ahream

I’m sitting in coach on a very bumpy flight between Memphis and Los Angeles, and a New Kid on the Block just walked past me down the aisle.

New Kids on the Block as in ’80s boy band phenomena. I cut this guy’s face out of Teen Beat magazine, wore it on t-shirts, plastered my bedroom walls with it. I had all the albums including the Christmas one. I thought he was dreamy. Now he’s flying coach and is on his way to the telephone booth-sized bathroom to take a whiz into the water-less toilet.

Reality has intruded on my childhood fan crush.

He’s still wearing the de rigeur ’80s boy band black hat, and if he offered to buy you a drink in the airport lounge, you’d probably make up a story involving lesbianism, a father in the mob and preparing for the nunnery. He’s also short.

Okay, okay. I’m sure he’s very nice.* Probably sends orphans to summer camp and adopts three-legged, snaggle-tooth puppies. But I’ve got a four hour, over-booked flight in front of me. The guy on my right smells like bar-b-qued pork. The guy on my left is forcing his seat-mate to watch pyramid scheme recruiting videos on his laptop, and all I have to get through it is a pack of Fig Newtons and half a bottle of flat Diet Dr Pepper. There’s only so much a girl can take.

Take away my free peanuts, my leg room, my disposable pillow if you must. But for the love of God, leave my childhood fantasies alone.

*Update: I just had to ask him to move so I could get to the luggage carousel, and he IS very nice.

ahream Dispatches from the City of Angels I'm a mystery writer living in and writing about Los Angeles. You can catch my short story, "Running Venice," in the new anthology LAndmarked for Murder. Look for it in bookstores and on Amazon.com now. In the meantime, feel free to poke around. Over at my website you can find even more blog entries than I could fit here, as well as a few other ramblings. Enjoy and come back often.
:: JOURNAL HOME :: SUBSCRIBE TO THIS JOURNAL :: WWW.AHREAM.COM :: FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER :: PHOTOS :: MYSPACE :: EMAIL ::
Previous Entry :: Next Entry Read/Post Comments (4) Most Recent Twitters: A 3-foot long alligator was found walking down the middle of the street in Venice Beach this morning. I love L.A. In case you were wondering, it is very difficult to get a hummingbird out of your house. They are irrational and prone to hysterics. L.A. Finds: The Nickel Diner on Main between 5th and 6th is a made-to-look-old, throwback of a place that melds into the old downtown and is, at the same time, part of the renaissance. They serve their burgers medium, their soda in bottles and offer all they can to locals in need. Flickr Updates: The second Thursday of every month is the Downtown Art Walk. The galleries stay open late, the restaurants are packed, bands perform on the streets. God, I love L.A. What I'm Reading: Attack of the Unsinkable Rubber Ducks by Christopher Brookmyre What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami Want E-Mail Updates? Click here, type your e-mail address into the first field (for public entries) and receive an e-mail note each time a new blog post goes up. (Photo updates, Twitters and "L.A. Finds" features not included. Those you have to swing by and check yourself.) Absolutely, positively no spam. Promise. Other author blogs: Sue Ann Jaffarian Eric Stone Christa Faust Lipstick Chronicles		2007-04-17 8:27 AM Old Guy on the Block I’m sitting in coach on a very bumpy flight between Memphis and Los Angeles, and a New Kid on the Block just walked past me down the aisle. New Kids on the Block as in ’80s boy band phenomena. I cut this guy’s face out of Teen Beat magazine, wore it on t-shirts, plastered my bedroom walls with it. I had all the albums including the Christmas one. I thought he was dreamy. Now he’s flying coach and is on his way to the telephone booth-sized bathroom to take a whiz into the water-less toilet. Reality has intruded on my childhood fan crush. He’s still wearing the de rigeur ’80s boy band black hat, and if he offered to buy you a drink in the airport lounge, you’d probably make up a story involving lesbianism, a father in the mob and preparing for the nunnery. He’s also short. Okay, okay. I’m sure he’s very nice.* Probably sends orphans to summer camp and adopts three-legged, snaggle-tooth puppies. But I’ve got a four hour, over-booked flight in front of me. The guy on my right smells like bar-b-qued pork. The guy on my left is forcing his seat-mate to watch pyramid scheme recruiting videos on his laptop, and all I have to get through it is a pack of Fig Newtons and half a bottle of flat Diet Dr Pepper. There’s only so much a girl can take. Take away my free peanuts, my leg room, my disposable pillow if you must. But for the love of God, leave my childhood fantasies alone. *Update: I just had to ask him to move so I could get to the luggage carousel, and he IS very nice. Read/Post Comments (4) Previous Entry :: Next Entry Back to Top