38 memories of wookiee

My best mate Wookiee (aka, Christopher J. Fulaytar) has a birthday today.  I have a card for him, but like a bad friend, I keep losing his address. 

Its worth noting that two of my other good buddies--Mikey and Shawn--also have birthdays today and tomorrow, respectively, but I'll see them on Wednesday, give them the cards I bought them, and probably will leave them notes on Facebook with my birthday sentiments.

But I thought this time for Wookiee, I would give you, the reader, some insight into why I love this big lug.  Actually, many of you won't get many of the references listed here, though each has a story behind it. 

So, in no particular order, here are 38 memories I have of Wookiee, my best mate Wookiee, one for each year of his hairy life.

1) Fruit Wheels Twin Packs.  His cereal of choice.

2) Eating at Denny's once per month.  Its like... our man date or something. 

3) I was trying to use up a roll of film (remember the days before they were digital) and I walked into Wookiee's room and said, "Okay!  Show me mad!"  And he did.  "Okay!  Show me happy!"  And he did"  I took a pic with each emotion... flirty... serious... fun... and when I said, "Sexy", this pic is what he gave me.  Check out those pants.

4) The fact that, as big as he is, I found him one night curled up in the corner of that same bed you see here, playing video games.  His reason?  He saw a mouse.  I left.  I came back around 3am, four hours later.  He was in the same position, telling me, "Dude, I ain't getting up til I know that mouse is dead, or daylight hits." 

5)  For some reason, Wookiee and I liked to perform the 50s classic song "Little Darlin'".  Well, he would lip-sync and I would play the spoons.  And I would not just play the spoons, I would also drum them on anything within reach, which usually meant Wookiee's head was fair game.  One night, our buddy Barrow was spending the night on our floor, and our antics had him laughing so hard he could barely breathe.  He literally opened the front door and hung halfway down the steps to get some fresh air.  It was classic.

6)  His mom and dad are are awesome... they are really, really good people.

7)  His wife Gina is also a great person, helping him produce his spawn, Austin.... and his other spawn, Abby Grace.  Good job, Wookiee.

8) He's been a part of at least half of my moves from one place to another.  Somehow, we finagled him into moving our big Sony Trinitron from The Apartment to The Deuce... and he helped me move from our first apartment to The Cabana.  And when I say helped, many times I mean he's moving heavy stuff and I'm supervising.  That's the way it should be.

9) He used to drive a Trans-Am T-Top.  He is 6'9, so its understandable that you couldn't sit behind him in the backseat.  He had the seat pushed all the way back.  I'm pretty sure his head stuck out of the top of the T-Top itself.

10)  Wrestlemania.  He, Big Tom and myself attended last year's Wrestlemania in Atlanta, an experience I'll never forget, and one of the top four coolest things of all of 2011. 

11)  He took me to see Troy play Central Michigan in the GMAC Bowl in Mobile.  It was my first overtime bowl game (Troy lost in 2 OTs), it was crack ninja cold out there, and our seats were eh.  But Gina, the wife, had given him two tickets to the game, and he called me up to go. 

12)  He booked us a room at the La Quinta.  Not the Marriott next door, or the Hampton Inn on the other side, but the La Quinta Inn.  It was, however, within walking distance of... you guessed it, a Denny's.

13)  We dated the same girl at the same time, he as a freshman in college, me as a senior in high school.  It was absolute hilarity when we discovered this fact some years later.  I'm serious--we laughed for an hour.

14)  Our Halloween party at the Thomas Circle apartment.  He went as "Fulaytar Vader"

15)  In our Three Notch Street rented house, we shared a huge bedroom, complete with a wall gas heater.  When The Wench, his chick at the time, broke up with him, he skipped all of his classes for like, two weeks, sleeping in the room alot.  As a result, our gas bill was over $175.  As a broke college student having to pay for half of this, I had no idea what to do, until he told me he was going to pay all of it because he felt like he was responsible for it being so high.  This is the kind of guy Wook-Fu is.  (she cheated on him, but they got back together soon after)

16)  A year or so later, at our next apartment in Thomas Circle, I get a tap on my window at like, 6 in the morning on a Saturday.  I open the window and see... its The Wench.  "Can I talk to Chris?"  I rolled out of bed, opened the door, and let her in, then went back to bed.  About two hours later, Wookiee opens my bedroom door and says, "I just broke up with The Wench."  Awake now, I said, "Dude, what happened?  Are you okay?"  He nodded and said, "She cheated on me again.  I just said, 'Get out, The Wench'.  I'm cool.  Want to go get some breakfast?"  And we did.  He might have even bought.  And he was fine. 

17)  A teacher, he got a job after graduation in the humming metropolis of Hazelhurst, Georgia.  On the morning he was moving, he had all his crap in a U-Haul, ready to go.  We had breakfast at Julia's in a hotel nearby, and then he said a somewhat tearful goodbye.  It was sad to see him go.  But I'll always remember the sadness of seeing my best friend leave for however long it would be. 

18)  Troy State versus Missouri.  His bachelor party, as a bunch of us bought this ticket to see the 17th ranked Tigers come to Troy, anchored by Heisman hopeful Brad Smith.  Then in an unbelievable night, we watched Troy handily beat Missouri, knock them out of the rankings, kill Smith's Heisman chances and then become the 24th ranked team in the country the next week.  What a night.

19)  Exploring the USS Alabama with Wookiee.  Both of us have connections to the military, so it was great doing something like that with someone who understands it.  If only I hadn't lost all the pictures. Whoops.

20) People don't understand our bromance.  We're very special.  Or some would say. 

21)  The 1996 Olympics.  Yes, The Wench was there, as was the upstairs neighbor, Smokey Steve, but we actually got to see the second incarnation of The Dream Team play--Jordan, Robinson, Barkley and more.  And, of course, we were almost blowed up by the bomb in the park.  That was fun.

22)  The hilarious sight of him, in only his boxer shorts, leaving our apartment and walking up the hill to the parking lot to get the morning paper.  There are somethings you just can't un-see.

23)  One day, I'm reclining in my bed watching TV, and he sticks his head out of the bathroom.  Then we have this exchange...

Wookiee:  Uh, d$... can I ask you a question?
Me:  Sure.  Whaddup?
Wookiee:  When you are in the shower... does the curtain ever... well, does the shower curtain ever attack you?
Me:  Uh... sometimes.
Wookiee:  Okay, just wondering. 

Then he disappears back into the bathroom.  And I cracked up.  And 17 years later, I just laughed out loud thinking about that conversation.

24)  He was the best man in my wedding, and I in his.  Wouldn't have had it any other way.  He was petrified he would lose the ring, and more petrified of the bride's reaction if it happened.

25)  He knows how to break it down.  Like a big, hairy clown.  (and though it looks like pants, I am totally wearing jorts in this picture)

26)  During the Deuce Days, he lived at The Deuce for two summers in a row, and it was awesome watching him immediately integrate amongst all the friends I had here, and become just a part of the group.  He actually had a portable closet he kept in our dining room with all of his close.  And sometimes, because he would get so annoyed with Tommy and Drew playing Tetris until the wee hours of the morning (especially when Wookiee is trying to sleep on the couch), he would hide Tetris.  And THAT was hilarious.

27)  I wrecked my car on the third Saturday in October of 1996.  Fell asleep at the wheel of my old Buick on the way back to Samson, ran off the road and into a telephone pole.  Head snapped forward, face hit the steering wheel, and it caught me in that space between my upper lip and my nose.  Blood spatter on the windshield, and I was lucky I didn't break my nose entirely.  Had stitches from one nostril to the next, and three feet of thin gauze in each nostril.  And I was without a vehicle. And Wookiee, graciously if not begrudgingly, gave up the Alabama/Tennessee game to drive an hour south to Samson, pick me up and take me back. 

28)  Many of my favorite catchphrases somehow lead back to him.  We went rock climbing with Michael Brunson and a few other friends one day, north of Birmingham.  And when the rock climber guy in charge strapped on the harness to Wookiee, it was fastened around his mid-section.  Before the V-shaped harness was pulled tight, the rock climber guy in charge gave caution to Wookiee for any necessary... well, adjustments.  He said, "You may want to make sure and keep 'Sparky' in the 'V'"  And "Sparky in the V" is a phrase that elicits loud laughs even now.

29) So, in the Three Notch House, in our shared bedroom, we both woke up on a Saturday morning around the same time.  Neither of us wanted to get up, so we both went back to sleep.  Around 11, we both woke up again. And then both went back to sleep.  By 1 or so, we had agreed upon a contest... whoever gets up first, loses.  About 515p, I won, when Wookiee had to get up and use the restroom. 

30)  Also in that bedroom, also when we are both laying in our beds, refusing to get up, we are watching TV... it might have been the same day as the sleeping contest, who knows... and the former President Bush is on TV.  The annoucer is saying something political, with a "something something something something George Bush something something."  And randomly, Wookiee pipes up, saying "Yeeesss George Bush".  After I finished rolling in laugher something like 20 minutes later, I wiped my eyes and knew I had something.  And the "Yes" catchphrase caught on big during The Deuce Days.  Its not used as much now, but you'll still hear it from me, or Mikey or one of the guys from time to time.  Yeeeesss Wookiee.

31)  We are riding in the car with a friend of ours, some tiny little vehicle we were stuffed into--me in the backseat because Wookiee couldn't fit... anyway, at the time, Jann Arden had a big hit on her hands with the song "Insensitive", which came on the radio.  I actually really like that song, and was singing along.  Apparently none of us knew the second verse, though, because it was all quiet in the car when Jann Arden sang, "How do you numb the skin... after the warmest touch... how do you slow your blood... after the body rush...", to which Wookiee breaks the silence by saying, "Yeeesss body rush."  I lost it.

