The weather has been pretty crappy but, fortunately, I've been loaded up with shows on my DVR and watched a few movies over the weekend, including Sixteen Candles with Molly Ringwold. Looking back, I remember how popular she was... and how I loved her movies. It brought back a lot of memories of the mid-eighties... a time when life was a lot more simpler, although filled with teenage angst, I doubt I thought that at the time. Even back then, I remember how I was starting to feel things for guys and Jake Ryan, the object of Samantha's obsession in the movie, was the epitome of everything that I wished I could be... handsome... great hair... body hair... great matching sweaters... money... a great car... a girlfriend with perfectly-feathered hair... he had it all.. and he turned out to be emotional... which was a huge turn-on for me.
I had two girl obsessions in high school... one was Cindi Phillips, daughter in a rich construction company family.... and Kim Maloney. Both had snow-white blonde hair, feathered much like that of Princess Diana's. At one point, my friend Julie moved next door to Cindi's house and I can remember how excited I was to maybe catch a glimpse of her, perhaps in her back yard washing the car... you know, one of those moments where it seems like the whole thing is in slow motion. Her perfectly-feathered hair bouncing (yet somehow holding it's form) and her yellow terry cloth shorts with the white piping and matching tube socks, beconing to a young freshman like myself.
Everyone in the Phillips family looked like they were carved out of cream cheese... they were so perfect and beautiful... especially Cindi's brother, Jake. Jake Phillips (I loved just hearing the name) was, of course, a football star... tanned, toned and definitely the most popular guy in the school... and that's where I remember the confusion coming in. Even then, I remember falling in 'love' with him on the back of falling in love with Cindi. Did I really love Cindi... or was she the gateway to my real love... Jake?
In such a troubled time for me trying to figure out what was going on in my mind and underpants, I knew, even then, that it was love that I wanted. I never had lustful thoughts about Jake... either one, really. With Jake, in the movie... the moment outside of the church where Samantha comes out and the cars in the street clear and there's Jake, leaning up against his red Porche... I knew then that I wanted and needed a prince in shining armor to rescue me. It gave me hope that even scrawny little kids like myself could have a chance to be swept away. Now, in my mid-forties, I know that it's probably never going to happen... that guys like that aren't out there any more... and wanting that lifestyle or a red Porche is the farthest thing from my mind. It's funny how we change.
I'm still waiting for my Jake.
He's gonna come :D I'm gonna have to watch these Molly Ringwald movies, the only one I saw was the Breakfast Club..
ReplyDeleteI'd still happily hop in that Porsche with him if he stopped by my place. We could drive over to inspiration point. LOL
ReplyDeleteI look back on my school boys crushes with great fondness, although it was confusing back then, in retrospect, everything seemed so simple and full of hope.
ReplyDeleteSo your post really got to me……Jake Ryan was my TOTAL crush growing up. I think the premise of that movie – that even the guys and girls that felt so awkward in their own skin could turn out to “get the guy (or girl)” was what sold us all on it. I think it was around the time of that movie that Jake Phillips (yes, THAT Jake Phillips) asked me out on a date. I’ll never forget him asking me, a dorky little Freshman, out on my first “real” date. We went to see Flashdance at Showcase Cinemas. I can remember sitting in the movie theater hearing my own heart beating and wondering if he could hear it too. And then we got back to my house and sat on the couch together – my parents went upstairs and we were left alone……..and he planted the first real kiss I’d ever gotten on my lips………and proceeded to LICK MY ENTIRE FACE. I literally looked like I had been attacked by a St. Bernard that had just come from the well – I think my hair was even wet. I was stunned. Thinking this was normal, I didn’t see what all the fuss was about. I thought I was supposed to feel wonderful, but really, all I wanted was a towel. Even so, I had been licked by the most popular upperclassman in the school. I was floating on a cloud. I got Cindy (his sister) to get me his senior picture, which I carried proudly in my wallet, even though he never spoke to me again. Seriously. Licked and left behind. Sigh. You weren’t missing much.
ReplyDelete