Suddenly, tonight, I was reminded of a guy from High School-who was an incredible fan of Star Wars. His name was Justin, and we happened to attend the same college. Our Freshman and Sophmore years in college, we happened to take the same class, History and Appreciation of Film, and Contemporary Film. We hadn't been close in High School-though we had gone to the same church, and had even been in youth group together and the same Confirmation class. But in college, in these two film classes, we became friends. Justin was a huge fan of Star Wars, and he loved the Bounty Hunters. I remember when I worked at "We're Entertainment" and we sold miscellaneous Star Wars stuff-he came in one day and bought a mouse pad with the bounty hunters on it.
But-I digress-halfway through the semester of the second (Contemporary Film) class, James Earl Jones came to my University to speak. Well I was thrilled, and got my ticket right away. I had to skip my film class because he was speaking the same night as my class. I forget why, but Justin wasn't able to come. Well, it was incredibly interesting to listen to James Earl Jones speak, and it amazed me to learn that as a child he had a terrible stutter. It's amazing since he's one of the best known voices. Well, at the end of the night, he said the line..."I am your father". It was great!
Well, the next week in class I shared all this with Justin. Now, let me try to explain Justin. It's hard to know what I really mean, unless you knew him, but he was one of those people who was always easygoing, and had a very easy, and at times sarcastic, sense of humor. It was hard to make him laugh, but he easily made you laugh. Well, I was impressed with myself when one night in class, something I said actually made Justin laugh out loud. I wish I could remember what was said-but, alas, it's been about 8 years, and my memory is not the greatest.
Well, after that semester of school-we no longer had any classes together and that summer, Justin was killed in a car accident.
I didn't know how to handle that. I visited his grave a few times, and left him my pewter Darth Vader keychain. There were already several action figures at his grave, a Boba Fett, and some others. Like I had said, he was a huge Star Wars fan.
I wonder what his opinion would have been of the prequels. He was killed the summer of 1998, so he barely lived to see the Special Editions released, and probably had just started to hear about, and become interested in Episode I.
It makes me think, sometimes. What is the point of spending my money on "things" when none of my "things" can go with me when I die? I know it's morbid and depressing, but I get these thoughts sometimes.
Again, I don't know why, but tonight, I was reminded of Justin. I KNOW he would have been impressed with Revenge of the Sith; the other two, I'm not sure about.
But, maybe he has "seen" them all. Who knows really?