In December of 1989, I was broke. Broker than broke. I was working at NutriSystem and living, literally, on prepackaged diet food. This made for a svelte figure and a lot of canker sores, but I was too penniless to enjoy those benefits. Occasionally, my roommate and I would happen upon a coupon for Taco John's. Two Taco Bravos for $1.29. We would dig through pockets, sofa cushions .... gutters ..... until we had enough to get the Taco Bravos. Those were the best days!
One cold evening, my roommie got his hands on a couple of free movie passes. He invited me to join him and his buddies and I was thrilled to accept!!
We saw National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. I had never seen the other Vacation movies and had absolutely no idea what to expect. And it was awesome!!
I have never laughed so hard in my whole life. I think I desperately needed to laugh and was craving it so deeply. This movie was custom made for me! I believe it! They say laughter is the best medicine and I completely agree!
I guffawed at the increasingly insane situations Clark encountered and teared with him as he remembered Christmases Past. I fully understood his intense desire to create the perfect Christmas for his family and sympathized that it never turned out quite right for him.
I know every line in the film. I adore every character. I watch it at least once every year and enjoy it just as much each and every time. For me, it brings back memories of when this movie was the greatest gift a skinny little broke girl could have ever received. The gift of A Griswold Family Christmas.
The gift of laughter.
3 comments:
Thanks for the blog...love it! Merry Christmas my dear. What is the Irish proverb? Everything can be made better by a good sleep and laughter? Somethin' like that. Well, you made my day better. Julee
I forgot about Nutri System!! That's how we first met... the spring of 1990. You have always been able to make me laugh. It's your gift. Maggie
Planes, Trains and Automobiles is my holiday fare with a second feature of Uncle Buck! BTW, you've always been skinny my friend. Who else could pull of cowboy boots for more than two decades!! Ravenfish
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