29 October, 2006

The Trouble With Mr. Darcy

There's nothing like a dreary autumn weekend to find that Pride & Prejudice is on TV. The education channel was showing it on a loop, non-stop over the weekend. This is the one with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle, i.e. the best one. So, in between feeds and nappy changes, I spent the weekend transfixed in front of the telly, mug of tea in hand and rattly toy in the other.

I remember buying the VHS video of the series when it first came out over 10 years ago. I would watch it in pretty much the same way - minus the rattly toy - and wonder longingly when my dashing and mysterious Mr. Darcy would come along. Back then, it was my mum who would come along and moan at me for 'watching that thing again'. Now it's my husband, unwashed, unshaven and wandering around in long-past-their-prime boxers and socks. 'I like it,' I reply stobbornly and he shrugs his shoulders and disappears upstairs to his computer games.

He did ask me a few times what I like about it and I gave him a long lecture about Jane Austen's witty social commentary and English social structure during the period. This either satisfied him or bored him, either way he didn't ask again. The truth is though, that I just love to lose myself in the fantasy of meeting, falling for and being desired by, Mr Darcy. High-brow Mills & Boone, but I love it.

And I could never imagine Mr Darcy with holey boxer shorts. In fact, I find hard to imagine Mr. Darcy with any boxer shorts at all. Grin.

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