May The 4th Be With You…

  I didn’t know how much I lost touch with the Star Wars culture until my daughter called this morning and asked what I was doing today. “Spring cleaning I suppose,” I said.

“Mom!” she said, “It’s May the Fourth,  Star Wars Day. You know?”

I did not know about this ‘Star Wars Day’.  I DO know more about Star Wars than she does, but I don’t tell her that because it’s not her fault she was born in the 80’s and missed Episodes 4 – 6. Her generation was given the back-fill trilogy episodes (1 -3). Poor things! Personally, I was not impressed with the “new” trilogy. Too much special effect crap, in my opinion.

And no Mark Hamill.

Not a big fan of futuristic outer-space stories, I probably would never have watched the 1st movie (1977), if someone other than Mark Hamill had been cast as Luke Skywalker. I had fallen in love with him way before then, seeing him guest star in episodes of  “The Streets of San Francisco“, “Medical Center“, to name a couple.

I was thrilled when he landed a comedy series, “The Texas Wheelers” (1974).  I could see him EVERY WEEK! After the 8th episode, the show got canceled.  I was devastated. How would I be able to see him now?

When the hoopla began about the new film I was not interested. Then, I saw a poster with – why that. looks. like… OMG – it is him! Sure enough, his name was listed among the main actors in the film.

For the price of a movie theater ticket, I could lust gaze at him on the Big Screen. For hours.

Sigh.

In August of 1977 I  moved into a college dorm. The first thing I unpacked was my Star Wars poster.  Everyday, as I left or entered that room, I would kiss my finger and touch Luke Skywalker’s face. For good luck or The Force, I don’t remember.

I heard that Episode XII is now being made. With the original cast.  What can George Lucas be thinking?  I mean, the Emperor is gone, Luke and Leia are brother and sister, and their dad used to be Darth Vader but now hangs with the good guys, Obi-Wan and Yoda.

What happens now? Do our heroes check into Senior Citizens housing? Han Solo and Leia marry? Chewy gets a bachelor pad, and is quite popular with the ladies?

And dear, sweet, Luke. What is to become of him?  That question will get my butt to the theater to find out.

And finally,  I wanted to share this clever iMessage conversation.  LOL.

May the 4th be with you always!

J