AZOTUSLAND Chapter Seventy-One

"In every great story," Jim began, "there are great moments of drama, and often a striking moment where one person is like a lightening rod of truth or revelation. Many of you have been at our movie nights and just think of some of those moments...the moment where the warden in Shawshank realizes that Andy has escaped. Think of that moment where Robert DeNiro and Jeremy Irons watch each other fall in The Mission. Think of the two sisters in Babette's Feast when they learn that she has spend the entire lottery prize on the one dinner."

Jim paused and took a drink of wine. "Tell me some of htose moments for you in a book or film...in a story."

Renata spoke up and said, "In the second Matrix film when the two of them, Trinity and Neo make love while the celebration takes place."

"Naw," said Rand grinning, "It's when Morpheus uses the samurai sword on the freeway."

"What else?" Jim asked.

"When John Cusack stands across from whats-her-name's house with the boombox and the Peter Gabriel song in Say Anything," said Martine.

"Better the scene where he's outside the window in the rain in High Fidelity," Maugham countered and she laughed.

Dan talked about a scene from Mishima. Jonathan did a short few lines from The Survivors. Roo said that seeing Chocolat had changed her life. Templar said it was a James Bond movie that changed his. Rachel said it was The English Patient.

"What about you detective?" Jim asked, surprising Volosky.

"Er, The Godfather of course," he said quickly. "That and The Seven-Ups. And you Jim?" he shot back like lightening.

"The Man Who Would Be King," said Jim. "The last scene where Connery and Caine settle their friendship on the level and on the square."

*********

The meal was settling in and so where they. Manfred and Ted and Jim rose for a few minutes and brought around warm water and towels for guests to cleanse their hands, followed by spritzes of rose water.

**********

"Well in this story that Rich has just read, who is the lightening rod?" Jim asked.

"It's Jesus, " Ted said.

"Not sure about that Ted, but certainly Jesus is key." Jim answered.

"Well, the host...the one Jesus tells the parable to," Maugham said. "Like you, it's always about you," he grinned.

"I don't think so," Jim said.

"It's the woman," Rachel spoke up. "It's about her."

Jim grinned. "What makes you say that?"

"I dunno..my gut...she's just so bold."

"And sexy," said Andy, which drew stares.

"Anyone else?"

Detective Volosky stirred. "She's right," he said flatly. She is clearly the focus of the whole story.

"A prositiute detective?" Jim said with a grin.

"Oh yes," he feigned. "What a surprise to find a beautiful woman at the center of a story."