RENT

Everytime I listen to the RENT soundtrack, one particular song always stands out in my mind. Granted, the whole musical actually made me cry but this one always gets me.

Marc: "How did we get here? How the hell? Pan Left. Close on the steeple of the church. How did I get here, How the hell? Christmas! Christmas Eve last year. How can a night so frozen be so scalding hot. How can a morning this mild be so raw. Why are entire year's strewn on a cutting room floor of memory. When single frames of one magic night forever flicker in close-up on the 3D IMAX of my mind. That's poetic, that's pathetic. Why did Mimi knock on Roger's door and Collin choose that phonebooth back when where Angle set up his drums? Why did Maureen's equipment breakdown? Why am I the witness and when I capture it on film will it mean that it's the end and I'm alone?"

All: "I'd be happy to die for a taste of what Angel had. Someone to live for, unafraid to say I LOVE YOU!"

Collin: "You all said you'd be cool today so please for my sake. I can't believe he's gone. I can't believe you're going. I can't believe this family must die. Angel helped us believe in love. I can't believe you disagree."
All: "I can't believe this is. Goodbye."

Marc: "I hear there are great restaurants out West"
Roger: "Some of the Best. How could she . . ."
Marc: "How could you let her go?"
Roger: "You just don't know. How can we lost Angel?"
Marc: "Maybe you'll see why when you stop escaping your pain. At least now if you try Angel's death won't be in vain."
Roger: "His death, is in vain."
Marc: "Are you insane? There's so much to care about, there's me, there's Mimi"
Roger: "Mimi's got her baggage too"
Marc: "And so do you"
Roger: "Who are you to tell me what I know what to do?"
Marc: "A friend!"
Roger: "But who Marc are you? Marc has got his work. They say, Marc lives for his work. And Marc's In Love with is work. Marc HIDES in his work."
Marc: "from what?"
Roger: "From facing your failures. Facing your loneliness. Facing the fact you live a lie. Yes you live a lie. Tell you why. You're always preaching not to be numb but that's how you thrive. You pretend to create and observe when you're really detached from feeling alive."
Marc: "Perhaps its because I'm the one of us to survive."
Roger: "Poor baby!"
Marc: "Mimi still loves Roger. Is Roger really jealous or afraid that mimics weak."
Roger: "Mimi did look pale."
Marc: "mimics gotten thin. Mimi's running out of time. Roger's running out the door."
Roger: "No more. Oh no! I've gotta go!"
Marc: "Hay! For someone whose always been let down. Whose running out of town?"
Roger: "For someone longs for a community of his own. Whose with his camera...alone? I'll call. I hate the fall"

It just makes me think of how we hide in so many different ways, just like Marc did. Or perhaps if it's too much to handle, we somehow find a way to run away like Roger. Like I manage to runaway when I feel trapped or cornered or when I feel like I want to start over again when really, there's no do over in life. Nothing to let us "take two." Life is definitely something we can't buy or own. "At least you know you can't rent it. A new lease ... on life." Borrowed time. Isn't that what people say?