A Time Machine
For Christmas, my sister gave me a time machine that really works. When I opened my package from her, there it was; a DVD of the first season of "21 Jump Street".
For those who may not be in the know, this was one of Fox Televisions first shows. It launched the careers of Johnny Depp and Holly Robinson, as well as many others. The story line was basic-young looking police officers became part of an undercover unit placed in local high schools. The cops were actual students, at least until the crime was solved and the bad seeds kicked out of school. The recurrent theme was big hair, torn acid-washed jeans, and long earrings (all for both boys and girls).
When I started watching the DVD's, my first thought was "good grief, how cheesy was this?" But, I kept it on as I folded laundry, and pretty soon, found myself drawn in. The memories came flooding through, and off I went; back in time.
The year was 1988, and I was floundering, undecided about my future. College had become too confining, and at this point, it didn't have a purpose for me. I ended up working as a bartender and made several friends, also working in the bar and restaurant business, who were in the same boat that I was. We knew that our current career paths were temporary (we hoped) but none of us had any direction; we drifted together.
It happened that "Jump Street" came on Sunday night, our only consistent night off. Six or eight of us would congregate at my apartment, or at another friend's double-wide trailer. One of us would cook if the others contributed the food and drink. We always ate the cheap meals that would feed the masses; spaghetti, hamburger helper, sloppy Joes, and so on.
When it was time for Jump Street, we all piled on the couch or floor. It started with the organ music, then the buzzing neon 21 and we were glued-total silence except for commercials until it was over. Afterward, we would sit around and shoot the breeze for an hour or two while cleaning up, then gradually leave and go our separate ways. Week after week, we always connected at the same time, to do the same thing. This routine lasted amazingly long, particularly in the transitional world of bar and restaurant people; I really can't remember when it stopped. The feeling of camaraderie is still very strong when I think about that time. I can easily close my eyes and visualize heads on pillows or someone's feet draped over the side of a chair. I am not sure why this show held our interest; maybe because it was us, Generation X before the label.
I am sure that I could come up with some deep, philosophical conclusion for this entry. However, I just don't have time. I have to jack up my hair and put in the next DVD. My young adult self is waiting for me.
For those who may not be in the know, this was one of Fox Televisions first shows. It launched the careers of Johnny Depp and Holly Robinson, as well as many others. The story line was basic-young looking police officers became part of an undercover unit placed in local high schools. The cops were actual students, at least until the crime was solved and the bad seeds kicked out of school. The recurrent theme was big hair, torn acid-washed jeans, and long earrings (all for both boys and girls).
When I started watching the DVD's, my first thought was "good grief, how cheesy was this?" But, I kept it on as I folded laundry, and pretty soon, found myself drawn in. The memories came flooding through, and off I went; back in time.
The year was 1988, and I was floundering, undecided about my future. College had become too confining, and at this point, it didn't have a purpose for me. I ended up working as a bartender and made several friends, also working in the bar and restaurant business, who were in the same boat that I was. We knew that our current career paths were temporary (we hoped) but none of us had any direction; we drifted together.
It happened that "Jump Street" came on Sunday night, our only consistent night off. Six or eight of us would congregate at my apartment, or at another friend's double-wide trailer. One of us would cook if the others contributed the food and drink. We always ate the cheap meals that would feed the masses; spaghetti, hamburger helper, sloppy Joes, and so on.
When it was time for Jump Street, we all piled on the couch or floor. It started with the organ music, then the buzzing neon 21 and we were glued-total silence except for commercials until it was over. Afterward, we would sit around and shoot the breeze for an hour or two while cleaning up, then gradually leave and go our separate ways. Week after week, we always connected at the same time, to do the same thing. This routine lasted amazingly long, particularly in the transitional world of bar and restaurant people; I really can't remember when it stopped. The feeling of camaraderie is still very strong when I think about that time. I can easily close my eyes and visualize heads on pillows or someone's feet draped over the side of a chair. I am not sure why this show held our interest; maybe because it was us, Generation X before the label.
I am sure that I could come up with some deep, philosophical conclusion for this entry. However, I just don't have time. I have to jack up my hair and put in the next DVD. My young adult self is waiting for me.
posted by CityWords at 12/30/2005 01:18:00 AM
1 Comments:
Ah,I remember those days well.The bad clothes and even worse hair. The feeling that a week lasted a year and a year lasted a lifetime. But we had FUN in the 80's didn't we?
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