I was cleaning out a closet over the weekend and found an envelope full of old photos of my high school friends. The pictures gave me a good laugh. Many of them featured one of my favorite people: that guy in the group who loved to make everyone laugh with his crazy antics. (Unfortunately, his antics sometimes went a little too far over the line…)
I don’t want him to google himself and find that I’m telling all of his old secrets, and frankly I’d be nervous if he were to contact me because I don’t know what ever really became of him; for that reason, I’ll refer to him as Luke. He was a crazy one, that Luke. Back in high school, he was the master at playing hooky. Once he convinced his parents that he was really sick and had to stay home and in bed, but he actually “borrowed” his best friend Cameron’s dad’s red Ferrari and spent a madcap day in the city with Cam and his then-girlfriend. He ended up getting caught and had to serve a Saturday detention with four others. They wiled away the hours by arguing, reflecting, running through the halls…and I think there was even some pot-induced dancing. I heard that they were all seemingly very different in character and interests on the outside but they somehow realized during the course of the day that they each possessed certain traits of all the others.
Luke’s mom fell upon some hard times and they had to move to a small town for senior year. It really bummed me out. Him too: nobody in that town was even allowed to dance! Can you imagine??? They were totally upset over a fatal car accident that happened years before, after drinking and dancing had taken place. Anyway, Luke, after immersing himself in the community, gave a passionate speech at a city council meeting during which he read from Ecclesiastes, pounding his fist on the podium, exclaiming that there is indeed a time to dance! This speech finally made the town pastor, who was the very person who convinced the town that dancing (as well as books like “Slaughterhouse Five”) should be outlawed, reconsider his beliefs. Luke had to teach his new best buddy how to dance, and let’s just say it was not a pretty sight. Finally, they resorted to an activity they were both good at:
Later that week after a massive Senior Class clean-up of a warehouse just over the city border, Luke, his rhythm-challenged best buddy, and their girlfriends (one of whom looked eerily like Sarah Jessica Parker), danced their troubles away at the town’s first prom in years. Here are the guys at the after-party:
Unfortunately, it went a little downhill from there. I heard that Luke, not wanting to rely on his mom to pay for his college education, took his mad dance skillz to college, where he worked as a welder by day and an exotic dancer by night. He worked–he DANCED–at the Cat Scratch Club. He allegedly got into some other trouble that I won’t detail here, but was saved in the end by love. It only took about 525,600 minutes.
After college, Luke and a few of his buddies went on a roadtrip–I heard something about they wanted to have a last-hurrah before the draft–and they went to “dig up Dom”. Weird: I don’t think they knew there hadn’t been a draft in years. I think he ended up in Mexico or something.
After that, I lost track of Luke. Sad. Things were looking up for him; I only hope he kept himself on the straight-and-narrow. I hope he’s got a family. I hope he’s still dancing. Hey, maybe he’s even got a blog?
P.S. Nukedad: You’ve just been Blunked! (and yes, I just *made up* that word and it was accepted at Urban Dictionary! Do me a favor: go to my definition of “blunked” and give it a thumbs up, would ya? okthxbai)
P.S.S. The above story was completely false (Especially the part about my cleaning out my closet: are you kidding me? That’s not a one-day job), and borrowed from the following movies: “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”, “The Breakfast Club”, “Footloose”, “Flashdance”, “Rent” and “Fandango”.
P.S.S.S. A couple of other bloggers are participating in today’s Blunking of Nukedad, which was all his sister’s idea. (Thanks for the photos, NukeSis!) Go here and here and here to check them out!
31 Comments
Momo Fali
Luke sounds a lot like Kevin Bacon…er, Matthew Broderick…
I can’t believe you photoshopped me out of that first picture.
Joeprah
Looks like a young Bill Clinton in the first pic. LOL!
Melisa with one S
Momo: I know, sorry about that.
Joeprah: Oh, he’ll LOVE that. Thanks! 🙂
WeaselMomma
My first comment didn’t go through?
Here it is again,
Fantabulous!
Oscar
Pretty funny this group Blunk!
Tom
Hilarious! The visuals of NukeDad dancing like Kevin Bacon are cracking me up.
House of Jules
Besides the movie references, I knew this story wasn’t actually about one of your high school friends b/c I see BEER in the photos, and PEOPLE DRINKING BEER. 😉 Nice blunking!
Mags
Ha ha ha! At first I was like, “This sounds like the movie!” and then I was like, “Ohhhh…she’s so silly!”
OK I didn’t really say it like that, but this is a great post!
Katie
LOL, I started reading the first part of this entry and was like “dude… that’s totally Ferris Bueller’s Day Off…”
OhCaptain
I was really hoping you’d tell the story of the kids that went with their mother to live with the grandfather only to find the town they move to was infested with vampires. I love that story.
Well Done!
