"Did that help any?" she asked me.

"Yeah the picture's nice and clear now. The color's sort of washed out though."

She came around to look. "It's supposed to be that way."

"Well if that's the color I think I'd rather watch the black and whites."

"You're the one reading the story not me."

"Oh all right." We sat still for about 20 min. watching a 1970's adaptation of Shirley Jackson?s The Lottery.

"So did that help you understand the story any better?" she asked when it was finished.

"Hold on one moment." I made a mad dash for the rec-room head. When I returned I felt a little better.

"Are you OK?"

"Yeah, I think so. Boy you guys have bad taste in literature."

"Well your mentor hasn't exactly chosen the best of it. There are things you?ve liked, Laurel and Hardy for example."

"That?s true. I think the movie's OK I wasn't expecting the violence thought."

"Not even though you read the story?"

"It stops before that. Plus there's the visual effect. That doesn't exist in the book."

"Made you a little sick, huh?"

"Ummhum. Have you got any other movies that are made from stories?"

"Well most of the classics were made into movies. Have you read Taming of the Shrew?"

"Of course. Why? Do you have that one?"

"Several copies of it."

"Could we watch one or two?"

"When do you have to go on duty?"

"0800."

"All right let's see how many we can get through."

Several hours later we finished the 4th version. "Wow. I didn't know there were so many different ways to interpret that play."

"Oh I think you could see any play a hundred times and never see it the same way twice."

"So movies of stories are a way for people to see the story from someone else?s point of view?"

"Yes that's true, but there are limitations to that. Some people think that the classics should not be turned into movies because sometimes, most times, things get cut. What makes a good book doesn?t always make a good movie."

"So some critics don't like the extreme dramatization required to make money off a book?"

"Some of them consider it to be blasphemous."

"Well so far I like seeing other peoples' interpretations of things."

"So far?"

"I suppose I could feel so strongly about something that I wouldn't want to see other peoples interpretations, because I might think mine is the right one."

"You are very wise and open minded for your age. But you should go get some sleep you have to go on duty in a few hours."

"'Night, Lieutenant."