Twas Brillig

Oh, goodness. Today’s Flashback Friday is slightly different in nature. Inspired by Fluffy, though it really has nothing to do with her.

You see, this morning I told the kids that they could watch a movie. So they started going through the video selection, and Fluffy pulled out… NEWSIES.

And suddenly the memories came a-flooding. Because, see, I was 14 when Newsies came out. And like ANY 14-year-old worth her salt, I saw Newsies FIFTEEN times in the theater. (This is not an exaggeration. I really saw it fifteen times in the theater. And I was not a wealthy kid by any means. I just set my priorities. And Newsies was a priority.)

And no, gentle readers, it wasn’t for the story line.

I knew every moment, every look, every sigh, every smile. I knew him so well. I read everything I could find, I knew all sorts of random personal details about him (I STILL think of him on his birthday. HAHAHAHAHA.) Dear Christian Bale. Dear, dear Christian Bale.

I even signed my name with his last name. A lot. My journal is FULL of Brillig Bale. Sigh. Swoon.

Perhaps the funniest part of these memories is that Matt was always with me when I went to Newsies. Always. He, uh, wasn’t “out of the closet” yet, so I didn’t get it. I just thought he really liked to be with me. And so he would therefore sacrifice himself and go to Newsies with me.

(Years later, after the closet-exit, I looked at Matt and said, “Holy Crap. I totally get why you used to go to Newsies with me.” We both died laughing. How it took me so long to realize that whole GAY thing, I’ll never know. But that’s a whole nother story…)

And now I’m 28. And I can’t exactly say that I’m “over” Mr. Bale…

Fluffy started watching Newsies today, but she didn’t really like it much. Give her a few years and then she’ll like it. Oh yes, she will like it very very much. And then I will very likely sit down and watch it with her and we will both swoon incessantly.