I have these memories of different experiences that get brought up to the surface when I watch movies and listen to music. So there’s this one movie that actually makes me think of many, many different experiences and relationships in the span of less than 2 hours. Yep: Good Will Hunting. The most predominant memory is from college. The geography isn’t identical, but I can definitely relate. There are a few people I am still friends with that may have some relationship to this story; like all of my experiences, I keep everything anonymous. I loved this movie, but when the parts that make me cry come on the screen, I realize it’s a combination of different parts of my life are simply culminating simultaneously. It is mostly the memory of the townie (as we called the Will Hunting types)?
I went to a small liberal arts college in eastern PA. In a slightly economically depressed area (at least then). Somehow, my friends and I met up with a guy about town. He did not go to our college. I am pretty confident he didn’t go to any college or school near by. In our little college area, he was what we called a townie. It’s not the nicest term. Or judgement free. I am well aware of that. This is my 18ish year old mind and not quite open to the people who had chosen another path. There was a lot to say about this guy C. And nothing at all. We spent some time with him. I think I hooked up with him a few times, at least once in my vague memory. I don’t think he EVER came to my dorm, but I remember sneaking in his house. He was not allowed to be there. We snuck in late at night and had to leave by the window, I think. This seems insane, I know. And the fact I may have done this more than once. It was a most foreign idea that you wouldn’t have access to your own bedroom, being kicked out of your home. It kind of seemed foreign that you didn’t want to go to college. It didn’t occur to me that some people maybe weren’t provided the choice or it wasn’t an option. I honestly was so closed up in a bubble and going to an independent college with ivy growing on the walls that it didn’t occur to me. That didn’t mean I wasn’t open to learning about people and having interesting experiences. I engaged in so many new experiences. I was too young for regrets. This townie taught me magic tricks. This townie introduced me to an alternate universe. A universe in which parents were not generally present in their children’s lives or supportive. Possibly, looking back, this was the universe of tough love. Perhaps C. was a fuck-up. After spring break that year, he forever disappeared forever. But by then my life was forever changed by this guy C., the mysterious townie.
Music pairing: as inspired by the movie, listen to Baker Street. I believe it is on the Good Will Hunting soundtrack.
Brilliant Distraction 