32)  Because of our height disparity, people think its fun--and original, to take our pictures back to back.  And this pic is the typical result (taken at the 1995 Farmhouse Fraternity Formal).

33)  We are all sitting around The Deuce one day, plotting on how to get the downstairs neighbors to move out, so we could rent that apartment as well, putting a firemans pole between the two apartments.   I, who worked for a radio station at the time, said, "I'll broadcast subliminal messages that they need to leave!"  Mikey, working at a bank, said, "I'll screw up their finances and force them into bankruptcy!"  Shawn, who worked for the phone company at the time, said, "I'll tap their phones and black mail them!"  Tommy, working in interweb stuff, said, "I can plant viruses in their computers!" 

Not to be outdone, of course, Wookiee, a teacher, yells, "And I'll make their kids stupid!"  I lost it.


34)  The Great Rib Eat-Off.  Tony Roma's, when they were open, offered "endless ribs" for $20 or something like that... Mikey, Big Tom, Wookiee and I went to Tony Roma's to participate in this feast of gluttony.  Well, actually, Big Tom got something else, and I think I went the burger route... but Mikey and Wookiee went at it.  And they ate, and ate, and requested more, and ate and ate and ate.  All in all, they ate 50 ribs.  Each.  Between the two of them, they devoured 100 ribs.  The lead cook came out to meet them and tell them that they went through an entire case of ribs, plus 4.  The other patrons watched in horror wonder. 

This is the actual napkin from that day at Tony Roma's.  I dug it from the upstairs back bedroom, which is
full of random Deuce memorabilia that I've somehow been able to keep... who knows if this will make
it back upstairs.

35)  While typing this, its fitting that my 21st favorite movie of all time, "Major League" is on TV... like myself, Wookiee is a huge sports nut, and a sports movie nut too--he shares my love of "Major League"...

just a bit outside... going somewhere, meat?  about 90 feet... and for the Indians, that's one run on, let's see...one hit? That's all we got?  One goshdarn hit? [Monty: You can't say "goshdarn" on the air!] Don't worry; nobody's listening anyway... up your butt, Jobu... hey bartender, Jobu needs a refill!... personally, I think we got hosed on that call... I can't find it, to heck with it!... this guy threw at his own kid in a father/son game... forget about the curveball, Ricky!  Give him the heater! 

...but he also has a big hankerin' for "Mystery, Alaska", something I will admit I've never seen. That's a bad friend on my part.  Hold on...

...I just added it to my Netflix queue, 7th on the list, in between the remake of "Fright Night" and Disc 3 of Everwood's first season. 

Anyway, Wookiee has an almost obsessive love of the Chicago Cubbies, the Boston Celtics and I believe the Dallas Cowboys.  Being a Orioles/Spurs & Magic/Broncos fan, we always had something talk about--especially when it came to college football. 

Though we love the line, now that we are married, Heywood's line "How's your wife and my kid?" doesn't work as well anymore.  Sad.

36)  You can't help but love a guy who does this to a swimming pool... our buddy Drew called it a "complete phenomena of water displacement." 

37)   At our very first DeuceFest, on June 20th of 2000, we had a karaoke machine... too good to pass up, Wookiee joins the father figure of the group, Mikey's dad Mr. Ken on "stage" to sing a rousing rendition of "My Way".  It was quite a hoot.  And a holler.

38)  I became a Christ Follower in January of 1995. He became a Christ Follower a week later, led by the same guy, Reggie MacAllister. It was thrilling to relate our testimonies to each other, and share in such important spiritual matters as our eternal futures.

And one to grow on...

39)   He's my best friend.  Wookiee truly is.  We've known each other since September of 1993, been friends since April of 1994, and he is my brother in Christ and my best mate. 

Happy Birthday, Wookiee.  Hope I made you proud with this dedicated post, though I'm sure there is something vital that I'm forgetting... Next stop... FORTY!!  Well, 39, but FORTY sounds so much more dramatic. 

Star Wars Episode IV: A Troy Hope... The 13th Anniversary Director's Cut

In 1997, I was watching Star Wars on television, sitting in the bedroom of My Best Mate Wookiee at our little apartment on Thomas Circle in Troy, Alabama.  My first class was already over, and I was at my apartment for lunch, or just to kill time or whatever... either way, my next class started in about two hours, so I was just wasting the day away.

And inspiration hit me.  Star Wars.  Troy.  Combine the two.  Toss in a few familiar names, poke some fun at some people in a harmless jest, and be very sarcastic with the university that we all love, but love to make jokes about--Troy State University.  And even though I was Greek (Faaaaaaarmhouse... we are one, after us its all been done, we're the best fraternity, brotherhood for eternity...) I still found myself laughing at those people who took the Greek system sooooo seriously.

I sat down in front of My Best Mate Wookiee's computer, with Word '97, and started typing.  And three hours later, after I had already missed my class (and the next one too), I was finished and was printing it out. 

Before you read, let me give you some back ground... Kevin Spivey was a good buddy of mine from Troy State, and he lived with a guy named Clif (with one F).  There was a girl named Donna who had a thing for Clif at the time--I must tell you that Donna was and is just the sweetest girl you could meet (and actually holds a spot in my memories on September 11th, 2001, but that's another story).  Anyway, if you ever read this, Donna, this was done in fun and high spirits. 

The girl I had interest in was named Chrissy (who ended up marrying a fraternity brother of mine, Drew).  Jim and Geno were also a couple of FH guys who were tight.  Uncle Bob was a big guy from the day with a fondness for tats.  And our villian was a Kappa Delta sister with a super short haircut that Spivey and I suspected... well, possibly played for the other team--hence the name Dike Vader.  Looking back, that probably wasn't true at all, but I never said Spivey and I were nice people.

I won't spend time going through all the other people and references, because we'd be here all night, but I wanted to point out some of the inspirations for the main characters.  Really, though, many of you won't get most of the jokes, unless you were there--if you were there, then you'll laugh when you read words like "Brundidge", "Ziggy's" and "The Front Porch".  Old school Farmhouse guys will know.  Several of the BCM'ers will know.  Many will not.  But... you can still read along, and perhaps find a few chuckles anyway.

Anyway, I re-read the entire thing when I pasted it into this post, then started making a few changes.  I mean, its the... 13th Anniversary Special Edition Director's Cut, right?   Nothing vital has been changed, all dialogue is the same, with few exceptions, and I even added a light or two for continuity. 

Finally... I would rate this anywhere from PG to PG-13.  Remember, I was in college.  98% of this would be Emmy Turnbow approved, but I did notice (and laugh heartily) a joke in the Princess Rescue scene that might make some go "Oy..." so reader beware slightly. 

Anyway... here's our feature presentation.
 

A Long Time Ago... At a University Not So Far, Far Away.....

Episode IV: A Troy Hope

It is a period of civil war.

Really cool good guys, striking

from their hangout at Center Park,

have won their first victory against

the evil TSU Greek System.

During the battle, spies managed to steal

secret plans to the Panhellinic Council's ultimate

weapon, the Kappa Death Star, an armored chapter

room with enough makeup and false friendships to prove

every myth about sororities stupidities to be true.

Pursued by the Panhellinic's sinister sisters, Princess Chrissy

races home aboard her Saturn, since she is the custodian of the
stolen plans that can save her people and rid the campus of fakeness

CHAPTER ONE
Princess Chrissy flew her ship as fast as she could, but the bigger Pan-hellinic Destroyer was right behind her. She knew she had to get these plans to back to the Rebel base on Center Street, but she knew she wouldn't make it. Besides, if she didn't hurry, she wouldn't have a parking space.

As lasers exchanged between the tiny Rebel cruiser and the much larger Panhellinic Destroyer, two droids scrambled about. Jim3PO and GenoD2 scurried from corridor to corridor trying to find an exit.

"This pisses me off!!" Jim3PO screamed.
"(*#%&*$*," GenoD2 replied.
"Oh, shut up.  Not everything pisses me off..." Jim3PO retorted.
"(@!)#*#)*" GenoD2 said again.
"Yeah, I guess you are right.  Everything does piss me off."

The doors became weak from the pounding suddenly upon them, and then were blown open completely. Although the Rebel troops were there to fire upon them, they were no match for the SAETroopers, who of course, were so stoned they couldn't feel it if they were shot anyway.

Princess Chrissy raced to find GenoD2 and inserted a CD.... the plans to the Kappa Death Star. She then reached around and inserted her DC Talk CD . "I love this CD.... I want to keep it safe," she thought. Suddenly, a force of SAETroopers came running around the corner.

"Hit her!!" one exclaimed.
"You say you have a hit?" the other asked. "Well share it, man."

They blasted her and knocked her out. When she awoke, she stood in front of a large, dark, skinny figure, with a dorky helmet and short hair.

"Dike Vader, only you can be so bold," Princess Chrissy snarled. "We are on a diplomatic mission..."
"Oh shut up," Dike Vader breathed heavily. "You have stolen secret plans, and you are part of a Rebel Alliance and a traitor. Take her away!"

Dike Vader turned away. One of her many sisters came up beside her.
"Holding her is dangerous." the sister spoke. "She so goshdarn nice to everybody, she might get sympathy from one of her friends."
"She knows too much..." Dike Vader snarled. "And she needs to wear more flannel."
"She'll watch Beavis and Butthead before she'll tell you anything."
"Leave that to me."
"Also, an escape pod was jettisoned to a nearby planet. Since the plans aren't anywhere on this ship, they must be in the pod."
"Send a search team to find those plans."

