I found that life frightened me when I was sober

 

I found that life frightened me when I was sober






     The dialogue of the great Eugene O'Neill's plays was always admired and memorized by Greg  especially "the Iceman Cometh." among many others. We were subscribers to the American Film Theater's productions that were always excellent and filled with genuine literary greatness. Plus, it was thirty bucks for the nine plays. The series came out in 1973 and we used to drive over to the El Rey theater in Beverly Hills for the screenings. Opening day was an utter disaster as they were trying to use computer ticketing and the technology was not quite there yet. Greg, myself, and the Bobcat were regulars with stars in our eyes and pretentions to being young intellectuals. Iceman was a test due to the 239 minute length with two needed intermissions but the play was rivetting and never dragged. The cast was spectacular with lifetime performances by Robert Ryan and Lee Marvin. A young Jeff Bridges was a key part of the drama but sixteen players uttered memorable lines set in a dingy bar in 1912. Of the many characters in booze denial was Jimmy Tomorrow, a sad sack who mumbled about wanting to escape the dead end of the saloon setting but never having the guts to act on his empty promises. James was always going to get his old job back...tomorrow.  He laments about his abandoned wife and his non-existant job searches but in one memorable speech he really brings the truth into focus. The key was Jimmy just did not have the courage to take the chances and challenges of real life. He says in the middle of the confession "I found that life frightened me when I was sober." Greg could recite the entire speech and many others in the play but he always used Jimmy Tomorrow's words as a sort of mask for his own dependence on the same alcohol that brought him down eventually. The words struck home because we knew so many friends and family who were damaged by substance abuse and O'Neill knew all about the grip of booze on a man. The truths of Iceman will be worth remembering now more than ever.

"What is it? It's the No Chance Saloon. It's Bedrock Bar, The End of the Line Café, The Bottom of the Sea Rathskeller! Don't you notice the beautiful calm in the atmosphere? That's because it's the last harbor. No one here has to worry about where they're going next, because there is no farther they can go. It's a great comfort to them. Although even here they keep up the appearances of life with a few harmless pipe dreams about their yesterdays and tomorrows, as you'll see for yourself if you're here long."








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