On Movies and Batman in Real Life

I enjoy good movies as much as the next person. But I am no addict of anything show business. I may go a week or two between watching films, a month or two between listening to soundtracks, a year or two between enduring sitcoms, and a decade or two between reading editions of People magazine. Also, I am picky in choosing a movie to watch, much less to buy or see in the theater. And when conversations turn to entertainment, my eyes may convey disinterest or ignorance.

Regretfully, I often have lived out my view arrogantly, offending multiple friends multiple times. But I have come to respect those who hike another trail. So why does this trek appeal to me?

Watching a few good movies is like eating a Ruth’s Chris steak: enriching, memorable, a worthy expense. Wendy’s or Taco Bell are ok now and then, but not as a final or frequent destination for which you scrimp, save, and plan. And between gourmet dinners, I try to invest hours and dollars in relationships, studies, and hobbies.

So there you go: take it or leave it.

If you are still reading, you are probably wondering (or fearing) about my title. Where and when does “Batman” fit in to all this? As a modest movie guy, it feels odd to write about Hollywood—including an upcoming story about my recent befriending of an actor in my native Montana.

For now, I read an interview with another Montana movie star: Batman, no Birdman, no Michael Keaton. Here are some interesting excerpts:

On work and life:

“It’s important not to be a victim of the system, not to be enchanted by all the glitter…You can focus on having a really big career and, you know, a life. Or, you can have a really good life—and a career. I always wanted to have a life…When you come from very little money and all of a sudden you can make a good living with what you love to do, you feel like a king. I am very grateful and very blessed. But I also turned down jobs that would have made me a lot of cash, too. It’s great to make your own choices, but there’s a price to pay. I could’ve made more money or been more famous. I could be the current groovy guy. You don’t want to lose your status, but I was never willing to preserve it by doing things I didn’t want to do.”

On play and life:

I spend as much time as possible on my ranch in Montana. I like to be surrounded by nature. I love horses. I used to compete, riding cutting horses. I like to fish. I love fly fishing. I have a beautiful wild stream running through my ranch. Whenever I get the chance, I’m out and about. It levels me and gives me quiet and peace. Pittsburgh is my alter ego…I think you can make a lot of comparisons between Montana and Pittsburgh, particularly in the people…You just get things done, and you don’t complain about it. There’s an honesty and down-to-earth quality in both places that I really cherish.”

I think I would enjoy meeting Mr. Keaton one day. If I do, it would be a “get to” experience, not a “have to” one. But that is how I try to view any new friend. All people are created in the image of God—imago Dei. Celebrities are made in our image, but we all share an equal need for God’s gift of redeeming grace. So whether mine and Mr. Keaton’s paths cross or not, I will pray that he accepts that gift—if he has not already—along with many others in Hollywood.

Thank You, 9-1-1 Dispatchers!

If you have ever worked at a 9-1-1 dispatch center, your 9-1-1 calls may have had a distinct ring. Most calls are routine or misdials or information requests. Yet any call could be a crisis, whether from citizens or from emergency personnel. Dispatchers daily deal with frustrating or dangerous circumstances—so they learn ways of coping on-the-job. But they are prepared for the worst, for they all have answered a call and heard only screaming on the other end of the line…

Rigorous training prepares dispatchers to engage emergencies effectively—lest emotions slow or undermine the response of authorities. When the 9-1-1 ring sounds, a dispatcher may answer and say, “9-1-1, what is the address of the emergency?” (Tip: location is the most critical information you can give, so call-takers can get some help en route, even before they know the problem.)

Given all this, you can imagine the combination of humor and irritation dispatchers feel when an “emergency” caller declares, “My neighbor’s dog is barking!” A pithy reply might be, “This is a 9-1-1 line, Sir/Ma’am; please call back on the regular police phone.”

Natural gas explosions, suicides, broken legs, car crashes, heart attacks, bar fights, drunk drivers, fires, domestic violence, rape…and also false alarms, parking violations, officer requests, rabbits on main street, welfare checks, and yes, barking dogs are all part of a dispatcher’s daily service.

God bless you, dispatchers!

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Part of this was originally published by The Presidential Prayer Team (www.presidentialprayerteam.com). Reprinted here with permission.