CHAPTER TWO
Jim3PO and GenoD2 landed with a thud on the planet Tattoo. As they began to walk across the rocky, sandy terrain, Jim3PO began to gripe and moan... as usual.

"This sucks." Jim3PO griped.
"#&$%^@" GenoD2 beeped.
"What makes you think there are settlements over there? What mission?"
"(*$&@*&^"
"Yeah, I could use some vodka too. Maybe there is a Ziggy's Deli around here somewhere."

The two droids began to walk north. Right around nightfall, they came upon a little hut in a canyon.
"Kevin!!' they heard in the background
"I'll be there in a minute, Uncle Bob!" came a reply.
As they neared the top of the hill, they saw a yellow landspeeder Amigo, with a young man working under the hood. He looked up and saw the droids.

"Hello," he spoke. "You must be lost."
"#(&*@^" GenoD2 beeped.
"This is GenoD2, and I am Jim3PO. We have come from an escape pod from a Rebel ship that had fallen under attack."
"You are in the Alliance?"
"Yes."
"#(*&$@#$" GenoD2 beeped.
"What's he saying?" Kevin asked.
"He keeps babbling about some mission he must finish. Plus, we both need a drink."
"I am KevSpiveyWalker. Come on inside. I probably have a fifth of Jack somewhere. I'll clean you up."

They went inside and Kev grabbed a rag. He leaned over to wipe down GenoD2 and accidentally tripped a switch. A hologram shot to the floor of a young lady.
"Help me ObiClifKenobi, you're my only hope. Help me ObiClifKenobi, you're my only hope..." it repeated over and over.
"Who's this chick with the funky hairdo?" SpiveyWalker asked.  Then he obeserved her purple jacket. "That jacket looks cozy..."
"#*&@^$"
"Sir, GenoD2 says it's a private message for ObiClifKenobi."
"I wonder if he means old Clif, who lives in the hills. He used to be a pretty cool guy, but then he got married, and lost touch with everybody."

Uncle Bob came in the hut. "Kev, I want you to go down to Brundidge and pick up some power converters. Harvest is coming up."
"I know, Uncle Bob.... I was thinking maybe if we have a good harvest this year, I can submit my application to the academy this year."
"Kev, you know we have to make enough to finance my new tattoo."
"But I wanted to go thiiisss yeeeaarrrr!" Kev whined.
"Oh, quit whining, you baby," Jim3PO replied.

Uncle Bob left, and Kev turned to the droids again.
"Well, to get to the bottom of this, we have to find ObiClifKenobi," Kev said. They went out, and loaded up the Amigo Landspeeder and took off. Of course, on the way, it started raining and they got behind a Wiley Sanders truck. Kev began to cuss it, and Jim3PO spoke, "Shut up,"
The three pulled up to the apartment where they thought Clif lived, and knocked on the door. Clif answered.
"Are you ObiClifKenobi?" Kev asked.
"I haven't gone by that named in a long time. Come in, young SpiveyWalker."

CHAPTER THREE
"Yes, I knew your mother," Clif answered. "The best pilot in the galaxy... before the KD's killed her.. I have something for you."

Clif walked over and pulled out a little bar. When he pressed a button, a beam of energy shot up.
"A lightsaber... the true weapon of a Jedi."
Kev began to play with the lightsaber while Clif began to ramble about some crap on how the Jedi used to rule the campus, before the IFC/Panhellinic Dark Times, blah blah blah.  Kev was only sort of listening.
"How did my mother die?" Kev asked.
"A young Jedi named Dike Vader, who was a pupil of mine until she joined the Lesbetarian Church, turned to the Dark Side. Dike betrayed and murdered your mother. Dike was seduced by the Dark Side of the Force."
"#*&^$$" GenoD2 beeped.
"Okay, I think it's time we heard this message."
GenoD2 beamed the hologram of the young lady with the funky hair.

"General Clif," the hologram spoke. "You were in a stage play with my father. Now he begs you to help him. I wish I could be there, but these stupid KDs have attacked me, and my mission to bring you to Gardner Hall has failed. I have placed information about the Kappa Death Star in this GenoD2 unit. You must see this droid safely delivered. Help me ObiClifKenobi, you are my only hope." The message disappeared.

"Kev, you must learn the ways of the Force if you are to come with me to Gardner."
"And destroy KD's? I am there."

CHAPTER FOUR
The sorority sisters sat in a big circle in one of the chapter rooms, arguing over who was prettier, who had better hair, who's date to formal was hotter, and of course, about the rebellion.
"The rebellion is dangerous."
"Dangerous to your starfleet, Commandette, not to this chapter room."
"The rebellion will continue to gain sympathy from Chancellor Hawkins..."

The dispute was interrupted by the entrance of Dike Vader and Grand Moff Tucker.
"Hawkins is not a concern," Tucker smiled. "I have received word that I have faked and charmed my way into Hawkins giving us control of the regional SGA senates. Fear will keep the students in line. The last remnants of the old Greekless republic have been swept away."
"We are in search of the plans as we speak," Dike Vader smiled her lesbian smile. "We will crush the rebellion in one single blow."

CHAPTER FIVE
"The Front Porch Cantina... a harbor for all the fraternity scum you would've ever wanted. We'll find a pilot here to take us to Gardner." Clif said as they entered the town.
Clif and Kev went inside while Jim3PO and GenoD2 waited.
"*&$^%"
"I know, Geno, I wanted some tequila too." Jim3PO sighed.
Kev walked up to the bar and ordered a drink, while Clif was talking to some hairy guy.
"Mmmhp Mhhme" the guy beside Kev grunted.
Another guy stepped in, "He likes you."
"I'm sorry," Kev smirked and turned to his drink.
"I like you too. You just watch yourself. We're wanting men."
"I'll be careful," Kev tried to turn away.
"You'll be gay!" the guy whirled Kevin around.
"This one is not worth it," Clif stepped in.

The two leaped at Clif and Kev, but in an instant Clif fired up his saber and chopped off the arm of one of the two.  The bar stopped to see the commotion, but then went back to their conversations.   The hairy guy from before went past Kev and Clif.

"Fulaytarbacca is the copilot of a ship that can get us to Gardner." Clif spoke as they followed the Wookiee.
"I'm Dave Solo, captain of the Millennium Supreme." the incredibly charming, attractive and humble guy in the cool jacket behind the table spoke. "Fulaytar here says you are looking for a way to Gardner Hall."
"Yes, if it's a fast ship." Clif said.
"You've never heard of the Supreme? It's the ship that made the Disney Store run in 27 minutes. I've outrun Troy State RentaCops. What's the cargo?"
"Myself, SpiveyWalker, and the two droids. And we want to avoid any imperial interruptions."
"Ah, secret cargo.... that's gonna cost you. I'm thinking ten thousand."
"What?" Kev shrieked. "We could buy our own ship for that."
"And who's gonna fly it, you?"
"Don't get smart with me, you dirty Mexican. I'll kick your teeth in."
Dave Solo thought it best not to arouse the temper of the young SpiveyWalker, so he turned back to old Clif. "When do you want to leave?"
"As soon as possible. We can pay you 2000 now, and 15 when we get to Gardner."
"Seventeen? You got yourself a ship. BCM parking lot, the last handicapped spot on the left."

Clif and Kev left the table, as Dave turned to Fulaytar. "Seventeen thousand!! This could really get me out of debt. Get to the ship and check all the fluids."
Fulaytar grunted and left to the parking lot. Dave started to go out the other direction, but was stopped by Burko. Phillip Burko, the bounty hunter.

"[Going somewhere, Solo?]" Burko asked in his Lambda Chi Alphese tongue.
"Yes, as a matter of fact, I was going to see your boss," Solo replied.
"[Too late]," Burko grinned. ""[Discover Card has put a bounty on your head so large every bounty collection agency hunter in the galaxy will be looking for you.]"
"But this time I have the money."
"[If you give it to me, I might forget I found you.]"
"I don't have it with me. Tell Discover Card..."
"[Discover is through with you]"
"Shut up..." Dave replied, shot him, and walked out.

Meanwhile, on the Kappa Death Star...
"The resistance to drinking is stronger than I thought," Dike Vader snarled.
"I told you trying to get her drunk so she would tell you the plans location was a futile effort. Let's try something else." Grand Moff Tucker smiled. "Captain, set your course for Gardner."

On Tattoo, the SAETroopers, stoned as they may be, found the Supreme just as they all were getting on.
"Fulyatar, fire her up!!" Dave yelled as he ran around the front to get in.
"This thing is a hunk of junk!!" Kev yelled as he dodged laser blasts.
"She'll go from zero to 60 in seven seconds. Now get on!" Dave jumped in. "Fulaytar, get us out of here!"
The Supreme blasted off, but they had DeltaChi Fighters on their tail.
"There is a Panhellinic Destroyer back there too," Dave said. "Fulaytar, hold them off until we can make the jump to OverDrive."

The Supreme flew in and out of the lasers from the Destroyer, and then suddenly, in a flash of light, the OverDrive jump was made and the ship flew into the darkness.

CHAPTER SIX
"Governor Tucker," Princess Chrissy grimaced as she walked in. "Come on, Donna, let me go."
"Sorry, dearie." Tucker sighed. "We've always been good friends, so you don't know how hard it was signing the orders to terminate your life. I would like you to be a witness to a demonstration that will make this Chapter Room Battle Station operational.... now where is the Rebel Base?"

