The Grand Gesture

I am a product of the 1980’s.

If there’s a movie on featuring a member of the Brat Pack, you can pretty much guarantee I’m tuned in.  It’s actually one of the few things my husband and i have in common – and while he isn’t quite as into those flicks as I am, he’ll watch. And quote.

(Not to get off topic here, but I just looked up to notice that there is a chicken in my back yard.  No, I’m not making it up. And no, I don’t own chickens. We live in town limits.)

Anyway, over the weekend, Say Anything was on.  I adore Say Anything.  I adore John Cusack.  I’m not sure how I’m going to feel about that Hot Tub Time Machine weirdness he’s in, but that’s beside the point. Lloyd Dobler was the bomb.  He wasn’t the best looking kid in school. He wasn’t the jock, the brain, the teacher’s pet.  He was just an honest guy with morals and a great collection of vintage tees.

And, most importantly, he was the King of Grand Gestures.

Even if you haven’t seen Say Anything,

I bet you know the iconic scene where he stands outside Ione Skye’s window, boombox overhead, playing In Your Eyes by Peter Gabriel.  True romance, people.  Hell, if he showed up here now, at my house and did that? I’d at least invite him in for brownies.  So would Jon for that matter.  It’s the ultimate moment in love driven angst.

And that got Jon and I to talking.

What’s the grand gesture these days?  Not a boombox, that’s for sure. I don’t know if they even make them anymore.  At least not ones that run off batteries, which is necessary in order to hold said boombox above your head at 2am.  And I highly doubt the same effect is achieved by holding your iPod up towards the object of your affection.  Not enough volume there.  And seems a little cheesy, too.

So what?  I think mixed tapes are out of fashion, too, which was, at one time, another ultimate. Maybe kids still make mixed cds (it doesn’t really roll off the tongue as well, though, does it?) so, maybe they send each other iTunes? Where’s the romance in that?

Our kids no longer write notes, which I mentioned before – they text. Poorly at that.  And how will they remember each other 15 years from now when they don’t have a box of old photos (no one prints pics anymore either) and old love notes to go through?  Facebook?  I somehow doubt that.  It makes me sad, if you must know the truth.  One of my favorite things to do is stumble across a box of things like that when I am cleaning.  Sure, it halts the process, but to be able to sit down, open an old letter, see a picture of myself with my 7th grade beau – that’s priceless, and brings back so many old memories.

I guess what I am trying to say is – what’s the new grand gesture? Is there one?

Someone please clue me in, as this conversation has made me a little weepy and nostalgic.

Perhaps I’ll go back to cleaning.