The Whites of their Eyes

I'm channel changing, all seven broadcast stations I have. Slim pickings abound now that it's in between seasons. Normally I can count on PBS (unless Lawrence Welk is on), but right now they have a special on Blue Man Group.

I've never seen Blue Man Group perform live. Watching a tidbit of this show reinforces my lack of interest in seeing them. I had to change the channel to the local news, against my better judgment.

I do have a certain fondness for them as they remind me of one of my favorite shows, Arrested Development. Tobias, one of the misguided souls, tried to join BMG because he thought they were a men's support group. Then he decided it was worth trying out to be an understudy - to which BMG issued a restraining order. Nearly everything on that show made me laugh, and so often it was a guffaw which awoke the dog sleeping at my feet. I know I'm not doing it justice with this synopsis. You must rent them for yourself and watch them with your undivided attention to take in all of the subtleties.

But back to BMG. There is something creepy about men painted, perhaps shellacked is a better word, royal blue. The only non-blue part - from what I can tell - is the whites of their eyes. And they don't seem to blink. Are their lids painted open?

My friend's husband Joe loves Blue Man Group. Last Halloween Joe shaved his head and painted himself (well, his face and neck) blue. Again, the whites of the eyes thing. It doesn't help that Joe is a rather serious guy, a seldom blinker or teeth-showing smiler. Guess that means it was a logical costume for him. And an effective one - even his long time friends didn't recognize him at first. Maybe they were spooked too.

All of this reminds me of that saying: "Don't shoot until you see the whites of their eyes." Having been out of school too long and not fully appreciating my history classes back then, I had to look this one up. It's attributed to the Battle at Bunker Hill during the American Revolutionary War. Personally I'd rather run than wait & shoot. Not only because I'm opposed to war for war's sake, to individual gun ownership among the masses, and a bit of a pacifist - but also for the simple fact that I'm chicken. And proud of it.