 They are Trekkies. Not the dress-like, talk-like,
have-to-have-all-the-collectibles kind of Trekkies. Simply the gotta-watch-the-movie-before-anyone-tells-me-about-it
kind.My husband informs me that Trekkies are insulted by the word
"Trekkies" and that they now want to be referred to as Trekkers --
as if "Trekkies" was some kind of racial slur. What difference does
it make? No matter what they call themselves, every one of them
knows what quadro-triticale is and can trace Spock's ancestry back
to the nearest Romulan. That just isn't normal. Trekkie is not the
worst thing they could have been called, for sure.
My 12-year-old has a fixation with Spock. His spirit responded to
something in the Vulcan's unemotional intelligence. He has begun to
greet people with the traditional Vulcan high-sign and the words:
"Live long and prosper."
Sometimes his preoccupation with his inner Vulcan has caused him
to be less focused when it comes to his own responsibilities.
"Did you do your chores yet?" I ask.
He uttered a one-word Vulcan-like response: "No."
Exasperated, I said, "You know, I think that trying to show no
emotion has frozen all of your brain cells."
He raises a Spock-like eyebrow as if a Klingon has just appeared
and says, "Phasers on deep-fat fry."
Needless to say, it's getting a little annoying.
My husband is no help. He is the original Trekkie and has
indoctrinated all of his sons from the time they exited the womb.
They learned how to make the Vulcan "V" with their tiny little
fingers before they learned to speak. They all know what a Tribble
is and that they weren't really much trouble because the cute little
pests saved everyone on the Enterprise from certain death. My
daughter has asked for a Tribble for her birthday.
[to top of second column] |
 When my husband and I went to see the movie, he pronounced the
producer "a genius!" because apparently the man had changed the
whole time-space continuum and made it possible to do a whole new
Star Trek series -- which is something every Trekkie dreams of --
without having to adhere to any of the inconvenient past lives of
any of the characters.
In this new timeline, anything could happen. Capt. Kirk could
become assimilated by the Borg. Chekhov and Sulu could have a gay
affair (not that much of a stretch). And Uhura could become first
mate when Spock decides to go to medical school on Bones' advice.
Yes, they could have been friends! We're talking a whole new world
with the same characters! My husband was ecstatic.
My oldest son, the scientist, loved the movie but was distracted
by the scientifically glaring errors in black hole and time
continuum theory. However, he took comfort in the fact that the
beloved crew was simply going where no man had gone before.
All I can do is shake my head in wonder at the furor this movie
has caused, before and after its arrival. The shock wave went
through my family like a megaton bomb ... only backward ... and in
slow motion. Visualize this: wave upon wave of the elation on its
imminent arrival, alternating with the waves of depression because
it wasn't here yet. All of which culminated in an emotional,
slow-motion explosion when the movie finally arrived at the theaters
and they sat at ground zero.
All I can say is: "Beam me up, Scotty! There is no intelligent
life down here."
[By LAURA SNYDER]
Laura Snyder is a nationally syndicated columnist,
author and speaker. You can reach her at
lsnyder@lauraonlife.com
or visit www.lauraonlife.com
for more info.
___
Related AP article posted May 11:
'Star Trek' has galactic $76.5M opening weekend
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