The Last Name
I whispered it in the theatre, but I needed to raise my volume to correct the actor Patrick Dempsey.
We were privileged to see an advance screening of “Ferrari” in Vegas. I did not know the backstory of the Italian race car driver and entrepreneur. I just knew the sight, sound, and feel of a red Ferrari is beautiful, and that my 20 minutes behind the wheel of a 458 Ferrari in Maranello a few years back made a lasting impression. I won’t give any spoilers for the movie but I will say that I have never sobbed harder and longer in a theatre. So. Many. Triggers. The first one was a word choice from Patrick Dempsey–this one just fired me up.
Before the film started, he was welcomed to the stage and spoke for a moment of the film we were about to see.
He said that it’s the story of Enzo Ferrari and his “illegitimate” son.
It’s 2023.
Illegitimate. While it might often be unintentional, at its core, the usage is such a blatant invalidation of one’s very existence.
And, I personally understand the meaning and magnitude of a last name.
A correction to Mr. Dempsey:
No son, no child, no person, is or ever has been “illegitimate.”
Our Father says so.