"The more you tighten your Greek grip, the more independents will slip through your fingers."
"Not after we show everyone the power of this station.. Since you will not help us, we are going to test this station on your home planet of Gardner."
"No! Gardner is peaceful!! It's mostly just unknowing freshman!! You can't do that!!"
"Where is the base?"
Princess Chrissy bit her lip, closed her eyes, and muttered, "Clements. It's on Clements."
"Very well," Grand Moff Tucker said. "Captain, you may fire when ready."
"NO!!"
"You are far too trusting, Princess Chrissy. Besides, Clements is all the way across the campus, but don't worry, we'll deal with them later."

From the Kappa Death Star, a huge cannon shot a laser across the sky, as Gardner was blown into a million pieces. 

Clif, who was watching SpiveyWalker do his Jedi exercises, went to sit down.
"Are you okay?" Kev asked.
"I felt a tremor.... I think I have a headache. I feel like millions of freshman have been yelling in confusion."
Dave Solo came in, "We should be coming upon Gardner anytime now."   Fulaytar and GenoD2 were in the corner playing Phase 10.

CHAPTER SEVEN
A guard came in to see Grand Moff Tucker in her conference room. "Ma'am, we searched Clements, and there is nothing. Well, actually, there is a lot of crap on the walls, and it smells pretty bad, but no Rebel Base."
"She lied to me!" Tucker yelled. "How could she lie to me!"
"I told you so," Dike Vader replied.

The Supreme began to rock to and fro.
"We have gotten to Gardner, but it's gone," Dave Solo looked on the monitor.
"Whaddya mean it's gone? You can't just make a dormatory planet disappear," Kev asked.
"It's been blown away, by the Panhellinic Council," Clif said. Fulaytar grunted to show the radar.
"There's another ship coming in... it's one of those small Teak Fighters." Dave Solo flipped some switches. "Must've been part of a convoy and gotten lost, but he won't be around much longer."
Fulaytar jammed the Teak signals as they got closer to it.
"It's heading for that moon over there," Kev said.
"That's no moon.... it's a Chapter Room." Clif replied.
"Fulaytar, put it in reverse!!" Dave yelled. Nothing happened.
"Rowwrrrr"
"I know, we are caught in the tractor beam!" Dave turned to the panels. "I'm shutting her down."

Dike Vader came into Tucker's room. "An Oldsmobile Freighter has just been captured. It was entering the remains of Gardner.... they must have the plans. Princess Chrissy may be of use to us."
Dike Vader walked toward the ship, and then stopped. "I feel a presence in the force." Without a word, she turned and walked away.

The five heroes of our story hid in the trunk. Slowly, Dave lifted the top and looked out.
"I say we go kill all of them," SpiveyWalker said.
"Yeah, me too," Dave Solo agreed.

Two SAETroopers came around the corner. Stoned out of their minds, they saw Fulaytar. Thinking there were five Wookiees as opposed to one, they both fainted.  Kev and Dave put on their suits.

"Don't look at my butt, you perv," Kev said to the Wookiee.

CHAPTER EIGHT
They slipped their way to a control room. GenoD2 plugged in to a computer to download the Panhellinic System.

"*^&%&^^&"
"Geno says the tractor beam controls are on the third level." Jim3PO said.
"I must go alone," ObiClifKenobi said.
"Okay," Kev said.
"See ya," Dave replied.
"You must see the droids to their destination. Follow your destiny, young SpiveyWalker." Clif said, and then disappeared.
"$&$^^#@%"
"What's he saying?" Kev asked, pointing to GenoD2.
"He says he's found her, the princess is here." Jim3PO replied. "On the detention level 5, level AA."
"Princess?" Dave Solo exclaimed..
"I don't care, I am sitting my behind right here," Kev sat down.
"#*$&**"
"Geno says she is scheduled to be terminated," Jim3PO said.
"Hear that, Spivey! They are gonna kill her!" Dave Solo said.
"Better her than me."
"She's rich.... I know you have Discover bills too."
SpiveyWalker turned around, "How rich?"
"Pretty rich... you should see their house in Mobile."
"You better be right... "

CHAPTER NINE
In their SAETrooper garb, they walked a hairy FulaytarBacca, bound in cuffs, into an elevator.
"This helmet smells like pot," Kev commented.
The elevator stopped and the three walked out.
"Where are you taking this... thing?" asked the commander.
"Shut up," Kev just started shooting people. FulaytarBacca broke his cuffs, grabbed a gun, and began to shoot as well. In a matter of seconds, all the troopers were dead.
They shot all the cameras as well, but they heard a voice over the intercom, "What's going on? Report, report!!"

Kev looked on the control panel and found the Princess's cell, "Here it is, 2187... you go and get her, I will hold up here."
"Report, report!"
"Um... uh..." Kev took the mic, "Everything is fine here, normal."
"What happened?"
"Um, slight weapons malfunction... everything is fine though.... how are you?"
"Who is this?"
Kev just cussed it and shot it. "Dave, we are about to be real busy!"

Dave Solo (as the music plays in the background) found and opened the door to the Princess' cell.
"Aren't you a little sober to be a SAETrooper?"
"I'm Dave Solo, I'm here to rescue you!"
"Who?"
"Dave Solo... I'm here with Clif Kenobi."
"Um, don't know him either... oh yeah, the ObiClif... he was a PCO leader!"

As they dashed into the hall, Kev and FulaytarBacca came running their way.
SAETroopers flooded the hall as Kev, Fulaytar, and Dave fended them off. "This is some rescue," Princess Chrissy said sarcastically.
"Don't make me do a Beavis impersonation." Kev replied, firing away.
Princess Chrissy grabbed a gun and fired a hole in the floor. "It's the Alumni First Floor!!" She jumped into the hole.
"Get in there, you sasquatch!! I don't care what you smell!" Dave Solo yelled at FulaytarBacca, who finally jumped in the hole.
"Wonderful chick, Dave," Kev yelled. "I think I am going to have to kill her!"
Dave Solo leapt into the dark tunnel, followed by Kev.
All four where in the trash pile they call Alumni first floor.
"This place is funky!" Kev shrieked.
"Did you even think about how we were going to get out of here?" Princess Chrissy asked. Fulaytarbacca just banged on the door, which wasn't opening.
"He's the brains, sweetheart.... what kind of material is that on your coat?" Kev replied.
The walls shuddered and suddenly began to come together. Kev grabbed his comlink. "Jim! Jim! Where are you?"
"Right here, sir," Jim3PO replied from the little control room.
"Shut down everything on the Alumni first floor!!"
"Oh, okay... you leave us here to die, and now you want us to help you!"
"Stop being so pissed off and help!"
"You say we never do anything with y’all, and yet you leave us here! You didn't want us to come with you!"
"Shut up and do it, before I have to come kick your...”
"Okay, okay, jeez..."

The walls stopped when they were about three feet apart from one another.
"Let's get out of here," Kev commanded.
"Now listen to me," Princess Chrissy spoke. "I don't know who you are or where you came from, but from now on, you will take orders from me, I am in command."
"What are you, some kind of control freak?" SpiveyWalker's nostrils flared. "I take orders from one person... me, got that?"  He reached out to touch the velvety texture of her jacket, but she yanked her arm away.
"Dave, get your walking carpet roommate out of my way," Princess Chrissy walked past FulaytarBacca, who just grunted and scratched.

CHAPTER ELEVEN
Clif snuck behind a column and tripped a few switches to shut down the tractor beam.
Meanwhile, the four came to a window to see the docking bay.
"You came in that teal thing?" Princess Chrissy asked.
"Yeah, you should've seen my Buick." Dave Solo replied.
They whirled around to see a legion of SAETroopers heading towards them.
"Split up!" Kev yelled, as Dave Solo and the Wookiee went one way, leaving Kev and the Princess.
"Can I feel your coat?" Kev asked.
"Come on, let's get out of here!" the Princess yelled.
They ran into a hallway that came to an extending bridge. Kev grabbed his rope and swung it to catch it on the rafters.
"Hurry, they are coming," Princess Chrissy shrieked.
"Heh heh, you said coming." Kev grinned.
As they started to go across, they looked at one another.
"Don't kiss me," Kev said.
"You wish, Captain Grey Hair." Chrissy replied, as they swung across.

CHAPTER TWELVE
Clif pulled out his saber as he walked the halls. He rounded a corner and ran into Dike Vader.
"The circle is now complete," Dike Vader said. "When I left you, I was but the simple pledge, now I am the Lesbian Sister."
Their sabers clashed as they exchanged useless banter.
"You can't win, Dike Vader." Clif smiled. "If you strike me down, Faith will become more angry than you can ever imagine."
Dave Solo and FulaytarBacca hid behind a corner, as Kev and Princess Chrissy came up behind them.

All the SAETroopers were watching the fight between Dike Vader and Clif... not the battle itself, but when you are that stoned, sabers put off some very interesting light.
"Let's go!" Kev yelled as they ran towards the ship. GenoD2 and Jim3PO came up, with Jim still ranting and raving about nothing.
As they dashed towards the ship, Clif lowered his saber and allowed the Dark Lesbian of the Sith to strike him down.
"Sorry Clif," Kev said amidst the gunfire, "but I ain't stopping."
The Millennium Supreme blasted off into space.
"We did it!" Princess Chrissy exclaimed, hugging Fulaytarbacca.
"Rowrr," was the reply, which in Wookieese is "You didn't do a crapping thing... what's this we stuff?"

"Are they away?" Grand Moff Tucker asked.
"Yes," Dike Vader said.
"Are you sure the homing device is on the ship?"
"Yes. We will follow them to their Rebel base, and destroy them. Soon, all the campus will be Greek and answering to the whim of superiors like Kappa Deltas and Alpha Gams!"