♫ Spasm ♫
love those ‘old’ pix
BusyDad
Nukedad looked like he could be one of the Cobra Kai guys (since we’re on the subject of 80s flicks and all). Sweep the leg, Nukie! No mercy!
surprised mom
Fantastically funny! Kudos for the four of you pulling off the group blunk. Have you heard from NukeDad yet? Wonder if he’ll make NukeSis hand over all his old photos?
Mr Lady
Blunked.
You’re f’ing awesome.
Melisa with one S
Weaselmomma: Likewise, I’m sure!
Oscar: Thank you!
Tom: Me too! I wonder if he ever danced in a room full of bad cabinetry? 🙂
Julesie: Luckily you’re the only one who knows that I always waited for the invite to those parties and so I never went. Uh, I guess everyone knows now.
Mags: I like the “Oh, she’s so silly.” 🙂
Katie: Good! That’s the effect I wanted.
OhCaptain: I could only handle so many. I was trying to fit “Losin’ It” and “Grease 2” in there somehow, but I figured Less is More. 🙂
Spasm: I know! I hope he “loves” that we posted them. haha
BusyDad: TOTALLY!!!
Surprised Mom: No, not yet. He’s late to the party. I have confidence he’ll show up at some point today.
Mr. Lady: Thanks. I know. I was just as impressed with myself as you are. hahahaha
The Microblogologist
Hehehe, this is great, can’t wait to read his replies and then his revenge!
Colleen - Mommy Always Wins
How totally cute was THAT post? Loved the “guess what movie I’m talkin’ bout” game!!!
Melisa with one S
Microblogologist: Uh, revenge. Yeah…I didn’t think about that. Meh, Nukedad likes me more than the other three anyway; I should be fine. (KIDDING, Momo/WM/Tom!) (But not really)
Colleen: Totally cute! 🙂
Otter Thomas
Nice work adding the movie references, Ferris Buehler especially.
Mayberry
FUN idea and excellently executed!
NukeDad
First off: congratulations on the Urban Dictionary entry. I would vote for you, but I’m boycotting them since I was the first to submit “Phelped”; as in getting your butt whooped like Michael Phelps whooped everybody in swimming, and they totally ignored my entry. Jerks.
Second: Revenge is a dish best served ice cold in a box that arrives via the US Postal Service. Be ready.
Third: Which sister? I’ve got 3. Right now they’re all on the naughty list, I’d like to narrow it by 2 before bedtime.
Fourth: You earn extra “I’m in trouble” points for allowing Joeprah’s Bill Clinton comment to post un-edited. I may need therapy now.
Fifth: At least you referenced my all-time favorite movie, “Fandango”; for that I will take back the “I’m in trouble” points I assessed you in point # 4.
Sixth: Thank you for allowing be to be the first subject EVER for a “Blunking”! I think you may have started a viral campaign here that will circle the globe before years end. Then we can all say; “And I knew Melisa with one “S” when it all started.” Bravo Melisa, Bravo. You truly are a trendsetter.
Mr. Man
As I mentioned earlier, you soooo got me (even though you tried to warn me with a DM). I reading and thinking to myself, “This oddly sounds like some movie(s) I’ve seen”. I got “blunked” by 7am. Awesome.
Melisa with one S
Otter: Thanks, Ferris was indeed the most universally recognizable, I think!
Mayberry: thank you!!
NukeDad: I know you just wanted to “make an entrance”. Thanks (not) for keeping me waiting practically all day. The Bill Clinton thing? That made me really, really happy. But that shouldn’t surprise you.
And you’re welcome! Do you want my autograph before I start charging for it?
And by the way, make sure you bookmark my blog address: I wouldn’t want you to forget it, on account of the fact you were once kicked in the head by a mule. Sorry Ohio State didn’t work out…
Melisa with one S
Mr. Man: Thanks for stopping by! YOU might be next! ha ha
melissa
i’m reading it, and at first i believed it…kinda. except that i saw this picture somewhere else a few minutes ago…
then…
the stories were sounding way too john hughes film-like…
and footloose, and flashdance and…
RENT!!!
hilarious.
Mocha Dad
Now I need to Blunk someone.
Sue
Clever, Melisa. If only you could have fit in High School Musical…..
Michelle
What, he didn’t get married and have a boy and a girl and get a big ol’ station wagon and take a trip out to Wally World which turned out to actually be CLOSED after they finally finished the disaster of a trip? No?
Movie Maven
LOL!! Very creative
Melisa with one S
Melissa: You might have been the only one to recognize Rent; I’m not sure! It was a little obscure but I tossed it in there anyway…
Mocha Dad: Go for it!
Sue: Ahem, I have boys who aren’t big on Disney OR musicals. I have never seen High School Musical!
Michelle: WHERE WERE YOU when I was writing this??? That is brilliant! (But you know that: ha ha)
MM: Thank you! 🙂
Sue
OMG! You have never seen High School Musical? I am bringing all 3 with me and tying you down and making you watch them!
(Secretly… I really do like them! Yup, just call me sappy.)