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00:35:30 |
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00:39:21 |
| SUMMARY |
That night, Samantha takes Kelley to the local baseball field, where she switches on the floodlights and mimes playing baseball with Kelley. Samantha reveals that she was a track star until her kneecap was injured, and she lost a college scholarship. Samantha continues that she plans to go to medical school, but sometimes she would rather stay in the woods and write poetry. Samantha quotes a few lines from "Birches," to which Kelley responds by inquiring if there was mustard on the sandwich she brought him, and they kiss passionately. |
| ANALYSIS |
There is an old saying when it comes to relationships, advising against doing anything you wouldn't want your partner to witness you doing. If it is reasonable to assume that Jasper would be displeased to learn that his girlfriend engaged in light S&M banter with Kelley (indeed, he was probably close enough to overhear them), there's no telling how upset he might be if he could see Samantha enjoying this romantic evening with his rival. Fortunately for Samantha, she is not psychologically equipped to concern herself with the emotional welfare of others, and so she gleefully illuminates the site of her betrayal with floodlights that are most likely visible from every house in Putnam. For his part, Kelley is unable to set aside his competitive ego even for a game of mimeball, as he swings a fake bat and informs Samantha that he has just hit an amazing home run, forcing her to admit she is not very good at baseball. Once again, Samantha mentions her past knee injury and immediately follows with casual plans for her future, alerting to the viewer to the fact that Samantha is probably in perfect health and will live to accomplish everything she intends to. Samantha also admits to stalking Kelley through the woods and observing his graduation speech, which doesn't seem to bother him at all, possibly due to the fact that his private performance was clearly for the benefit of an audience. And so, Kelley and Samantha's relationship is physically consummated when they achieve, as the baseball metaphor goes, "first base." Indeed, the sheer eroticism of their conversation is enough to sweep the viewer along with them:
Clearly, after turning down so much food earlier, the pleasure of Samantha's ham sandwich created a strong association in Kelley's mind between sex and sandwiches. Therefore, he is only truly able to get "in the mood" by discussing sandwiches, becoming especially aroused at the mention of condiments such as mustard -- representing not only bodily fluids, but a tangy blast of flavor to spice up any meal. |
© The Slow Roll 2007