The other night, we sat down to watch the original “ET – Phone Home” movie on basic cable. And by that, I mean we were swamped with endless commercials (a 96-minute movie ended up at 3 hours.)

Toward the end, ET dies. (Ooops, Spoiler Alert. Sorry.)

Julianna (She’s 10): Daddy! Did ET really die?!

Me: No, Honey. He comes back.

J: Because… This is just a movie. And, you said that he was just a dwarf in a costume.

Me: I guess I said that somewhere along the way.

J: Then, why is that girl crying?

She is referring to 5-year-old Drew Barrymore.

J: Did they really kill ET?

Me: No. She was acting.

J: Did they kill her cat?

Me: No. Acting. Shush. Let me watch the movie.

In the background:

Julianna:
Did they rub salt in her eye? (No.)
Did they kill her hamster? (No.)
Is she being deported to Guatemala? (No. Different type of Alien. Also, undocumented)
Did they apply too much sunscreen? (No. Non-tears formula)
Did they cut onions in her eyes? (No.)
Did they shoot Old Yeller? (No. Well, yes. Different movie.)

I am totally ignoring this Blah Blah Blah because I want to hear the end of the story.

Me: Jesus! Please!… He comes back to life (no New Testament allusion there…) Just wait!

And, John Williams delivers the Perfect Coda!

Cue the music: Da-Dee…. da-da-da-da-Da-Deee.

(My music friends will get this.)

ET lives.