The Empire Strikes Back...and So does Mark

The spring of 1980 found me back in school of in all places Annawan. We had moved to the small town of Atkinson for about 18 months. While there Dad began to build what would one become the Good Shepard Foundation. I began to become increasingly bitter about moving all the time. Atkinson was now the 6th school I intended. I was only in 7th grade.
Then just as I began to settle in my Dad told me we were once again moving. Only this time we were moving BACK to a town I had already gone to. And we weren't moving In the town but rather a mile or so outside. Dad had gotten us a job at a private park called the 40&8. We would be the caretakers of the place. Dad would still be an Alcohol and Drug Counselor, but Mom and the rest of the kids would run the park.
For once moving wasn't a bad thing. I finished out 8th grade in Annawan, and soon experienced my first summer at the park. Even before it was over I was hooked. I wanted to live there forever.
So in 1980 when my second summer rolled around I was more than ready. There's something about having girls swimming in your backyard that makes a teenage boy appreciate what life has given him.
I was also very excited about the Star Wars sequel coming out. I had bought the book already and read it. All my friends in Annawan were pretty excited about it too.
When Dad took me and my friend Eric to see it I was blown away. It was the perfect movie for me at the time. It was a little dark and the good guys just wanted to survive the movie. When it was over I was upset that I would have to wait another three years for the conclusion.
As my Dad drove Eric and I back to the park he made a comment that forever sealed his reputation as a mean dude.
"I don't see why everyone thinks Darth Vader is such a bad a guy. I mean he's only doing his job."
"Huh?" was all Eric could say.
"Honestly some people are given tough jobs and they just have to do it. I like the fact he wasn't whining all the time about it. We could have used more people like him when I was in the Marines."
Eric looked at me and muttered, "Man your Dad actually admires Darth Vader?"
"Yeah. I think they are kinderd spirits." Dad's attitude didn't surprise me in the least.
Eric was so weirded out he asked if Dad could drop him off in Annawan. So Dad left me at the park while he drove Eric home. I walked into the Park office and saw my Mom talking to some guy about renting canoes. The guy had a son about my age. He looked pretty bored so I motioned to him to go outside. We ended up on the front steps. I of course had to brag that I had just seen The Empire Strikes Back. He was of course impressed.
We had talked for a few moments when it became clear that we knew each other.
In point of fact it became clear that we were once friends.
"Mark?", I asked.
mark Morrell, my once and future best friend looked at me and said, "Tom? How long have you lived here?"
"For about a year or so. I used to live in Atkinson. Didn't George tell you?" George was our common best friend.
"No he didn't say anything." (When reached for comment as to why he didn't tell Mark where I lived his reply was a terse ,"You didn't ask.")
Shortly it seemed like Mark and I had never been apart. Soon he was coming out with George to spend the night or go camping. It's been over 24 years since then and he's still my best friend.
So once again seeing a Star Wars movie led to only good things in my life. Once again it gave me only happy memories.
Of course if I had known what Star Wars would one day bring me I would have went running straight over the hills, screaming into the woods when Dad asked me if I wanted to go and see the movie.