Princess Chrissy and Dave Solo sat in the cockpit, while Fulaytarbacca was repairing in the back.
"We've got to get GenoD2 to our Rebel base, so we can find a weakness to the Kappa Death Star," Princess Chrissy said. "It's not over yet."
"It is for me," Dave Solo said. "I've got bills to pay. I expect to be rewarded."
"And you will. If money is what you love, then that's what you'll get." Princess Chrissy got up and walked out, as Kev was coming in.
"She's cute," Dave Solo said.
"Trying not to think of her," Kev replied. "I think she likes you."
"You think she likes me? That'd be cool."
"No, nimrod.  I think she likes DREW"
"Who's Drew?"

CHAPTER THIRTEEN
The Supreme landed on the planet FarmHouse, and GenoD2 was plugged in to be analyzed.

Dave Solo, Fulaytarbacca, and Kev sat and listened to the administrators talk, while Princess Chrissy attempted to take her hair out of those buns it had been in for the last twenty pages.

"The Chapter Room is heavily shielded, and carries a snobbiness about it greater than half of Troy. Its defenses are designed around a large scale assault, but it doesn't consider a small one man ship to be a threat. If a shot can be made here, in the chapter rooms cosmetic and bow storage, the loss of these vital sorority items will cause a chain reaction of selfconciousness to go throughout the Panhellinic Council, which will lead to the self-destruction of all of them. You will have to maneuver straight around this quad to a target area, which is only about two meters wide."

"It's not impossible," Kev told Dave Solo," I used to bullseye third graders in my Amigo back home, they’re not much bigger than a meter or so."

Grand Moff Tucker viewed the screen to see the rebel base in sight.
"We should be able to fire upon the base in about thirty minutes," Dike Vader said.
"You know, you didn't have to kill Clif," Tucker whined. "He's so cute... he would've made a great prisoner."

Kev SpiveyWalker came out in his X-wing gear to see Dave Solo loading up his money.
"Why don't you stick around? It's getting fun," Kev said.
"I can't, I have Discover bills to pay off," Dave Solo replied.
Kev walked away, and came up to Princess Chrissy.
"Good luck, Spivey," the Princess said.
"You need to go talk to Dave," Kev said.
"Why, to see if I could get him to stick around, because he's a good pilot and he would be good for our cause?"
"I don't care about that, but I think he likes you. Go talk to him, or something."
"I'm not going to kiss you now either.... no offense."
"None taken."

CHAPTER FOURTEEN
The X-wings began to lift off and head towards the Kappa Death Star. The chants were heard, as all pilots sounded off.

"Gold leader standing by," Kev spoke.
"Red leader, standing by," Langer said.
"Blue leader standing by," Adam Ellis said.
"Orange leader standing by," Wilkes said.
"Black leader standing by," Terry Tucker said.
"Green leader standing by," Jazz said.
"Aqua Leader standing by," Drew said. 
"Rainbow leader, standing by," Jason Scott said.

The ships began to move into attack formation, as they neared the Kappa Death Star Chapter Room battle station.

"I'm going in," Kev said, as he steered his ship into the trench.
"I'm gonna follow," Forrest Miller said. He didn't get very far, because Kev blew him away.
"What did you do that for?:" Green Leader Jazz asked.
"Cause I got tired of him," Kev replied.

A guard came into the room where Dike Vader stood, in all her masculine femininity.
"Lezzy Vader, their ships are too small for our guns."
"We'll have to destroy them ship to ship," Dike Vader said. "Get the Delta Chi Fighters and the Sigma Chi Fighters ready.

Kev looked on as he saw an X-wing crash into the surface. "That was only Sloppy... I can do without him too." He knew it was Sloppy from the rebel flag flying from the ship's engine.

Kev... trust your feelings...

For a second, SpiveyWalker thought he was hearing things. Then he thought it was all that pot smoke inhaled from the SAETrooper helmet. Then suddenly in the background, GenoD2 started playing Jesus Freak.

Princess Chrissy, on Farmhouse, looked up, smacked her forehead with her palm and yelled, "That's where I left my CD!"
"Okay, here come the frat fighters!" Red Leader Langer yelled.
"I see them," Kev flew around and blasted a few. Ink, his good friend from back home who was never mentioned before in the story and probably won't be until the 20th anniversary special edition of this story comes out, flew in behind him.

"We are switching to targeting computers," Blue Leader Huck said. "I can't maneuver!"
"Stay on target!" Yellow Leader Szymendera said, taking a drag from his cigarette. "Can you fire, Mauve Leader?"
"I am on it," Mauve Leader Nathan responded.
"This is it," Periwinkle Leader Wyatt exclaimed, diving into the trench. "Let's prepare our attack run."

Huck, Szymendera, Nathan and Wyatt went into the trench with Kev and Aqua Leader Drew.  Rainbow Leader Jason Scott did his best to cover them from behind.

The Sigma Chi fighters followed them in.

"I am in range," Nathan said. "Hold them off for a few seconds... almost there... almost there..."
"I can't hold them!" Wyatt yelled as his ship exploded from a shot from behind.

Dike Vader and two KDs came into the trench, following the others.
"Almost there.... It's away!" Nathan yelled.
"Did you get it?" Kev asked.
"No good, didn't have enough fingers to fire it right."

Kev was getting set for his attack run, as he saw Huck and Nathan go down in flames.
"Okay, you want something done right, you've got to do it yourself, doggone it," Kev smirked. "Wilkes... and Pink Leader Ink... get set, we are going full throttle, top speed, I'm talking all the way."

The three ships flew faster.

"Will we be able to pull out in time?" Wilkes asked
"Just like Thrill Hill back home," Kev asked.
"We are taking a lot of shots from that tower ahead," Ink said.
"You take care of those Sigma Chi Fighters, I'll worry about that tower."

Faster and faster they went, down the trench, to certain doom. Dike Vader and her two KDs came right up behind.

"I'm hit.... " Ink said. "I've got to pull out... but I'll be back to be insignificant another story." His ship flew out.
"I'm hit too!" Wilkes shrieked, but he didn't have time to pull out. His ship exploded in a ball of flames.

As the doom music played in the background, Kev looked into his scope.

Use the force, SpiveyWalker.... came the thought,.

"Uh, no Clif.... I'll miss it."

No you won't, SpiveyWalker

"Would you shut up? I'm trying to concentrate."

No, turn off your scope... your eyes can deceive you

Kev cussed him.

It's so endearing when you cuss... fine, I'll shut up

"Thank you," Kev said.

"The force is strong with this one," Dike Vader said, behind him.

"Kev, is there a problem?" Princess Chrissy asked. "You are talking to yourself."
"Nah, I got it. Shut up."

Dike Vader got Kev in range, but suddenly, a shot came from nowhere. Dike Vader's ship veered to the left, and the other two crashed into each other, exploding.
"Okay, SpiveyWalker, blast this thing so we can go home. We've got study hall tonight!" came Dave Solo's voice on the comlink.
Kev fired the shots that went in, and a few seconds later, the night sky was filled with bows and Mary Kay as the Kappa Death Star exploded into a million sorority pieces.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN
The doors opened, and Kev SpiveyWalker, Fulaytarbacca and Dave Solo walked out to the large ceremony room. Each side was lined with troops standing in their best uniforms. The music played as the three heroes walked to the front. Princess Chrissy, hair in braids now, stood before them.

GenoD2 and Jim3PO stood polished, as Princess Chrissy leaned over and placed a medal of honor on Fulaytarbacca, and then gave him a leg of lamb. She placed a medal on Kev SpiveyWalker, and then gave him a replica of her jacket. She then put a medal on Dave Solo, and handed him her phone number.  He smiled, then smirked when he saw that she was pointing to the number, then to a guy standing in the front row.  It was Aqua Leader Drew.  "Can you give this to him?" she mouthed.  Dave Solo sighed and nodded.

They then faced the crowd in the moment of glory.

35 Things for 35 Years

"And the white line's getting longer and the saddle's getting cold, I'm much too young to feel this dadgum old.  All my cards are on the table with no ace left in the hole, I'm much too young to feel this cotton-pickin' old" -- Garth Brooks


So, as I sit here in my easy chair in The Cabana, new big screen playing one of my favorite movies of all time, the time has passed, that time being 815p.  I'm now officially 35 years old, officially in my mid-thirties.  The years have been good to me, I'm blessed beyond any form of measure, from my upbringing, to my mother taking care of me, to my grandparents adopting me and giving me all that I needed (and a few things I wanted)

So here's my rundown, year by year, of some things I'm blessed with and happy for in all my 35 years.

1975
My mother giving birth.  And keeping me.  That's awesome.

1976
The year that Stephanie was born.  Yeah, I could go with her later on, since I won't meet her for another 25 years, but I'm pretty happy for 1976.

1977
Star Wars is released.  What a great film, what a great

1978
"Garfield" makes it debut.  Who doesn't love Garfield?

1979
The Muppet Movie.  The Muppet Show.  And my affinity for the Muppets begins.

1980
The Empire Strikes Back, one of the greatest films of all time, and one of my first real movie-going experiences.

1981
Adoption is a great, great thing.

1982
"A Dog Called Kitty" by Bill Wallace.  Released in 1980, this was my favorite book as a child.

