Disclaimers: Image credit Twitter user: @IrenaBuzarewicz This story is not a movie review. There are NO SPOILERS. When the first Matrix came out, I was still studying. Wannabe or soon-to-be graduates are all the same all over the globe. Lost to be found in the "Bermuda Triangle" between exams, dreams, and loves. A bunch of selfless idealists who are always ready to do good deeds. I remember that we were among the first in line as blood donors. One day it was a bit different. Our local hospital got a new and expensive machine for HIV testing. The medical staff asked for volunteers to test it. Sure, a drop here or there. What difference does it make for us as long as it's for the greater good? We laughed and teased each other on our way out. They told us to get back tomorrow for the test results. The Night of Movie Magic It's not easy to take a test, any kind of test, and wait for results. "What if" questions hit me hard in the evening. I didn't feel like going home. "Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead." A shortlist of available options. I saw a movie poster for "The Matrix." I had no clue what the movie was about. I needed to get my mind off the test. The movie ticket price was a small price to pay. Until that special night, I didn't buy any of those cheesy stories about the so-called "movie magic." For two hours, I was living in the Matrix physically, emotionally, and intellectually. I totally forgot about the HIV test itself. I had one of the calmest nights in my life. I didn't sleep like a baby; more like The Notorious B.I.G. - Hypnotize(d). In the morning, I found out that I was HIV negative, and I realized that I was Matrix Universe positive. That movie should've been prescribed as a tranquilizer. Fast forward twenty years, give it or take, I had a deja vu. The Pandemic Rhymes With Tragic I had to take another test. Again, I had to wait for the results, but this time with my wife. It was a comical Grey's Anatomy situation where we both looked at my lungs' x-ray images. What do you make of this? I don't know. I don't smoke. My wife already had COVID. This is how I found that we had an impressive collection of perfumes in our home. Our teenage daughter was an experienced and patient "perfumist," who wanted to make sure my sense of smell was still operational. What do men know about perfumes? They're all the same, except for the price. Right? I thought that my wife would return a favor and volunteer to be a food tester, the Gladiator-movie-style. Nope! Her post-COVID diet came first. So, I was COVID symptoms-free, which made my test more than just a "formality" and a "simple" confirmation. How to kill time, this time? HBO came to the rescue. I thought, The Matrix Resurrections to my satisfaction. Here we go again! oh lucky me, what were the odds? More than two hours. Plus, coffee breaks, phone calls, and email checks. It was a long day with a double negative outcome. The result was negative, and the movie too. It failed to help me forget and "transcend." So much for the "movie magic." I thought that rewatching the first Matrix (for the hundredth time, give it or take) would make things better. Nope! It became even worse. I had to take a real tranquilizer. No red and blue Morpheus pills; this one was - pale pink. Twitter Rhymes With Bitter In a state of complete despair, I went on Twitter. This is how I stumbled upon a picture you see at the beginning of my story. I know what you want to ask me. Why bother writing a story when the four-part picture is worth more than my words? Well, writing makes you feel good. Writing for Noonies is like watching good old movies! Do you know what can make me feel even better? Your vote for my nomination. And, what about Matrix 2 and Matrix 3? They are, they are, good. Critical Thinker Noonies Award
