Gypsy nails, Dad & Bogie

I've just painted my nails. Natio's Mystic. A gypsy red hue emblazoned on my fingers. Somehow, nail polish always appears ghastly on me. They make my fingers look like brown knobbly twigs that have been used to stir an abhorrent tin of garishly bright paint. I honestly don't know why I bother, because I know that in half an hour I'm going to get out the cotton balls and acetone and try to remove every trace of evidence from my hands.

I'm finally alone. My incompetent, imbecile, fool of a father is no longer talking at me through my door trying to make my watch The Faculty, selling it to me by saying its got lots of famous people in it.

"Dinah, look. Look. Look. Are you looking? "

"I'm busy!" My back is turned because I'm using the microwave , I turn around and glance over at the rental DVD which he is still holding like some prized trophy.

"See, see, look, that guy from the lorn of the rings is in it. Lijah wood". He continues to point to the faces on the cover. "he's famous, she's famous, he's famous, they are all famous, a lot of famous people in this movie!"

gee famous people in movies! That's a first. And is that Usher on the cover? Its got to be an awesome movie!

(silence)

I continue, staring blanky and stunned in disbelief and his futile efforts to win back his daughter's attention.

"You aren't interested? You don't like these sort of movies do you?"

By Jove, he's got it!

"I know what you like! You are into those old movies aren't you? You like Bogart? The African Queen?"

"Yeah, I would like to see that, I think he got nominated and won an oscar for that..."

"He was married to that girl in the movie wasn't he? I thought he was married to her."

"No, That was Katherine Hepburn, and no. He had four wives and he was married to Lauren Bacall!"

"Four wives! Four Wives! He had Four wives? I can't believe it!"

He was probably thinking all at once.

****

Lately I've gotten into a bit of a Bogie obsession. I find myself gravitating to all things Bogie or Humphrey Bogart related, including reading Lauren Bacall's biography and that of Bogie's alleged lover Verita Thompson. Its as if I am some crappy, asteroid- rock, moon who got pulled into orbit by some Huge Bogie head shaped planet in space.

But it's cool. I totally feel like one of the cool cats now. Like I could go around calling girls broads and drinking Scotch. Don't let anyone tell you other wise. Bogie is a Legend. He is cool! The smart arse of Hollywood. He was about the acting,the craft! Not about the Star Image that many darlings tend to care about these days.

Long Live Bogie!