TiMER

"Follow your own star!" - Dante Alighieri


As you could probably gather from the title, I just finished watching a movie called TiMER.
In that world, you become eligible for your timer at 14. Once your supposed soul mate gets his or hers, your timer begins counting down. Midnight of the day you are supposed to meet him or her, it "zeros out," and then beeps when you make eye contact with that person.


The heroine, Oona, is nearing her thirtieth birthday and still has a blank one, so she's continually bringing boyfriends into the clinic to get theirs. Her step-sister and best friend, Steph, has over 5,000 days left on her timer and couldn't care less about her Mr. Right, flirting with every young guy who comes by the retirement home where she works and then more at her night-job at the local bar. Oona, on the other hand, has difficulties being with anyone with a timer. Then she meets Mikey, grocer by day and drummer by night.


My favorite quote:
(After an old woman has repeatedly addressed her as "Margaret.") Steph: Yeah, Grandma, it's me, Margaret. And you know what? I'm GAY.
(Old woman looks shocked and appalled)
Steph: Yep! Gay! Gay! Gay! And you know what? My girlfriend? She's black.
(Old woman nearly faints)
(boss yells at Steph)


I definitely recommend this movie, unless you have issues with language, in which case, don't watch it. That's the only reason it's rated R, though.


I won't tell you the end, but the story raises the question: If these were available, and you believed that they worked, would you want one? What if you were already married (or if you are married, what if you weren't)?


My initial thought was yes, most definitely. Then I remembered just how incredibly awkward it was when Oona's younger brother, having just received his timer, met his "One."


 How does a parent react when their teenager comes home and says "Hey Mom, this is the guy I'm going to marry. I don't know him at all, but our timers went off this morning." 
What do you and said guy/girl say to each other, especially if you weren't already friends or at least knew each other (as would be the case with some of the first generation to get their timers)?


Thoughts?


In other news, I received another couple of rejection letters this week. Yaaaay. At least today's addressed me by my name.