Monday, July 5, 2010

Maid in Manhattan -- He Listens!

When Chris and Ty first meet, Chris is delighted to pay attention to all Ty has to say. He enjoys very much listening to what Ty thinks. However, things take a 180 degree turn near the end of the movie.

Chris discovers he was deceived about Marisa’s true identity. In total humiliation and defeat, after losing her job and her hopes of becoming a manager, she runs from the hotel in shame. When Chris follows her looking for an explanation, she lashes out at him in her anger and frustration. Unfortunately, the media is all too interested in their heated exchange and capture it with photographs and video. Ironically, it is Marisa who pushes Chris away.

The story makes the front page of all the papers, and there is no longer communication between Chris and Ty or Marisa. Chris makes a public statement in an effort to recover what is left of his reputation. Months go by. His campaign continues, and he is eventually successful in winning his seat in the Senate.

Meanwhile, Marisa struggles to pick up the pieces of her life once again. She faces her mother in disgrace; she applies for and is given another job as maid in a different upscale hotel. Somehow she deals with her own heartbreak, and strives to deal with Ty’s disappointment as well.

Life pretty much returns to ‘normal,’ except for one thing. Neither Marisa nor Ty can put Chris out of their minds. Unknown to the Ventura’s, Chris is having similar difficulty putting them out of his mind.

Eventually, Chris returns to New York to hold a press conference in the very hotel where Marisa is now employed. Ty reads this in the newspaper. He tells his mom about Chris’s visit, but she brushes the news off by having Ty repeat the platitude that she has obviously drilled into him for months.

In spite of his mom’s lack of response, Ty gathers his courage to approach Chris once again. This time approaching Chris takes far more courage than the first time.

  • First, he is returning in the wake of the scandal and shame.
  • Second, he will have to approach Chris in front of reporters, a whole crowd of strangers, in order to talk to him. So he will have to conquer his own fear of public speaking.
  • Third, and most importantly, the outcome of this exchange will determine once and for all if he and his mom have any chance of having a man as important and caring as Chris Marshall in their lives again.

Ty makes his way to his mother’s workplace by himself and finds the room where Chris’s press conference is being held. He makes it just as the briefing is winding up. Jerry is instructing Chris not to take anymore questions when Ty finally breaks through to the front of the crowd of reporters.

Chris would have good reason to ignore Ty. He could be risking further damage to his reputation as well as additional personal heartbreak if he opens himself up once again. Of course, Jerry urges Chris not to listen to Ty’s question. In keeping with his previous track record of ignoring Jerry’s orders, Chris calls upon Ty to ask his question.

Readers: If you had the chance to come face to face with Jesus today, what would you want to say to Him? To ask Him?

You have that chance today. Right now. You can talk to Him about anything that's on your mind. He already knows anyways. :)


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