The year was 1982. The place was Mexico City. I had just gone through open-heart surgery at the tender age of three. That was the setting of my very first Star Wars-related memory. I had yet to see any of the movies. I was too young to recall every single detail of my first contact with a galaxy far, far away. Nevertheless, the few brief flashbacks I do get are as powerfully vivid as my most recent memories.
Cold December weather. Busy, crowded streets packed with stores, museums, and fast-moving people. Taco stands and fruit vendors, the scent of fresh apples and grapes being sold everywhere, and the smell of the back-then not-so-old Federal District subway stations.
After I was released from the hospital, my parents decided to stay in the country a little longer, just in time for Christmas shopping. We went to malls and department stores, but I only recall one of those, the one where I saw what would become one of my life passions.
That was my first contact with a Kenner Star Wars toy aisle. I was mesmerized by the action figures and the ships, especially the Millenium Falcon.
My parents bought two 12-inch Storm Troopers, one for my older brother, and another one for me. Both Storm Troopers no loger exist, or their pieces are strewn around several places in Guatemala. My parents also bought a 3.75-inch Darth Vader for my brother. If you are a conoisseur, you know which Vader figure I'm talking about. The vintage version. Years later, that figure ended up having a sad fate, unworthy of its awesome history and current auction value.
I wouldn't get my first figure until 1986. I'll save that story for my next post.
I saw a Star Wars film for the first time in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, in 1985. Global premieres did not exist back then. The movie was Return of the Jedi.
The movie left an indelible impression in my mind. Not only did it light an ever-lasting imagination spark, but it also introduced me to abstract philosophical concepts such as adventure, evil, friendship, heroism, love, and rebellion. Coincidence or not, since the age of 16, these things have been recurring themes in both my writing and my personal life.
Although I neither spoke English nor understood subtitles in Spanish back then, I was able to understand the basic outline of the story: The Emperor and his troops were evil and cruel, the rebels were opposing them, and Luke Skywalker turned Darth Vader away from evil by refusing to be violent.
The city of San Pedro didn't have a lot of toy stores, but the ones it did have were packed with Star Wars stuff that my parents could not afford back then. Having enjoyed the excitement of the movie and actually understanding it made my lack of Star Wars action figures and vehicles almost unbearable.
However, with or without figures, I can confidently say that the mere existence of Star Wars was one of the greatest joys of my childhood.
Now, more than thirty years later, I work hard to pay rent and bills and buy groceries, just like any responsible mature adult person my age. But each month I also budget a few dollars for something else. Said handful of cash is invested - or wasted, according to some people's point of view - in adding items to a collection that mixes vintage, 90s-era, and new versions of action figures and vehicles. To me, having these things is better than a million childhood pictures. Each figure or vehicle in my collection has a story to tell, and is connected to my memory of the movies that sparked my interest in art, philosophy, and story-telling in general. Walking into my room and seeing my collectibles makes me smile, and reminds me that all work and no play is a bad deal, because a human being is more than a money-making, bill-paying machine.
Luminous beings we are, not just crude matter.
Every single adult on the planet should be able to relate to their inner child, that little person who rode a bike and played with toys and dreamed of things that have yet to come true or only exist within one's imagination.
In my case, the kid was fascinated by adventure and awesome space ships, and a hero wielding a green laser sword while rescuing his friends from a disgusting evil monster.
