Who the Dickens is knocking. Magical Realism?

I find TV shows so boring these days...same old, same old everywhere. So there I was scrolling in zombie-like ennui, when I saw this unusual feature pop up. I clicked on it...and eureka, curiosity aroused.

It began with an interesting monologue, curiouser and curiouser I became. I sat mesmerized in front of the screen. Playing on the Netflix channel was Sherlock Holmes...no, not Sherlock...sorry - rather, Benedict Cumberbatch, et al, acting out a scene from Roald Dahl's, "The wonderful story of Henry Sugar" .

I believe it was done in the genre of Magical Realism, but to be truthful, I still do not completely understand, or know exactly how to write in the whimsical style of this enigmatic and humorous literary style.

But if this was it, it was bloody marvelous.

A snippet of the plot.

Henry Sugar, not his real name, was a rich guy. He had stumbled upon the secret of seeing without eyes, he proceeded to learn this trick which took years to master. He then made a lot of money betting on cards, as he somehow was able to divine each card on the stack before the dealer turned it over. He became filthy rich and decided to throw thousands of dollars out the window, causing a riot and irking the local constabulary.

I saw this Sugar as a devil, why wasn't he throwing money where I lived. Harumph!

At this point I must have fallen asleep, an unfortunate side effect of pills and the medical rerouting of the arteries within my heart...or maybe its just old age heralding the advent of the pearly gates...or both, for that matter.

Anyway...there came a knocking at the door.

Bam-ba-da-bam-bam. Bam-ba-da-bam-bam. Bam-ba-da-bam-bam.

"What the dickens!" I blurted out, yelling loudly.

Digressing to a theatrical Aside...I wondered why we refer to Dickens in the outburst. Charles Dickens, maybe.

(Read this next part very fast, since it has nothing to do with the story). What the dickens: Is a euphemistic way of saying "What the devil!". Believed to have originated from the British euphemism for the Devil, and the term "Dickens" probably derives from a common English surname or the diminutive of "Dick". He, he, Devil Dick.

Who cares...you ejaculate, vociferously sputtering. Let's just get on with the tale. Ok. Ok. Fine.

"Well, well, well". Said the TV.

But rather was said by Henry Sugar: Holding and reading the book he would proceed to pilfer from somebody's bookshelf. The very book that would allow him to become even richer.

"Now that is extremely interesting, this is a terrific piece of information. This could change my life". Said Henry Sugar, peering around guiltily, making sure that no one witnessed his crime of theft. He shoved the book into his inner coat, clasping it surreptitiously.

Bang, bang, bang. Went the door.

Dividing my time between the door and Henry discovering how to become filthy rich. I blinked.

Shrugging my shoulders, and in a daze, I floated to the door. I opened it, and the devil was standing there.

"Egad". I shouted, leaping back in morbid stupification.

"Good Evening". The devil said sagely. "You invited me here".

I did what now?

I was too much in shock to answer or process this new addition to the madness. I stood there like an idiot. Not moving or speaking. Blinking rapidly.

"Well? I cannot enter if you do not invite me in". Beelzebub said. He must have been reading some Bram Stoker novels. Did he think himself a vampire. Or was he just being polite. The devil...polite. Nope It was Bram that filled his head.

At this point, I came awake, rubbing my eyes. Ah, I had been dreaming. There was no devil and the movie was progressing without me.

But wait. I blurted out, while grabbing my spectacles, and squinting at the screen...what the dickens...

The Devil was now in the movie, he had become an Unreliable Narrator, twisting the tale to include himself.

Omigod, hold on a minute. I am now Henry Sugar. I too, am on the TV screen. I find myself staring into candles, using rulers and doing all kinds of measuring and waiting. I was driving a Ferrari. ha ha ha. Heck no... I am more of an SUV Humvee kind of a gal.

He could become rich. Thought Henry in his head. Or rather my head...It was getting a bit confusing.

Henry Sugar, (Me), is congratulating himself on achieving Nirvana, a place of complete peace and happiness. In other words...Heaven. After years of practice, Henry had mastered the art of SEEING WITHOUT EYES.

I, as Henry...gambled quite unfairly and did become very rich indeed. The devil cheered me on in my complete narcissistic way of thinking.

For the real Henry Sugar wanted to give the money away, building schools, hospitals and orphanages for the needy, and I wanted to hog and hoard all the money for myself.

The neighbors called the police on account of all the loud arguing - for at this point we were out of the TV and in my apartment...arguing. The constable was soon to be arriving, yelling into all the commotion.

Here, the story had a bit of a rewind. To where the real Henry was throwing money into the street. Rioting ensuing.

There came a loud knock at the door. It was the constable, scribbling in his notebook, shouting into all the commotion. It all got a bit blurry here.

Henry, on opening the door, had done his endeavor best to seem innocent and dumbfounded... proceeding to explain that it was completely legal to throw money into the street.

The policeman Yelled:

"You're a rich idiot, Sugar. Give the money to the needy, don't throw it out the window. Orphanages and hospitals house the less fortunate, who would love a gift at Christmas".

The constable huffed off down the stairs...leaving Henry Sugar feeling really ashamed and musing on the truth in his words.

The devil grinned, then frowned. For this sudden feeling of benevolence in Sugar's heart was going completely against his plans.

I found myself kicked rather ungraciously out of the TV at this stage.

I awoke again for real this time, still lying on the couch. Looking around I saw the remains of pizza and beer which I had consumed against my doctor's orders.

It was no wonder I had fallen into a stupor in front of the television. Between the pills and the beer, I probably should be quite dead.

In a strange coincidence...both Henry and myself had heart issues.

So that is why the devil had shown up. (Note to self). Eat more healthy foods. They don't give you nightmares.

I rubbed my eyes, making myself comfortable...preparing to rewind and watch the show again from the beginning. It was really quite amusing.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Oh God. Not this again.

Taking a deep breath, I opened the door. It was the pizza guy. AGAIN.

I heard the devil cackle like an old witch on the TV screen.

The nightmare was starting all over again. Was there some of the Sugar money in the house at least?

Damn Henry Sugar!

.................................................

The wonderful story of Henry sugar is on Netflix. I thoroughly enjoyed watching it and the other stories in the series. The acting is phenomenal.