1983
Scarecrow & Mrs. King.  Man, I loved this show.

1984
Samson, baby!  From Austin, Texas, to what would become my own little home town....

1985
Chris McCall, my first real Samson friend at Samson Elementary School. 

1986
Tonya Windham.  Had to mention her. 

1987
Greg Avant.  Completing my Triad of BFFs in Samson, Greg and I go waaay back.  I saw a ton of really crappy movies with him, riding in this little LTD Ford that, were you to wash it and remove the clay and dirt, would leave nothing but two seats and a steering wheel.

1988
Rush Limbaugh hits the airwaves as a nationally syndicated radio program.  And good thing too, because not only was Clinton around the corner, but He Who Must Not Be Re-Elected was down the pike.

1989
Hollywood Studios!  Yay! Even though it was 18 more years before I could visit, at least it was open!

1990
Discovered the Interweb, sitting at Greg Avant's house.  He had this thing on his little black screened, orange lettered computer called "Prodigy".  We looked up movie reviews.  It tapped into his phone line.  Completely weird.  We were on it for like, five hours.  And I'm sure the phone bill that month at the Avant house was larger than normal.

1991
What a year for movies!  "Silence of the Lambs"... "New Jack City"... "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves"... "The Last Boy Scout"... "T2: Judgement Day"... "Beauty & the Beast"... "Boyz in the Hood"... "Dead Again"... and I'm sure I saw a bunch of them with Greg at some point.

1992
"I'd Die Without You" by PM Dawn is released, off of one of my favorite random album, the soundtrack to the movie "Boomerang".  This would be my favorite song for the next 16 years, only to be slightly replaced by "Possession" from Sarah McLachlan.



1993
Troy State University!  Go Trojans! 

1994
Wookiee.  Wookiee.  Wookiee.

1995
A few days into the year, I met up with Reggie McAllister at a Farmhouse Fraternity Party.  And there, the seed was planted... and a few hours later, in my bedroom at 3am, I accepted Christ as my own Savior.  And the road has been awesome. 

1996
The BCM.  And this is where I would meet some of the most important people in my life, like Jenn Mullturp, Shelby, Troy Mac, Rad a Tad, Hinson and more. 

1997
Farmhouse Fraternity.  Never been a Greek kind of guy, but I did love the social aspect and brotherhood in my frat.

1998
Birmingham!  I just figured out, like, just now, that I have lived in Birmingham, AL, longer than I have lived anywhere else in my entire life.  Seriously... Orlando for two or three years, Austin for about five or six, Samson for nine, Troy for five

1999
Valleydale BAPTIST Church.  It has always been an sbc fellowship, however. 

2000
The Deuce is founded.  Life changing experience.

2001
Common Ground.  It was a church ministry for those in-betweeners who had just left college and really had nowhere to go, and for those in college.  I guess "College & Career" would be more like it, but "Common Ground" sounded better.

2002
WalkAbout.  The drama team of middle schoolers that have enhanced my life in every possible way.

2003
Starbucks.  I loved my job then, I love it now.

2004
Married my life partner, soul mate, best friend. 

2005
My iPod.  Has revolutionized how I listen to music, and finally introduced me to podcasts. 

2006
This site.  Now, I know it started in 2005, but it really got going this year. 

2007
Dave Ramsey.  What can I say?  His plan is difficult. But it works.  We're proof.

2008
Disney.  I loved that job.  I miss it. 

2009
Steven & Calah Ray.  We love these guys, always good for dinner at Mellow Mushroom.

2010
MZ.  My manager and very, very dear friend, and I count it a blessing and honor to have her as both.

This is by no means a comprehensive list... there were a dozen things or more in some years I could have listed.  So, there are 35 things for 35 years, random things I like, love, count as blessings and favorites. 

I'll leave you with this... the video for Toby Keith's "Ain't As Good As I Once Was"...



I used to be Hell on wheels... back when I was younger man, now my body says 'You can't do this boy', but my pride says 'Oh, yes you can.'  I ain't as good as I once was, that's just the cold hard truth.  I still throw a few back, talk a little smack when I'm feeling bullet proof.  So don't double dog dare me now, 'cause I'd have to call your bluff.  I ain't as good as I once was, but I'm as good once as I ever was.


Maybe not be good as I once was, but I'm as good once as I ever was...

A Random Rebecca Mandolin Sighting

For those of you expecting a full on review of "Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince", let me just tell you that I'm breaking my breaking of the self-imposed rule that says I will wait a few days before reviewing a movie... simply put, I loved the movie, and its my favorite of all the Potter flicks, but there's much more to it... but to properly assess and discuss, I have to discuss the movie and the book, so I figure I'll give a few days for people to see it, so I won't be giving spoilers.

Plus, I had a Rebecca Mandolin Sighting.

The Happiest Place in the Mall is a treasure trove of rekindling, by the way. I've seen dozens of faces that I've not seen in years, sometimes in the double digits. Micke Arant, Jaime Echols, Julie Echols, Jason Howell, Jeremy & Crystal Jones and so on, names that won't mean much to you, Coffee Drinker, but names that each carve out memories and instances, sometimes small, sometimes large, in my years of living.

Zipping around at The Happiest Place in the Mall, as I do on a daily basis, doling out magic for this person and that, providing the best 30 minutes of the day for some lucky guest. This is a special week as its Buy One Get One Free on the plush--come in and purchase a plush animal, be it off of the mountain, or one of the big ones, or the mini bean bag plush or even the soft Princess dolls and you get one free!! (if you think that was plug for our store then... you'd be right)

I'm straightening as I go, of course, and am already banking the little experiences--good and stupid--with guests that make the day so interesting (I'll probably end up writing a second volume to one of my most popular posts, "Happy Times") and I work my way to the backstage door, probably headed back to grab a couple of Mater die cast cars to go on the rack.

There's a young woman kneeling over some Hannah Montana water bottles, her face obscured by the mane of thick hair surrounding her head. I stop... well, I don't stop, I really just slow down long enough to say understandably as I move, "Don't forget, all the Hannah Montana, High School Musical and Camp Rock merchandise is an additional 40% off the red tagged price!" (yes, yes, another plug. what are you waiting for? go get you a Sharpay swimsuit for only $8.99 after discount!)

The young woman freezes for a second, slowly turns her head up to me and says, "d$". My eyes widen, my jaw drops and I utter out, "Mandy Stewart." She leaps up, I gasp and we hug for at least ten, maybe twenty seconds, with both of us sputtering out phrases like "Oh my gosh!" and "So good to see you!" and "I can't believe this!".

There are just some people in this world that just... well, they make you happy. Your hard pressed to find fault with them, you have nothing but thoughts and experiences with them that make you smile, and when you see them again after so long without, its as if for a few minutes, the world is just right. Things make sense. Your friend is here in front of you, and for the next little while, maybe a few sentences worth, maybe an hour over lunch, things are just good. My friend McQ is like this. My buddy Mikey is like this. And so is Rebecca Mandolin.

We met in the fall of 1993--forgive me if you've read this already, I might have told this story in one of the previous 489 posts--in English class. We were sitting close to the end of the long table in Honors Freshman English, being taught by a nice blond lady who had hairy armpits. No seriously. Like, she was married to this Brit, and I guess she felt as if she needed to play the role of Brit Wife (do they do that over there? I thought hairy pits was a French thing?) and she liked to wear sleeveless shirts, and when she lifted up her arms in discussions or animated conversations, whoop there it is. Rebecca Mandolin always had a faceful of it.

I personally thought that she was gorgeous, but I was never attracted to her. Funny how that worked, really, as there were lots of guys who were. Maybe that's why we were such fast friends, because I had no ulterior motive. It did make me look good, though, that I had good looking chick friends. Maybe it was also that we both had small town upbringings, being tossed onto this campus and were just looking for nice people to hang out with. Whatever the reason, d$ and Rebecca Mandolin were friends.

Actually, I was attracted to the blond girl who sat across from Rebecca Mandolin and I, Ginny Kochen from Wisconsin. That's a whole other story for another day, but Ginny and I didn't work out. Discovered that Rebecca Mandolin was roomies with another person I had just met, Miranda Bryant, and then we all got to know and hang out with some other people we met and so on.


d$ and Rebecca Mandolin then, having both just turned 21. This is 1996 at a FH/Alpha Gam. The Lovely Steph Leann made me sell that tie at the yard sale a few weeks ago.

Time goes by, as do friends who suddenly aren't around and become acquaintances instead, or people you barely know who come into your life to become pretty good people to be around and such. Miranda and I were pretty tight for a while, then I became good friends with Labett and Adrienne, then eventually I met my best mate Wookiee and... well, you get the drift. I friend hopped, no sense in denying it, at least until around 1995 or 96, when I got involved in our BCM and actually made some friends I could keep.

But even though we weren't talking every day, even though we weren't around each other all the time, Rebecca Mandolin and I never stopped being friends. She introduced me to this awesome redhead, Allison Hodnett (which also didn't work out, thanks to John Glasscock... again, another story), and encouraged it on while it almost started. We had lunch at Los Pericos in Troy from time to time. She would give me the truth that I didn't want to hear when I was, say, hitting on Greta Gaskin ("Seriously, d$, that was totally a line you gave her... and pretty lame too") or telling me about Indya Lawless ("She asked me about you, d$, and I managed to get her number for you") or letting me know I blew it with Rebecca Miller ("You know, you need a divine do-over, really") and sometimes, she would do her own confiding in me about her own set of romantic issues ("Yeah, so... here's what happened... and I feel pretty stupid about all of this. What do you think, d$?").

We both rushed about the same time, Rebecca Mandolin headed towards Alpha Gamma Delta, and I toward FarmHouse, and we would catch up with each other over Fraternity/Sorority gatherings, or pledge swaps or Greek Week, always with a big hug and a big smile.

