In offering my two pence to the Tumble 4 Ya Blogfest (for which we’re supposed to share our big crush of the 1980s), here goes…
Let me just say, I was a teenage bridesmaid in my sister’s wedding.
Not quite 16, but close enough (15).
And it was no longer the ’80s, but close enough (’91).
It was all close enough to the scenario I’d dreamed of since I was a little girl, when I was so certain I’d grow up to find true love in high school.
I’d always have a crush on an older, utterly inaccessible senior.
I’d always watch him when he wasn’t noticing in my shy, gawky, and dorky way in the hallways, stalking his locker and envying whatever girls he talked to.
I always believed that maybe, just maybe he was watching me, too, when I wasn’t looking.
So far, it was all going to plan so, so well.
You see, once my sister was married (“Married?” “Mellied! Geez…”), I was going to exit the church behind her and the rest of the bridal party yet strategically hesitate by myself in the doorway when, there in front of me, the cars would part to reveal only Him. Leaning against his lipstick-red sports car. Wearing that sweater vest.
And then I’d say, “Me?”
And then he’d say, “Yeah, you.”
And then Thompson Twins would fill the air…
*
*
Uh, yeah, that didn’t happen. But that didn’t mean I’d ever, ever stop crushing on my True ’80s Love…the one who’d completely warped my concept of romance and made me rue the day I’d ever watched a John Hughes movie. I speak of none other than… [drumroll]
* * * JAKE RYAN * * *
I hear these days that actor’s a carpenter, married with children. Ah, c’est la vie… I ended up moving on to marry a Ryan and have a beloved godson Jake, so I guess I got my “Jake Ryan” after all if I really want to grasp at that dream. 🙂
Sending a shout-out to Nicki Elson, Suze, and M.Pax for hosting this, like, totally rad blogfest – it’s been gnarly to the max!
So who did YOU tumble for in the 1980s?
*
The Fallen Monkey 
February 10th, 2012 at 19:30
Aww, so sweet to relive the scene…and so crazy that your real story matches it so well! Except that you had to wait a bit for your Ryan, but you got him. 😉 Oh! And you got to sit with him watching the Thompson Twins LIVE…and then your ’00s crush walked on stage…in feathers! Hey, I think your real life story’s even better.
Thank you so much for indulging me by joining the fest. One of the fellas (Aloha and hi from HI) picked Molly Ringwald & this makes a nice companion piece to it.
February 11th, 2012 at 02:35
Ha! I’ll have to check that guy’s blog out. And, yeah, seriously…RIDICULOUS how life imitated art. I’m glad, at least, that you weren’t high on painkillers at your wedding and kicking off your shoes! 🙂
February 10th, 2012 at 19:49
Jake Ryan was HOT!
February 11th, 2012 at 02:36
Cyber-high-five to you for that, Kelly! *sigh* He still makes me weak in the knees if I’m honest…
February 10th, 2012 at 19:53
I’m surprised more John Hughes movies didn’t come up in the blogfest. Very iconic 80’s, and such a classic scene.
February 11th, 2012 at 02:38
Yeah, really! I assumed my pick would be a dime a dozen. 🙂 Thanks so much for stopping by, Mary!
February 10th, 2012 at 19:58
Great story! I loved him but he was never my type. I do not know if it was 80s or technically 90s but I was a huge Christian Slater fan, Heathers style.
reeeow.
February 11th, 2012 at 02:14
“What’s your damage, Heather?”
I. Love. That. Movie. I have the DVD so we should have a movie night, girl!
February 10th, 2012 at 20:20
I think all of us ’80s brats still want the Thompson Twins to fill the air at some point …
February 11th, 2012 at 02:45
Ah yes, indeed, Suze… I’m in a “mix tape club” with a fellow ’80s brat for which we make each other CD compilations following a different theme each month (talk about waxing nostalgic for the ol’ Memorex cassettes), and a recent one was “Guilty Pleasures.” It was a no-brainer that Thompson Twins “If You Were Here” would head up my playlist, right along with some OMD and Go-Gos. 🙂
Thanks so much for stopping by, and brilliant work hosting the blogfest!
February 10th, 2012 at 20:31
Great choice. Great movie!
February 11th, 2012 at 02:46
Thanks for stopping by, Susan! I’m a sucker for that flick to this day. *sigh*
February 10th, 2012 at 22:58
For me – a 6th former called Anne – hmmmmmmmmmm oh I did love her. She talked to me once! fantastic
February 11th, 2012 at 02:16
She talked to you? The little hussie! I made a point of never talking to the boys I liked. Talking is no way to start a relationship. 😉
February 14th, 2012 at 09:01
yes, unfortunately I think she kept to the same rule 😦
February 11th, 2012 at 01:26
I’m surprised more John Hughes didn’t come up too. Awesome choice!
February 11th, 2012 at 02:49
I swear I blame John Hughes for keeping me single so many of my high school and college years – he made me love the unattainable. 🙂
Thanks for stopping by, Christine!
February 11th, 2012 at 08:55
Hahaha – look at you sending so many people swooning and commenting with that post! Love it!
Funnily enough, the movie doesn’t even ring a bell for me. Although I was not far behind you age-wise. Hm.
Anyway – after my first childhood crush Limahl I was mainly in love with Andre Agassi and his hair (felt SO CHEATED when reading his – by the way excellent – autobiography :D). Even dappled in early fan fiction because of him. Well well, once I am a famous author I can admit my early love to him at Ellen or another show … 🙂
February 14th, 2012 at 16:51
TOO funny, Eva! You must have been devastated when he cut all that hair off. 🙂 I can only imagine the fan fiction he inspired…
February 11th, 2012 at 11:47
Hey,
Thanks for the comments after checking my post 🙂 You have a new follower!
February 14th, 2012 at 16:47
Thank you so much as well, Mark – love your blog and am glad to have discovered it through this blogfest!
February 12th, 2012 at 04:20
One of my favorite movies. Thanks for updating us on Michael S.’s status as a carpenter and family man! That’s so funny you have a godson named Jake now. 😀
February 14th, 2012 at 16:46
Thanks, Jennifer! Hopefully I had my facts right about his current occupation…I forget where I heard that but those these days I can just Google it. 🙂
February 13th, 2012 at 01:59
Sixteen Candles was such a fun movie. I haven’t seen it in a while. I should watch it again.
February 14th, 2012 at 16:45
Thanks, Theresa! I know, writing this post made me really want to watch the movie—and swoon over Jake—again. 🙂
February 13th, 2012 at 03:49
I only just saw 16 CANDLES recently, last year sometime. I loved it! And I loved this blog post. There was one part of it, though, that alarmed me slightly – very un-PC by today’s standards of what’s okay for a teenaged guy to say about his girlfriend 😉
February 14th, 2012 at 16:43
Ha, yeah, I think the ’80s were pretty un-PC in general…especially when I think of some of things said in that movie about the foreign exchange student. 🙂