CARMEN`S PRAYERS

How to explain the effect of rapid mood swings? Or rather, not moods but a condition of the soul where you experience extreme exhaustion, near spiritual collapse, and then a change of venue and any kind of accidental little thing—say, the scent of newly mown grass, or the sight of a flock of geese in the air—all of a sudden lifts your spirit, infusing you with new vigor and hope.

Roy was experiencing similar feelings at that moment: he felt a magnetic force pulling him to the land of Sea Gate; something kindred filled the air. The hot smoky asphalt that was filled with cracks and holes—that was spat upon and poisoned one’s lungs—was over there, on the other side of the fence.

Roy grew tipsy from the whiskey, from memories, from the fatigue of the move, and from his night duty at the Mandarin Hotel.

***

A few months prior, his film “The Wise Adult Children” had been shown at the New York Independent Film Festival! And that’s not all: the jury had awarded the picture a special prize.

How much time, money, and energy he had spent on it! Writing a script, the search for a sponsor, agreeing upon all the legal aspects of filming, nearly a year of filming, the

sleepless nights in the editing room, fits of anger, despair, and the exhausting wait after the submission of each application to participate in the festival.

The film was dedicated to the children suffering from last stages of cancer. When asked in an interview how he had succeeded in capturing such a sensitive topic so well, Roy answered, “I initially encountered this phenomenon many years ago when I was still studying at the medical institute to be a psychiatrist and completing my first residency in one of the hospices. I then got acquainted with several of these children and their families. The children still did not comprehend what death was, but incredibly they treasured every moment of their lives. Still, this film isn’t just about sick kids. It is a lesson for us, the adults. We, Americans, are very active people. We are not afraid of new discoveries, which is our great virtue.

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