Curb Your Enthusiasm

My neighbor put me on a group text, except that she has me confused with another "Dan"; she thinks I'm the Dan married to "Carolyn."

I could have nipped this in the bud, but I didn't, and now it's too late to fess up. Now, I know about the missing dog, the desire for a toddler playdate, the softball game that conflicts with the desired playdate, the upcoming PTA fundraiser. Once, I spoke up under the mask of "Other Dan" (about the missing dog)--because silence seemed inhumane.

The newest chain, about the PTA fundraiser, seems particularly invasive. Something buzzes in your pocket--you don't even "activate" the device--and suddenly you have eight or nine messages, and most of them are transparent falsehoods. ("Sounds wonderful! We have soccer lessons, unfortunately.") My favorite falsehood is this: "I will have to check my calendar!" ....Why should fifteen people have to hear about this fictional plan to (at some later date) spend time with a calendar?

And so I'm eternally grateful to Larry David, who took on the "text chain" this year. "I'm sending along this poem about resilience....." "Sue is making her lava cake? I don't know if it's needed at the hospital, but she is welcome to swing by and leave some for ME....at my office! HA HA!" "Be strong, everyone...."

To me, nothing in the finale matched the "text chain" discourse (though the finale was a solid episode). I did particularly like the intrusive fly, the bizarre conversation about Mexican food, and the idea that Richard Lewis might adopt a forty-year-old orphan.

It's been fun. Five stars.

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