Fanboy
Genesis
Submitted by George Hill
3/30/99
For me, I was living a nice normal healthy life - got married and fathered some sons, hopping jobs once in awhile... graduated... bought a house... You know "normal." Then one day it hit me. Outta the blue - and struck me upside my head the same way a pillow doesn't. I was checking some books out of the library for my now 5 year old... minding my own business...
Then I saw it.
A book. Not uncommon in a library, and not in and of itself suprising. But THIS book was.
"I, JEDI" As soon as I saw it I knew my wallet was in trouble. I read the jacket and confirmed my misgivings. I had to find a Barnes & Noble ASAP. I rushed my boy out of the library and we went straight to the book store. This book was a keeper and not one to return!
The book threw me back into a place I had all but forgotten. Don't get me wrong - I have always cherished Star Wars... It was always my favorite movie (meaning all 3 there). But all the sudden I was IN STAR WARS! I was in the story and taking part is if living it. The entire book was read inside 5 hours and was then reread slowly over the course of a week.
When I put the book down... things were different for me. I went shooting at my favorite range, and wished my .40 HK was a DL-44 Blaster Pistol. My targets where white clad Storm Troopers. While driving home, my car suddenly turned into a Speeder, my Toshiba Notebook on the seat became a small Astromech Droid. My Benchmade AFCK pocket knife was now a Lightsaber. That night while looking up into the darkening sky the words echoed in my ear "That's no moon" and suddenly I longed to see the stars streak as I jumped into hyperspace. And for awhile I lived in the Star Wars universe.
The feeling has faded some what - and just like some crackhead junkie, I'm tying to find a fix and get that magic Jedi feeling back. I have read other books - all the X-wing series and others. I have a small Star Wars population on my desk at work - R2 (the one that saved me from a traffic ticket), Darth and Obi-wan in a lightsaber duel, an Episode 1 battle droid on his angry pogo stick, and an X-wing. Not a lot of stuff - but it's all on top of my minitower case, and looks quite crowded. I have wandered the toy isles of local 'Marts hunting for a really cool Star Wars THING that will give me my fix.
Star Trek fans have it easy. There is always plenty of Star Trek stuff out there - and plenty of shows on TV as well (4 series, dozens of movies). Trek fans have it on a silver platter! Star Wars fans are special, we remain after 20 years of waiting! Okay just over 15 since Return of the Jedi - but the first one was out back in 1977! I don't remember much from back then, but I do remember seeing "A New Hope" for the first time. I have no idea of the first time I saw the 1st Trek film, or any of the others.
That's one of the defining qualities here - the lasting value, like a diamond. It is rare and beautiful, no matter how small. Or how little of it we get.
It is about time Lucas made another movie! Hollywood has pumped out so much garbage we don't want (who wanted "Chucky 4"?) Hollywood OWES us! We have been faithful! We have waited long enough.
I am going to be cranky because I won't get that fix I am craving until the release of the new movie. I have been watching the trailers - Trailer A, Trailer B, the South Park trailer... it ain't enough. I have to be bathed in it. I need a full blown Stargasm here. And it is coming - slowly - like a 15 year wait for Christmas .
May 19th. Untill then, leave me alone - I have a headache.
(George Hill, Jedi Knight.
Age 29. Married to a lovely young dancer. 4 boys under the age of 6 And was only able to
bestow one of them with a Star Wars name. Works in computers now after spending time in
Military (Light Infantry), Law Enforcement and Fugitive Recovery. Has the day of the
Episode One opening off from work. (Cause the Bosses wouldn't dare say no.)