Panagangster Squad

I spent the entire day yesterday in training with some new software being deployed at my company.  This was about as much fun as my recent skin surgery; only more painful.

I got home to, guess what, an empty house again.  My wife and her gang of Panamanian shoppers were once again conducting scorched earth campaigns on the Worcester shopping world.  They arrived home shortly thereafter and my wife said that in addition to shopping they also visited the hair stylist – so at least they are expanding their horizons.

Apparently the ride home was a little wild (more on wild rides later) because the group felt bad that I had to make my own dinner a few nights this week.  They were rushing home to make sure that didn’t happen again.  They pressured my wife to get home fast, after appropriate attention to shopping requirements.  They shouldn’t worry because I enjoy having them around and the effect they have on my wife who hasn’t laughed this much in years.

Even though we are keeping the house at a balmy 72 degrees most of them still feel cold.  I noticed when they sat down for dinner that a few were still wearing their winter coats (wait until today and the six inches of snow inbound!).  They insisted my wife and I go on our date night last night.  It had nothing to do with the fact they would be afforded another opportunity to shop while we went to the movies (so I’m told). 

We travelled into Worcester for the movie and my wife and I split off to go see the movie while they dove into shopping.  We went to see the movie Gangster Squad which was pretty good. 

The cast was immense with Sean Penn once again transforming himself although he did go way over the top a few times.  The biggest surprise was that Ryan Gosling actually speaks in most of his scenes!!!  I do now understand why he doesn’t speak a lot in his roles though because he is not blessed with a very strong voice but the kid does have screen presence and held his own in the very strong cast.

The story revolves around the LAPD’s efforts to rid post-WW2 Los Angeles of organized crime.  The movie does a fabulous job of recreating that bygone era although the history buff in me groaned at times with the liberal interpretation of actual events.  The movie does a very good job of insinuating the immense factor WW2 and its aftermath played in the lives of people of this time period.

My favorite guy from Strike Back – Sgt Damien Scott even had a small role and acquitted himself well.  The real star of this film is Josh Brolin who continues to establish himself as a true movie star.  He plays the leader of the gangster squad as a WW2 veteran who becomes a force of nature pursuing Mickey Cohen. 

We left the theater to find our own squad of Panamanians waiting us in the theater lounge.  The adjacent stores had closed down and they were forced to abandon their latest depredations.  We laughed all the way back to the car and the ride home was semi-eventful.

I usually take this back country road home from the Worcester theater.  My wife always complains I drive a little too fast on the road but last night it afforded an opportunity to have some fun with the Panagals crammed into the rear.  They told the wife to stop complaining about the driving and that encouraged me to give them a fairly wild ride around the tight corners and hills.  I’m sure the residents wondered about the ear shattering screams emanating from the car as we careened along their road.  There was no other traffic and they really did seem to enjoy it; I know I did.

We got home and they immediately set up shop with a couple bottles of wine in the kitchen.  They blamed me for frayed nerves leading to their need to drink but I think I was just a convenient rationale.  I settled in to watch the season premiere of Californication (Hank lives!) but really I was enjoying the peals of laughter issuing from the kitchen.

I really appreciated the quiet time with my wife at the movies.  I almost forgot how much fun she is to be around.  I think it’s kind of cool that she can still do that to me after 31 years of marriage.

The Gang Bundled Up for Dinner

The Gang in Action - Wife's Sister on the Phone
Buddy Patrolling the Perimeter

The Gang Leaving the Theater Last Night
Cousin's Daughter Going With Her Signature Pose