Chapter 46: In-Depth Discussion

Evan Bell has always been clear about what he wants. Whether it's opening an independent music studio or making an indie film, all he really desires is a soulmate who truly understands him.

For him, one soulmate is enough—being chased by thousands of admirers means nothing.

All Evan wants is to enjoy the process of creating music and making movies. He doesn't care whether his work is popular or niche.

Christopher Nolan felt a surge of excitement. It wasn't that he considered Evan Bell his soulmate, but after filming Memento, having someone who could so deeply grasp his original intentions was thrilling: one person who can understand you is worth more than a thousand blind followers. 

"Do you think Leonardo's character actually has a mental illness and is deliberately avoiding his real memories?" Christopher Nolan asked, his voice calm but with a slight tremor.

The audience around them hadn't heard Christopher Nolan respond to Evan Bell's theory. "Did Leonardo's wife die by his own hand?" someone suddenly asked, interrupting Evan's answer, "Nolan, is this speculation correct?"

Christopher Nolan didn't respond, nor did he turn around. He simply smiled at Evan Bell.

Evan seemed unfazed by the question from the audience. His eyes lit up, the bright blue shining through the mist formed by his eyelashes. With absolute certainty, Evan directly answered Christopher Nolan's question.

"All our actions have a purpose, and those purposes are shaped by our past memories. Memory is proof of our existence. If we lose our memory, in a sense, we lose ourselves. Memory is a part of psychology.

Sigmund Freud, the father of psychology, did extensive research on memory, dreams, and more. I'm currently studying psychology, so I know a bit about this. But, are the memories we cling to real? Do we consciously distort memories to forget?

Do we alter them to make ourselves look better? Perhaps we don't deliberately change them, but rather, our subconscious mind does it as a survival mechanism." (A/N: Real) 

Evan's words might have sounded convoluted and academic at first, but the idea was simple.

When people are under stress, like during an argument, they remember the most impactful parts and interpret the other person's words based on their own perspective.

Afterward, the two people involved often have very different recollections of what happened.

In more severe cases, like a car accident, people might selectively forget details or remember them in a way that aligns with what they wish had happened. 

To Evan, this was a simple idea, but it left the dozen or so people around him speechless. The question, "But are the memories we cling to real?" made Christopher Nolan want to applaud.

This was exactly what he had in mind when he created the film. Teddy Bell, standing nearby, was also deep in thought. That question was truly profound.

The saying goes, "Seeing is believing," but even seeing, hearing, or experiencing something firsthand doesn't guarantee it's true.

Philosophical truths can vary from person to person. Evan's words were complex, and not many people could fully grasp them.

Most were still processing his earlier points.

But Christopher Nolan understood, and so did Teddy Bell. Teddy looked at his younger brother with a complicated expression.

Growing up, Teddy often felt he could learn a lot from Evan. At times, when he saw the depth in his brother's eyes, he felt as if Evan had experienced things Teddy couldn't even begin to understand.

This weight, even though Teddy was carefree and lived as he pleased it always seemed to weigh him down. Teddy's heart sank.

He lifted his right hand, intending to comfort his brother with a pat on the shoulder, but in the end, his hand just gently rested on Evan's slightly slender frame.

Evan felt the pressure on his left shoulder and turned to see Teddy smiling at him. "What's up?" Evan asked.

Teddy whispered, "The movie's about to start. If you don't go in now, you'll miss it."

Evan suddenly remembered that Teddy hadn't seen this film yet. Such a classic shouldn't be missed, especially since they were planning to watch The Believer later that afternoon.

"Sir, let's wrap up our conversation here for today. I'll go in and enjoy your work now," Evan said, smiling broadly as he said goodbye to Christopher Nolan.

"By the way, if you're interested, there's a movie called Donnie Darko premiering tomorrow. I think you'll enjoy it."

With that, Evan turned and left.

Christopher Nolan barely had time to call out "Goodbye" to the retreating figures of Evan and Teddy Bell before they disappeared into the theater.

Evan's British accent stirred a memory in Christopher Nolan. He clenched his right fist, then released it with a hint of regret.

Suddenly, he remembered where he'd seen the young man before—at the San Francisco Film Festival.

Evan had an unforgettable presence and a refined British accent. He'd even donated to the filming of Memento.

How could Nolan have forgotten?

The familiarity Nolan felt earlier had been nagging at him, but his focus on their conversation had kept him from placing it.

It was the last word, "Sir," that triggered his memory. Being British himself, Nolan was particularly attuned to accents.

He whispered Evan's name to himself. He didn't know the full name, just "Bell." That was all.

Donnie Darko, he thought. Maybe I should go watch it. He turned to his wife, Emma Thomas, who immediately understood his intention.

She smiled, nodded, and said she'd make the arrangements for tomorrow.

After Evan and Teddy Bell entered the cinema, they joined the audience watching Memento. When the 113-minute film ended, Teddy was lost in thought.

It was indeed an exceptional movie, one that lingered in the mind long after it ended. It's rare for someone to fully process such a film on their first viewing.

As lunchtime approached, the bustle of Park City reminded Evan of being back in Beijing.

The crowds and noise were uncommon in the U.S., even in downtown New York or at the Eagle Rock Music Festival.

But Park City's small area and large crowds gave Evan that sense of familiarity.

Teddy Bell sat on a bench outside, saving their spot—otherwise, they'd have to eat on the curb. He was also still mulling over the fragments of memory from the film.

Meanwhile, Evan headed into a nearby supermarket to buy a pizza and some drinks for lunch. With all the restaurants in Park City packed to capacity, the supermarket was their best bet.

The food might not be gourmet, but at least the checkout line was short.

At the food counter, after ordering the pizza, Evan was told it would take ten minutes to heat up. He decided to browse the drink section.

Pizza could be paired with either beer or cola. Evan opted for cola, since they still had another movie to catch that afternoon.

The time for beer would come later in the evening.

As Evan passed the beer section, he heard someone curse under their breath. A slight smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, but he kept walking.

"Hey, do you know where I can buy beer?" a man's voice called out from behind him. It was the same person who had just cursed.

"I mean, real beer with alcohol," he added, muttering something about how ridiculous it was that such a big supermarket didn't sell real beer.

Evan reached the soda aisle, grabbed a one-liter bottle of Coke, and turned to the man. "Hey, buying beer here isn't your best bet. Head over to the main street. I remember seeing a house hosting a party, and the alcohol there is free."

Evan paused as the man turned to look at him. Raising his right eyebrow slightly, Evan continued, "This is Park City—Mormon country."

The man suddenly remembered the local laws and groaned, "God, what was I thinking?"