My 17 year old nephew, like me, loves “Futurama”. We’ve both seen every episode multiple times and can quote from it extensively. Mostly quotes from Bender Bending Rodriguez, the smoking, drinking robot.
Since the final direct-to-DVD movie came out recently, after I watched it (and was saddened that a show I loved went out on such a sour note), I texted my nephew to find out if he’d seen it and what he thought.
He replied, “No not yet. I’m in St. Louis right now.”1
…which came as a complete surprise to me. “What?? Cool?! Send pics if you can!”
He replied “OK can do. Also there are quite a lot of people with crosses on their forehead. What does it mean?”
“It’s a Catholic thing. Today is Ash Wednesday. They get blessed and a priest puts ashes on their forehead.” I knew, since my nephew is an atheist like me, that this would puzzle and amuse him. I sent a second text asking him why he was in St. Louis.
I was right. He sent back, “Raquetball nationals. Oh and religion is dumb.”
He pretty much calls them as he sees them… I wouldn’t put it quite so bluntly but I have to admit the symbolism of Ash Wednesday escapes me.
1 I’ve corrected any typos in his (or my) original texts.