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My Nicholas Cage Moment

Nicholas Cage in Leaving Las Vegas

My Nicholas Cage Moment

 

Nicholas Cage in ‘Leaving Las Vegas’. (Photo | Imdb)

“If you find it hard to laugh at yourself, I would be happy to do it for you.”

– Groucho Marx

Have you ever seen the 1995 film, “Leaving Las Vegas” with Nicholas Cage and Elisabeth Shue? If not, it’s quite…something.

Though definitely not a comedy, there is one funny scene near the beginning in which the character played by Nicholas Cage goes on a booze shopping spree, complete with a grocery cart.

Here’s the link to the 23-second clip.

A couple of weeks ago, I donned my face mask and headed into into my local liquor store to load up on booze. I don’t think I’ve ever used a shopping cart in a liquor store before – but desperate times call for desperate measures 🙂

Not that I’m drinking copious amounts during this pandemic…rather, I just go to the liquor store far less often. So I figure when I do go, I may as well load up.

So there I am afterwards…in my mask, baseball cap and sunglasses, pushing my grocery cart of booze down the street (in a small town full of seniors, I might add) while cheerfully whistling a tune (rather Nicholas Cage-like).

When I arrive at my car, I think to myself: “Oh…I’ll take a selfie of me and my grocery cart!” As perhaps you can imagine, this took a bit of maneuvering, this way and that, to get just the right shot.

When I was finished making an ass out of myself outside the liquor store, I stood up properly and turned around…only to see a rather good-looking guy in the line-up, doubled over, laughing at me.

“I wish I had MY phone!” he yells. “I’d have taken a photo of you trying to take your own photo.”

Now, a wise woman would have graciously let it go at this. But not me. I whipped off my mask and (perhaps overly excited at the prospect of a conversation with a real live person) yelled back at him: “Have you seen Leaving Las Vegas?”

He thinks a moment, then yells back at me: “Yes!”

“That’s me!” I yell, oddly proud as a peacock, “I’m using a grocery cart to buy booze! Remember that scene in the movie?!”

“Yes!” he yells back.

We both burst out laughing then I get in my car and carry on my merry way.

Yes, folks…now we know why I am still single 🙂

Have a great week…don’t drink too much!

Maryanne Pope is the author of A Widow’s Awakening, the playwright of Saviour and the screenwriter of God’s Country. Maryanne is CEO of Pink Gazelle Productions and Chair of the John Petropoulos Memorial Fund. To receive her weekly blog, Weekly Words of Wisdom, please sign up here.

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10 thoughts on “My Nicholas Cage Moment”

  1. Hey Babe under normal circumstances you may not have been single that night after that conversation. I think you found a guy with the right kind of sense of humour for you!!!!

  2. Thanks for the laugh Maryanne. I needed it! Strange Days indeed. Glad that you shared your story, so that others can laugh with you. With all the crap that goes along with the covid crisis, it’s nice to know that laughs are still safe and don’t require washing your hands. Much love, Ann

  3. Hi Ann! Great to hear from you and I’m glad I gave you a laugh 🙂

    Big (safe) hugs to you guys! Hang in there…
    Love MA

  4. Yeah…no kidding, eh?! He knew pretty quick the exact scene I was referring to in “Leaving Las Vegas”! OR he just pretended he did…crazy lady, don’t make any sudden moves 🙂

    ahahahahahha!
    MA

  5. (Revised comment.) Loved that! What a further story if he was single and you made a love connection.

  6. Ahahahahahaha!

    Hope you guys are doing well during this strange time, Jennifer…take care,
    Maryanne

  7. Going to the liquor store with a mask…What a comment on our culture. I can’t wait till I see someone smoking with a mask on. :p

    You’re in good company though. I’ve been known not to buy hard liquor that has added sugar…

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