Facing Your Ghosts

Then, 14 days later he decides to write again. I'm back. Do you have time? After all that time I have a lot to take off my chest. What happened? A curse, of course.

A teacher's curse, right Tim? I'll explain. Last month, right after Canada's Day, I was suppose to deliver an argumentative essay to my Advanced Writing end Reading teacher, Tim. But I didn't. Yes, I know, bad bad boy. [♪]Music break[♪]Bad, bad, bad, bad boy || You make me feel so good || Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine: Bad Boys (1985) [♪]Stop[♪]

It's just the kind of text that I just don't like. Hate, actually. So, when you don't do what you're suppose to, you make an excuse. The first one was the most classic one: my dog ate my homework. Then I told him that I was suffering from a severe writer's block. Ahem... Yep. After this episode, I'm quite sure that Tim, despite the friendly Canadian look, is a voodoo master.

And what broke the evil spell wasn't my princess' kiss, which would be nice, but a Mama Mia's billboard. The silly-sweet-summer-comedy-romance poster brought me back. How? Reminding me of an ancient trauma: Muriel's Wedding (AUS 1994). Yes, don't laugh, the '94 Australian movie made me develop a phobia every time I hear an ABBA song.That's voodooism's globalization, my friend! A Canadian put a spell on a Brazilian that could only be broken by an American movie's billboard which reminded him of a Australian movie with a lot of Swedish songs that scared the shit out of him. "WHAT?!" Exactly!


It was a common weekend in 1994. The young Henrique was at home, with his movie addicted family. Every weekend they use to rent from 8 to 12 VHS tapes - DVD's grandpa - watching from American blockbuster's to cult Iranian movies. He was excited 'cause for the first time there was a Australian movie among then - Crocodile Dundee doesn't count. But it was just too much for the 14 y.o. boy. It blew up his mind. It toked three weeks so he could sleep properly again. Before it, just nightmares, "Waterloo, Waterloo", all night long. Since then I can't hear a ABBA song without feeling the goose bumps.

The beginning of the 2000s were a little spooky, after that A-Teen band started re-record every ABBA song, but I managed to scape from then. Well, know I have decided: I must face my ghosts. I'm going to watch Mamma Mia!

If I don't come back alive, tell my family and friends that I was brave and that I love then. Wish me luck!