Harmonica: And Frank?
Snaky: Frank sent us.
Harmonica: Did you bring a horse for me?
Snaky: [Chuckling] It looks like we’re… it looks like we’re shy of one horse!
Harmonica: You brought two too many.

They were full of confidence, laughing at that one lonely Harmonica. But now, they begin to look worried. – As it is to be expected, a few seconds later, they are dead.

It’s the opening dialogue of Once upon a Time in the West. And it only happens after a seven minute long opening sequence with no words spoken at all. Do dialogues come any better than this?

The music (by Ennio Morricone) and the “shooting” of the 1968 movie (by director Sergio Leone) are as good if not better than the acting and the story line of this “spaghetti western”. It’s full of great one-liners, some completely non-PC nowadays, in a movie that follows Harmonica on his mission. He is a man of few words. He has focus. He has unfinished business. And a harmonica.

While Frank (and the viewers) are getting hints during the movie, we (and Frank) only learn at the end why Harmonica came to Flagstaff and after Frank. Eventually, Harmonica shoots Frank and stuffs his harmonica into the dying Frank’s mouth as a reminder of what he had done to him and his brother years earlier. And then? He rides into the setting sun. He’s done.

Leone liked to tell the story of a cinema in Paris where the film ran uninterrupted for two years. When he visited this theater, he was surrounded by fans who wanted his autograph, as well as the projectionist, who was less than enthusiastic. Leone claimed the projectionist told him “I kill you! The same movie over and over again for two years! And it’s so SLOW!” (from Wikipedia)

We had a few highlights and amazing “firsts” last week.

For the first time ever here, someone other than myself did a manual transfer of Pádraig (from therapy bench / plinth to wheelchair). It was absolutely brilliant. For me, it was an icebreaker.

And that was just the beginning.

We figured out how Pádraig could use a table standing up.

He won an arm wrestling competition against a formidable opponent.
(This is a snap shot of the arm of the opponent:)

He rocked like a waggon wheel and a spaceman at the turning point.

Last night was Halloween, the time when the dead become alive and go on scary missions. It’s scary, but it’s also great fun.

We’re moving slow. Maybe like dead men walking. Or like Harmonica. Maybe we’re scaring people at times. But we have focus and determination and fun. Unfinished business. And we won’t rest until that is done. One day, someone will look back and tell the story. “Once upon a time…”.