The men in my life: Patrick

It was 1988 when I fell for this handsome stallion of Dirty Dancing and Point Break. In fact, I watched my Dirty Dancing VHS until it no longer played. I wrote Patrick Swayze a letter, which my mother saved in its original sealed envelope....to this day I don't know what I wrote to him. I collected his photos in all my teeny bopper magazines and read every article I could find about him. 1988-1989 were my middle school years, the years I started to rebel. I had been accepting the teasing for far too long, and I was tired of being labeled a nerd. I started running for the track team--surprisingly, I was a pretty good sprinter. When I ran the 200 yard dash for the first time, I was so far ahead of the other kids I stopped running before I crossed the finish line by accident. I thought I had finished the race where the coach was standing! One other girl passed me before I realized I wasn't done. I came in second, but I'll never forget that race. My track career just took off from there.

I started listening to Metallica, Def Leppard (only Pyromania), Poison (only Look What the Cat Dragged In), Soundgarden, and Guns N Roses, while rejecting every mainstream pop band, especially the New Kids on the Block. I had a jean jacket with about 40 pins, shared my first kiss with Ken H in the halls of the old BJHS building (he played guitar in the junior high band....I believe it was a sign of a trend to come), developed really solid friendships with the L twins (Todd and Erik), and was pushed by my honors reading teacher Mr. Larsen to reach my potential. To this day, Mr. Larsen remains strong in my memory. I flirted with Jason N and wanted desperately to impress him (he was four years older), so I wrote a poem using the word f*** a lot. To my horror, my parents found that poem, and they banned me from getting contact lenses for a year. I made out with Jason T at the YMCA dance and joined the basketball team. I started to lose a lot of weight.

Throughout the ups and downs, Houston-born Patrick Swayze and his love of horses kept me warm at night when I got dumped on a date with Nate W to see Bonfire of the Vanities. I had just started coming out of my shell, and my heart got smacked hard. Throughout the rest of 8th grade it was the sounds of Axl Rose, the thoughts of Patrick, and my love of sports that kept me looking forward. It wouldn't be until 1990 that big changes would really start to take shape.

I wish nothing but the best to Patrick and his family as he continues to fight pancreatic cancer. Patrick, you were there for me when I needed a crush the most. You will always be remembered for that. Well, that and your Point Break body and hair.....HOT!