There's Hell To Pay, Boy!

a cool day in Hellboy

After having quelled my burning desire for a few weeks now, yesterday I snapped. I gave in. I knew it was just a matter of time that it got the better of me and yesterday it did. Yesterday I snuck out behind Mae's back to watch Hellboy on my own. :)

Two of the things I love most in the world, other than my wife, my soon-to-be kid, my family and friends are surely movies and comics. And Hellboy, being a movie adaptation of a comic is a must-see where I'm concerned. And while I would have love to have Mae go along with me for the show, our culture just doesn't permit it.

The Chinese must be the most superstitious lot in the whole wide world. We have taboos for everything. And as far as Chinese folks are concerned, pregnancy is a time of self-restraint. According to the old folks, expectant mothers must refrain from looking at ugly things otherwise their babies might end up ugly as well. My maternal grandma used to tell me stories. She had a neighbour who was preggers. To celebrate the birth of their child, her hubby brought home a goat, to slaughter when their baby arrives. (This was in the 50s, okay!) Anyway, when the kid was born, the poor little guy got his looks from the family goat! Or so it was, according to Granny.

Which leads to why Mae cannot watch Hellboy. While I think Hellboy is a cool guy, I can safely say that neither Mae nor I would ever want Baby to end up looking like him, or worse, Abe Sapien. Hahahah! And so I went alone, sneaking out in broad daylight while Mae was at work.

Anyway, the movie was only *aiight* for me though I thought the make-up and effects were pretty spectacular. And then a whole new problem began. The trouble with me is, whenever I have a spectacular experience (movie or otherwise) I just want to share it with Mae. So there I was, guilt-laden having watched a movie behind her back - fearful that she might find out. The consequences could be dire. On the other hand I was bursting at the seams to tell her about it! Argh!

Finally I 'fessed up. "Honey, this afternoon I watched Hellboy," I said to which I quickly added, "But it was pretty disappointing." I was prepared for Mae to go Hellboy on my guilty behind but it never happened. Instead she felt the need to console me for my disappointing day-out.

Must have been the puppy-dog face that I so expertly put on for times like these. Heh!