2011.03.04 — "Mary and Max" and a small fushigi*

Mary and Max

It's been a while since I've blogged a fushigi. And I'm not sure if this qualifies or not, but it is peculiar.

Earlier this week, at work, my friend and co-worker, NR, in one of his playful moments, drank some condensed milk. This brought from JG a 'N! You never cease to surprise me,' comment, and a great deal of laughter from all, especially after his retort that went something like 'That's to get my mouth ready for coffee. Doesn't everyone do that?'

This evening, after a roughish day — unexpected and v. boring work assignemt, car repair, and hot water failures in our condo — I turned on the TV and stumbled into the claymation film, Mary and Max, shortly after it had started. Throughout the excellent film Mary is drinking with a straw from un- or illegibly labeled cans. At the very end I learn that they were cans of condensed milk because the narrator comments that Max had drunk his last can of condensed milk.

Until this week I did not know it was possible to do such a thing. My quick web search found two references to this phenomenon.

Regarding Mary Daisy Dinkle:

Mary, despondent, finds Valium in a cabinet, stands on a table with a noose around her neck, a can of sweetened condensed milk (her favorite) in her right hand, and a handful of Valium in the left. (Cited at Movies, Drugs and Psychiatry.)

In Max Jerry Horovitz's letter to Mary Daisy Dinkle:

...
PPS. Thank you for the Cherry Ripe and I am glad you like chocolate as much as I do. I have never eaten sweetened condensed milk but I will try some this week.
...
(Cited in Quotedquotes's Blog.)

Oh! The film is excellent. I give it 4+ stars.