Eventually, she found her boo, a big gruff guy named Peter who played baseball. Somehow, someway, that final year of Troy State for both of us, we moved different directions and missed each other somehow.

I found Rebecca Mandolin's email address, and contacted her around, I dunno, 2000 or so, and she responded, and again, we lost touch. Finally, she joined the rest of the free world and got on Facebook earlier this year, and I was excited about it, leaving her a wall post that simply said, "Its about time". She responded with, "I am technologically challenged. I had not checked my hotmail for 2 months. I had 500 messages. It is so good to hear from you (slightly less good to see those pictures, although the formal picture is priceless)."

And after that, didn't hear from her again. Not that I tried much, mind you, I'm not stalking out Rebecca Mandolin, but I never saw her online, so we never got around to chatting about anything.

And then today... here she was. She laughed, ruffled the side of my head with her fingers and said, "Oh goodness, look at all the grey you've collected." She introduced me to her son, who is like, 8, and her daughter is 5, and running all over the store. Her husband Peter shook my hand and nodded, then walked back to the front of the store in a typical, "Okay, I'm done, I'm ready to get out of here" fashion.

We stood for about five minutes and discussed the old days, with me bringing up a few names that made her laugh and shudder and she doing the same for me. I gushed about The Lovely Steph Leann, and we discussed kids and when we'll get our own. I gave her this web address and my email, and told her she had no excuse not to find me, and even that The Lovely Steph Leann and I would be in her neck of the woods in August, and a Sunday lunch before we head home is in the realm of possibilities.

To be truthful, I might live to be 84 years of age, and I may see Rebecca Mandolin once, maybe twice more ever... or we might become friends again, at least, virtually anyway. I always long for people from my old days to meet people from my current, notably The Lovely Steph Leann, if only to show to the old friends how far I've come and how wonderful I have it, and to show The Lovely Steph Leann a glimpse into what I used to be and a small glance of how I became what I did. And maybe they will meet, who knows.


Here's us in 2009, both on the cusp of 34. Personally, I could stand to be a little thinner, perhaps like the earlier pic, but I think she's never looked better.

Here's to you, Rebecca Mandolin, for making my day, and here's to hoping you make another.

Someone called Rebecca Mandolin once by mistake, thinking that was her full name. I think its actually "Reba Mandy" or something country like that... she is from Talladega... anyway, I took to calling her that, just like she called me "Young David" for the longest time, even though I'm a month older than she.

samson blog part IV: memories on highway 52

Working at The Happiest Place in the Mall affords me the chance to sometimes see people I haven't seen in years. I have seen many of my college mates come through the doors, each looking for some magic, and a few from elsewhere (including a run in with Shay Oliver, to which I had to apologize for the visit). Tonight? Beth Edison came through the doors. Haven't seen her in about, I dunno, 17 years? She still looks the same, just a few years older.

We also had a prom group come through tonight, and that gave me a great idea for a post later... prom nights. Four proms, three dates, many stories. But that's later. For now, here's the end of my daylong visit to Samson, Alabama. This actually appears on pages 9 thru 12 of the original document I wrote it on, which is why I had to break it up into four parts. Its been a fun column to write, though. Anyway, here's the previous posts, then the finale....

Samson Blog Part I: "...Knee High to a Puddle Duck"
Samson Blog Part II: Tammy Ward & the Library Books
Samson Blog Part III: High School Highs... and Lows

PART IV... MEMORIES ON HIGHWAY 52


At 7:30, I turned onto Highway 52, and headed out of Samson, toward Geneva, back from the direction I had already come. I had told Sandy Wright hours earlier that I would stop by her parent’s house and say hello, so when I came upon their county road, I turned right. It was paved, but only slightly… the Wright home is a house I’d been to many, many times as a teenager, both visiting and working. Sometimes I would just hang out with Cristie, other times I would help Forrest paint or clean or whatever, and he paid well. The restaurant closed some years after I started college, but the Wrights own a florist & gift shop in Geneva, and he does, or at least did at one point, sell fencing and siding.

So when I came to the Wright home, imagine my surprise when I couldn’t get in. They have a long white fence that wraps around the property, with a small driveway that I parked in. There was a gate. An immovable gate that I had no clue how to approach. Granted, I could have easily ducked between the wide spaces in the fencing, but the last time I was here, they had a couple of Dalmatians that were the size of Toni Rocky Honda, so I stood for a few minutes, staring at the house. Do I honk the horn? Do I duck under the fence and make a run for it, hoping the Spawn of Spotted Dog doesn’t chase me down and maul me? What do I do? It’s about 7:50 now, the light is fading, so who knows if they even recognize me?

Finally, I decided I would just leave a note. I grabbed a Sharpie, cause you know I lurves me some Sharpies and Toni Rocki Honda contains about 30, and scribbled down:

Forrest & Charlotte

Stopped by to see you both. Didn’t know how to enter the Wright Fortress. Hope you are well, hope to see you soon.

d$

I wheeled Toni Rocki Honda to their mailbox, opened it, put my note in, and left. There was one more stop to make, really, in my Samson excursion… Wal-Mart, though it was actually in Geneva. My purpose was singular… I wanted to walk the store front to back, side to side, and count the paces. Then I wanted to compare it with the Wal-Mart down the street from The Cabana on 280. Back to front, the Geneva Wal-Mart was 73 paces. Side to side, its 103. I’m not joking. And the Wal-Mart closes, which in a city that has about six of them within a fifteen mile radius that stay open 24-7, is unfathomable.

Finally, it was time to go. Through Geneva, back through Enterprise and up to Troy, where I made a quick stop at the FarmHouse Fraternity house to drop off a paddle that was given to me years and years ago by my big brother there… it was time the paddle found a home in the house. Met some of the guys, watched a few minutes of the NCAA championship game, shook some hands and then I was out.

My last stop before home was in Prattville at Steak-n-Shake… I wasn’t even that hungry, having eaten hours before, but I got a small burger, fries and a milkshake… because its Steak-n-Shake, and I never get a chance to go there. Truly, I miss Denny’s, but I do love some SNS.

My day in Samson was wonderful, not made so by any particular part of it, but by the combination of well wishes, familiar faces and throwbacks to days when it was so simple. I think everyone thinks to themselves how they would do it if they could go back, knowing now what you know. I would think I’d be the coolest guy in school, because honestly I wouldn’t care. Lord knows I’d have better fashion sense, and I’d probably have a change of clothes in my locker to put on as soon as I got to school.

As simple as it seems, though, I am truly blessed to be sitting here in front of my laptop, sitting on a wooden TV tray, which is sitting on an expensive designer rug, sprawled out in front of our leather couches, in a living room directly under the bedroom where the most wonderful, beautiful woman I’ve ever known is sleeping peacefully. All of this is in The Cabana, our house we bought last year, sitting close to a major highway in our town, which means we’re close to everything, including both jobs that we possess and love.

I do have a new found love for my hometown of Samson, and one day, maybe in a few decades, though still probably never, I might go back. Maybe with The Lovely Steph Leann in 2020, maybe as a widower in 2061. And I do have a love for the people I left behind, be it Chris McCall or my other two Samson BFFs Tonya and Greg, and friends like Jason Howell (who I’m dying to spend some more time with) and Rona Mock and her husband Ryan (who I’m going to call for dinner in the next two weeks) and especially my mom, who will most certainly die in this town, probably in the next few years. I’ve already decided I’m going to make it a more frequent trip, perhaps once every two months, maybe once per month during football season…

..but in all my remembering where I come from, I’ll be careful not to forget where I am now. And where I am right now is the most blessed place I could be. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m gonna click this laptop off and go upstairs and sleep next to The Lovely Steph Leann.

(one more authors note... when I finish and publish a post, which usually takes me forever, as The Lovely Steph Leann can attest, I read it on the actual website itself, usually to make sure it flows and posts correctly, is spaced correctly, et al. Tonight as I did this for Part IV, my website playlist played "When I Get Where I'm Going" by Brad Paisley and Dolly Parton. I thought it was kinda cool. Course, if this were 1993, "You Don't Bring Me Anything But Down" might've sufficed for my dinner guest. Ha!!)

Thanks for reading.

A Love Story in Three Acts: Act 2, Scene 2

Exposition
Act 1: Cindy
Act 2, Scene 1: A Chance Meeting

"Summer of Love"
My senior year in college came along in the fall of 1997... actually, I was due to graduate at the end of fall quarter, but since they didn't have fall commencement at that time (they started that the following year, when they went to semesters in the fall of 1998), I couldn't officially graduate. So, I was simply a lame-duck student, done with school, but not able to graduate college until March. Many students moved away, and would come back for the ceremony, but I was in a lease at Willow Terrace, still living with Wookiee & and now Mike Brunson, until the summer of 98.

Instead of graduating, actually, I went on a mission trip to New York City in March of 1998, my first NYC trip. Somewhere on that Thursday, I was walking down 5th Avenue and I remember looking at my watch and seeing it was 3pm. I shouted "I'm a college graduate now!" really loudly. Incidentally, this is also the same trip where Chrissy Roe, the Spanish teacher from Spain Park, met her husband. More proof that God's plan revolves around me. That was a joke.

And in May of 1998, I heard from Amy Wible.

