ingrains himself onto your $hit list, there's no turning back. Even attempts to redeem oneself only backfire. And so, there was a moment in the play where Oscar said, "it's you."

And yet... I know some friends would see some Felix in me, although they'd be (mostly) wrong. I did find myself, at Dewey Beach, taking on the role of getting food on the table--but that was only because I wanted to eat, and someone had to do it. There was no passive aggression to it, it was a means to an end. Not my friends, but friends of a friend who were also there, irked me when they each, at different times, said, "you're such a housewife." FU! And I don't mean Felix Unger. No, I'm not. No offense to housewives. But I'm not. I was dealing with the food because the food was there to be dealt with, and it's not hard for me to deal with it. But I digress.

The point is, the play was hilarious, and if you're in the area, you should go see it, whether you're Oscar, or Felix, or a little bit of both.