Wednesday, November 07, 2007

A Trek Ploy, circa September 1990

Steve posted a story about one of our high school friends, who happened to show up in a comment chain over on Fourth Row Center. The comment chain is very funny, and shows the power of Google as they are talking about Martha M. and who shows up? Martha!

Perfectly Brilliant. You have to love this stuff.

But on to my Star Trek Ploy Story.

Steve describes himself as a Star Trek Fan, not a fanatic, but more loyal than most. I describe myself as a Closet Trek Fan. I discovered this when I met some real Trek Fans. In September of 1990, I scored a pair of tickets to a Star Trek Marathon. The only hitch is that the movies were showing in Atlanta (approximately four hours from Columbia). James, my room mate at the time, and I had previously driven out to Augusta, Georgia to catch a couple of flix, but this ploy was going to involve some real mileage.

Once there, we realized that we were both under dressed.

Not to be dissuaded, we made our way to the fourth row, center seats. Upon settling in, we were asked, by a Trekkie sitting behind us, to move. He did not want his view of the bottom edge of the screen obscured. Not all Trek Fans are nice. Jay told him, in kind words, to bugger off.

During Spock's burial scene, a lady sitting next to me began sobbing. By sobbing, I mean big, wet, heavy, snotty sobbing, as if she had really lost someone in her family. Jay and I are overcome with the giggles, and the more we tried to suppress them , the worse they became. I tried to comfort her with the words "He'll be back in two hours," but she was inconsolable.

This marathon was held shortly after Roddenberry died and had been scheduled in preparation of Trek's 25th Anniversary. The highlight of the night was a sneak peak at Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country coming out in December. The low point was gutting it through Star Trek V. Looking back on it, we should have planned to spend the night in Atlanta, but we didn't. It was a long drive back to Columbia, a long day, and a successful ploy.

I had come to realize that I was not quite the Star Trek Fan that I thought I was, but merely a Closet Trekkie.




9 comments:

George said...

Good story. I've never been a "Trekkie", but I loved TNG (referred to as "Trekkers"). If you ever want to go to a TNG Marathon (or get together and watch all the episodes I recorded to VHS...and sadly I DO mean all of them) give me a call.

Rick said...

It's good to see you and George come out of the closet. So to speak. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Steve said...

I loved that, "He'll be back in two hours." That's funny stuff.

I still remember coming home from school for Thanksgiving in 1986 and going to see an early morning show of Star Trek 4. We were woefully underdressed for that one too as I recall.

I watched Robocop the other night. Everytime I see Peter Weller now I think of Buckaroo Banzai. "John Ya-ya, John Smallberries, John Bigbooty. They're all named 'John.'"

Chuck said...

Buckaroo is full of great quotes. One of my favorites is where the Vice President pulls out a "Declaration of War - The Short Form."

Chuck said...

Star Trek 4 at the Original Dutch Square Theaters. As I recall, they had donuts.

Steve said...

I remember it well. Only thing missing were the rubber Vulcan ears. #4 was my second favorite of the 6 original series movies.

Chuck said...

Trek IV and V played during my tenure at General Cinema. IV was by far better. But, real men prefer II. KHAAAAANNNN!

The TNG Flicks never rose above a good episode. But, hey, they had Patrick Stewart. 'Nuff said.

James said...

Wow, Charles, you have quite the memory. I had forgotten about the sobbing lady next to you. She was rather offended that we were giggling as Spock was dying up on screen.

- "I have been..."
- (boo-hoo)
- (snicker, snicker)
- "...and always shall be..."
- (giggle, giggle)
- "...your friend."
- (morose sobbing)
- (ha-ha-ha!)

Chuck said...

We have done many ploys in the past, my friend, but the ST 25th Movie Marathon ranks up there at number one.

Incidentally, the second favorite also involved a long distance Trek caper, a famous actor, and the inability to get a free birthday breakfast at Denny's.