I was online again, this time, I think it was on AOL 3.0... she IM'ed me with a "Hi" and I just gave her a "hello". We talked for a long, long time. Understand that I was over her (after only one summer and a handful of afternoons spent together, I was never "under" her, to paraphrase Ross Geller) so talking to her wasn't that big of a deal. Through the course of the conversation, I found out she'd broken up with her boyfriend Joel and wanted to know how I was doing. I was fine, at that point. Graduated, summer missions, NYC, still praying about where I was going in the fall (Though Montgomery, Atlanta and Nashville were not out of the question, I had truly narrowed it down to Mobile and... ugh, Birmingham. Hated Birmingham. I was hoping the upcoming internship interviews in Mobile would work out)

I don't know how it happened again, but we agreed to go out again. Careful I was not falling into another Cindy Howell type trap, I prepared myself to pray about a guarded heart, and kept asking God to guide me in this rekindled friendship. So, we met again. And again. And again. And somehow, we started dating again within a few weeks.

One night, we had dinner and then went to the Shakespeare Festival grounds--for those of you who don't know what that is, its the area called The Alabama Shakespeare Festival. Its a huge park, with several small theaters and museums on the grounds, and a huge (man made) lake in the middle. Lots of picnic areas, plus a place where you can walk right up to the water and feed geese, which is what we did. That night, we sat together for about four hours, and Amy began to open up to me, to the point of tears. She told me of what her year had been like, her relationship and break up with Joel, what her fears were, what her hope for the future was and everything else. And I sat and listened... and my heart was melting. I opened up to her about my life, about things that I was dealing with, and there at close to midnight, we sat and prayed together for what seemed like forever. It was awesome.

June passes and July is almost over. Though I really, really want to go to Mobile, I feel God is calling me to Birmingham. I'm fighting it in my prayerlife, not wanting to admit this is what God wants for me, even though it was pretty evident, since none of my interviews in Mobile was going to lead to anything. Through some random conversation with Amy, I mention a possible move to Birmingham, possibly working for this new Christian station starting up called Reality Radio 101.1. She tells me how great that would be, because with her in Tuscaloosa, I'd only be 45 minutes away, not two hours, and how great it would be dating the DJ for a Christian radio station. Much like God led me to Christian drama through Chrissy, God finally sealed the deal with me for Birmingham through Amy.

My final time with Amy was unexpected. I was taking her to the beach for the day (Troy was only about 100 miles away from PCB) and that night, we were going to a party at Farmhouse, my fraternity. And we had agreed that we would slow dance for the first time during the band party. So we get to the beach, we have a great time, have lunch, walk, hang out and so forth. Make our way back that evening, get ready, go the party, but alas, the only slow song they played was "Sexual Healing", which I told Amy was not acceptable for two good people like us to dance to.

We left the party late, and I had made arrangements for her to stay at my apartment. Wookiee was already moved out (gone to Hazelhearst, GA), Mikey Brunson was gone (that's another story) and I was actually due to move out the next week. She was going to sleep in my room, I was going to sleep on the couch... perhaps not a perfect Christian arrangement, but we both agreed nothing below reproach was going to happen. We watched a movie, she passed out, she went to bed, I slept on the couch. The next morning, I made pancakes. I walked her out, she left. But something... something was different this morning. Something. I don't know what, but... something.

Whatever that something was, it was really something. I moved to Birmingham two weeks later. I didn't know a soul. I had hoped that Amy would come see me, if not as the girl I was dating, then just to give me some company... but she didn't return my calls. I guess we broke up by virtue of not talking anymore.I mean, I didn't understand it. After all we shared this summer, all the time we spent together, we were truly walking with God in our relationship--other than hand holding, that sleeping in separate rooms in the same apartment was the only thing that had even transpired between us.

And suddenly, here I was in Birmingham, a city I hated. Alone. No friends. Very little money. No church. No support. No Amy.

And in August 1998, for the first time in my life, I knew the feeling of having a heart that was broken into a million pieces.

Next: Act 2, Scene 3... "Tuesday's" Night

A Love Story in Three Acts: Act 2, Scene 1

Read:
Exposition
Act One

"A Chance Meeting"
By 1997, I'd been out with the girl who is now the current Huntsville ABC station executive producer, the chick who is cousin to former Miss America Heather Whitestone, and even more. I dated alot. Not bragging... like I said, some of it, I wish I could take back.

I did go out with a girl named Chrissy... I just went to her webpage... its sublime. I remember when she was learning Spanish. I was actually on the NYC mission trip--my first of three to come--where Chrissy & her husband met, so hey, I was there from the beginning. I heard they recently became parents--good for them!

Incidentally, Chrissy was also part of the streak I had going where when the relationship ended, the girl married the next guy she dated after me. Chrissy (married Drew, a fraternity brother) Heather Howell (married Nathan Carroll, another fraternity brother), Melanie Jackson (married Tim Spooner a year or two later) and so on. The common joke around my female friends was "Hey Dave, date me. I want to get married later." Yeah, thanks.

Sidebar: It was God working through Chrissy that not only taught me about the Christian Walk, but it was God working through Chrissy that taught me a love of Christian drama. It was that love that God used to lead me to Valleydale Church (an sbc fellowship) and God used to help encourage the drama talents of Andrea Brobst, Scott Latta, Jaci Gresham, The Fine Girls, The Kelley Girls, Garrett & Paige Cheney, The Long Twins, The Noland Sisters and even more. So in short, I throw it all back to Chrissy. You'll never know the impact you had.

1997 was a good spring. I had been selected to go onto the mission field in Montgomery, and work with the Montgomery Baptist Association--and get this... it was PAID mission work. My supervisor, Debbie, was even nice enough to let me have an evening off, because I had tickets to see "Les Miserables" in Atlanta (I took Chrissy...). It was fun work, playing with kids, helping a youth group in Millbrook and so on...

Well, one day in July of 1997, I'm sitting in my Wookiee's room, because he owned the only computer in the cramped place at Thomas Circle Apartments. I'm on AOL 2.0, using my screen name The Tan Guy, and basically goofing off, looking for conversation online. It's late in the evening, I'm not even sure where Chris is, but I find this chick online named Amy. Find out she's from Montgomery. We talked online for about five hours, into the early, early hours of the morning. I think Chris actually came home, and when I asked him if I should get off the computer, he just grunted, which is Wookeese for "I don't care what you do, but if you wake me after I pass out, I'll eat you". For whatever reason, Amy and I agreed to meet the next day at the Eastdale Mall for a movie.

Remember, this is 1997... AOL is very young, I'm in Troy, Montgomery is 40 miles away, and meeting someone from the internet is still a very, very geeky thing to do. But hey, I'm single, so why not? The next morning, I wake up with a headache--I get that when I am awake too late, then don't get up early enough. I have Amy's phone number, and am supposed to call her and confirm the time we're meeting. Part of me is holding my head, thinking "I'm calling and canceling... what am I doing? What if she's a schnauzer?" But, I call her, set a time and we agree to go see "George of the Jungle". I tell her what I'm wearing, she shares the same so we can spot each other. On the way to Monkeytown, I make my shallow plan to sit and wait for her at the mall, and if she walks in and I don't like what I see, I walk. No muss, no fuss. Better to stand up this chick I barely know then to have to fake nice.

I sit on a bench near the Eastdale Mall theater and wait for her to come. I see a few people that I'm glad I'm not meeting, I imagine I'd seen one or two that made me think "Oh, if this is her, my life rocks!!!" Finally, she came in. About 5'5, probably tipping the scales at 120, brown hair and a big smile. It was Amy Wible. And I liked her from the first moment I saw her. We shook hands, talked for a minute, then went into the theater. Movies are always risky first dates, because it forces silence. This can be a good thing, if the date is awkward, but it can be a bad thing if the conversation is going well.

The conversation went well, the movie went well and we walked out together, still sizing each other up. She had just graduated from high school, I was two months away from 22. She was headed to the U of Alabama in the fall, was playing flute in the Million Dollar Band, and was a Christian. After the movie, we hopped in her truck (!) and she took me over to a friend of her's to hang out a little while... and we did. We talked, laughed and had fun, and at the end of the evening, she brought me back. She asked me to call her again, I told her I would.

Turns out, Debbie (the supervisor) and Amy went to the same church... when she heard that I was going out with Amy, Debbie approved. She even said once "Oh, yes, you're the one Amy's been talking about. She really likes you." I got to go to church with Amy once, to hear her sing Nicole C. Mullen's "Redeemer", of which she did just a slam bang job.

The next month or so is a blur. We went out a couple of times, though it was hard to get to Montgomery to see her...by late July, she was up in Tuscaloosa. Once, I went to my friend Allyson's house, living in Alabaster, and cooked dinner. I took it to Tuscaloosa, and Amy and I had a picnic at a park, which was great. Another time, myself, Wookiee & Allyson went up to T'town to visit Amy and her roommate Kristi (who, if I remember correctly, had a crush on me...). I would send Amy little verses and cards for encouragement and such, just for fun.

She told me in a phone call that her new Blessid Union of Souls cd had broken, so the next time (which turned out to be the last time) I went to see her that summer, I came to save the day. Here I was with a new copy of the newest Blessid Union of Souls cd (remember that song about racism, "I Believe", or that goofy song "She likes me for me!" that namedrops Leonardo deCaprio? Yeah, thats them.)

But somewhere in the middle of August, when school started, Amy stopped returning my calls. Kristi didn't tell me much when I talked to her on the phone, other than "I'm sorry... I wish she'd get her head together..." kind of stuff. Found out Amy had a boyfriend, or so I heard. I shrugged it off, picked up my hurt feelings and moved on. I mean, it happens, right? You like someone, they sort of like you, then you find out they don't, it stings for a day, or maybe a week, but life goes on. And for me, it did.

Until May of 1998.

Next: A Love Story in Three Acts, Act 2, Scene 2