This past weekend, I injured my back and neck. And my shoulder as well. I tend to exercise too much. I also tend to carry really heavy backpacks across the city. And sadly, this time instead of a backpack I stuffed everything I usually carry into a shoulder bag. Basically, this injury was the proverbial accident waiting to happen. As a result of my injury I had to take pain medication and remain in bed. This pained me further as I can’t stand not moving around.

As I was laid up, I decided to do what everyone does these days. I binged-watched Netflix. I took in John Wick. Apparently, across all three movies there are over 299 kills. That’s a lot to take in. I mean, he starts on this path because they killed his dog. That right there was traumatizing. Despite all the kills, I really liked the movies. Although, I feel like there were more kills than words spoken by Keanu Reeves. I must say that I do not necessarily recommend watching Wick when your back hurts as I kept flinching.

I also watched the Netflix original series called Unbelievable. It’s about a woman who was raped and not believed. Turns out she was one of many victims of a serial rapist. You sit there just getting angrier and angrier. And, also hopeful that someone at some point will do the right thing. And those two emotions come to a head in the next to last episode.

In episode 7, the two detectives sit in silence as they scroll through the perpetrator’s camera files. You see the two detectives looking at the computer monitor taking it all in. They see the victims and you see both their pain and numbness. Then the next scene cuts to the first victim being asked what she learned from this injustice and she notes she would lie earlier and better. She would do this because no matter how much people say they care, there’s always something more important. The thing is as she further notes that even with good people, if the truth is inconvenient, they don’t believe it. As a viewer, you hear this and you finally flinch. The scene is brutal in its quietness.

As I watched these two structurally very different movies that were focused on justice, I felt my pain numbed. But it also was amplified.

I think for next week I may need to just watch a comedy and laugh it all away.