At the tender age of three I discovered love. Daydreams of holding hands, getting flowers, playing tag was about as far as it went. After all, I was only three. However, there was someone who made my tiny heart go pitter-pat.
He was tall, dark, and handsome - and he had pointed ears.
His name was Mr. Spock and he was the science officer aboard the USS Enterprise.
To me Spock was so much cuter, so much cooler then Captain Kirk. I didn't see why Kirk got all the women. Spock was smart. Like my dad. He had dark hair. Like my dad. He was a scientist. Just like my dad.
Oh, he was different from my dad too. My dad has a terrible temper. Spock shows no emotion. Spock's nose is much bigger - and to this day I still prefer older men with large noses. And of course he was an alien.
Alas, childhood love doesn't linger. He was replaced not long by the Riddler, as played by Frank Gorshin. His high pitched laughter, hyper activity - and of course, massively high IQ - all something that appealed to me.
Yet I didn't grow up to be embarassed of my childhood crush. Indeed, he is still the basis for the men I'm attracted to in adulthood. Physically and mentally, Spock is in many ways my idea of the perfect man. Except - he can't sing.
He can still make my heart go pitter-pat, however, as I discovered as I sat watching Star Trek on TVLand. As I sat there, watching as he willingly let a long dead alien take over his mind, my heart skipped a beat.
More then a messuring stick that I hold up to men, however, Spock influcenced my love for science fiction. If there had been no Spock on Star Trek, my three year old self would not have been able to sit still for a whole hour, watching for even the briefest Spock moments, wishing Captain Kirk would shut up so Spock could take center stage. This would be what got me to later watch Star Wars, various incarnations of Star Trek, Dr. Who, Stargate SG-1, Eureka, got me to read many science fiction books - including science fiction romance novels.
How can one fictional character have a hold on me for so many years? I'm 30 years old now. Three was eons ago. Yet there he is. That half-human, half-alien creation of Gene Roddenberry's mind, who can still make my heart race and my stomach flip-flop. At three I didn't know the difference between fiction and reality. At 30 I know quite well. And yet there's still a part of me that is looking at the stars. Dreaming of walking upon alien planets. Holding hands with Mr. Spock.
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Comments: 5
Ignore that emotionless, logical response from that green blooded, pointy eared hobgoblin!
- Leonard McCoy
Well, *I* think it's interesting.
That I have memories from three on, not so shocking - I almost drowned at 3 and traumatic events sometimes trigger remembering things earlier then the average person. That I was a three year old who could sit still for a whole hour, however.... yet I could - but just for Spock. No one else could get me to stay still.
Too bad...the flag later disappeared off of the wall at the scout office. I hope it survived and someday ends up back in the hands of a scouter!