Back in time

First time you feel it, it might make you sad
Next time you feel it it might make you mad
But you’ll be glad baby when you’ve found
That’s the power makes the world go ’round

In the winter of 1985, JVC handed out free tickets to see a movie about a young kid traveling back in time. I had read in the Rolling Stone that Huey Lewis and the News had a couple of songs in the movie, but didn’t know much else. I didn’t even know that JVC handed out free tickets, but when my father asked me if I wanted to go, I said yes.

It was a special afternoon matinee, starting at 4.30, which was perfect, because it meant that I would still be able to make it to the hockey game the same night. The game started at 6.30 so if I ran or walked briskly, there was still a chance to make it to the rink before the opening faceoff.

You're the doc, Doc.

Instead of going straight home after school, I stayed in town and hung out at Dad’s store, watching TV, and listeting to music, and probably making a mixed tape or two in the process. After all, the store was full of different kinds of turntables and stereos.

Then Dad pulled the ticket from the desk drawer in his office. When I saw it, I wasn’t sure if it’d work, because it looked nothing like a movie ticket to me. The tickets I had seen were made of flimsy paper you could almost see through, but this one was like a birthday card. A folded card, too, and inside, in blue ink, there were the JVC and Pepsi logos and a text inviting the holder of the card to the afternoon matinee.

I walked to the movie theatre, just a block away, and the card worked. I sat down, and after the JVC commercial, got sucked into an adventure that had mad geniuses – well, one mad genius – time travel, Libyan terrorists, Marty McFly, skateboards, beautiful girls, catchy music, and a happy end.

The movie was Back to the Future.

Huey Lewis made a cameo, but I missed that the first time around. I was too busy rooting for Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly.

After the movie, I was so pumped, and so happy, and so much wanted to be just like Marty McFly – or, rather, Michael J. Fox – and I felt so cool and because everything, everything, seemed possible, I ran and skipped all the way to the rink. It was cold and it was dark, but I ran through the city, and just like Marty McFly tells his girlfriend in the movie, I was telling myself, “someday, Jennifer, someday”.

I missed a few opening minutes of the game, but I didn’t care.

Someday … something.

Today, I left Dad at his place to go watch a junior hockey game at that same rink. Afterwards, I drove downtown and parked my car around the corner from the movie theatre. (There used to be three, now just one).

I walked to where Dad’s store used to be. They tore down the building a few years ago, and in the same spot there’s now a coffee shop. I bought a cappuccino, and found a table. As I took off my jacket, I made a mental note to check what I was wearing. I looked down, and I smiled.

I am writing this wearing a blue “Back to the Future” T-shirt.

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