R2D2

I think I was in third grade when my dad tried to take my younger brother and me to see the original Star Wars movie.  After bouncing with excitement for more than an hour while standing in a line that snaked itself all the way around the building, we were turned away from a sold-out show.  What a letdown.

Later that week, on a school day, I was called into the student office.  Which means somebody died or something.  Maybe something worse.  My dad was there with my younger brother.  Scary.  I relentlessly questioned “…but what’s wrong?  Why do I have to leave?  What happened?” only to not have my worries calmed by “Hush.  Just come on, we’re going.  Now.”

He continued to avoid my questions in the car while heading to whatever horrific destination awaited us, telling me to be patient.  Be patient?  For what??  What awfulness awaited us when the car stopped?  Turns out I should have been more of a “glass half full” gal, because guess where we went?  We went to a weekday showing of Star Wars! Complete with R2D2 (my personal favorite as I was too young to have a crush on either Luke or Han Solo), Darth Vader, Leigh with her dual supercool cinnamon-bun hair things, and the “wise I am” Yoda.  I will never forget the awe of seeing the then state-of-the-art special effects while watching ships in outer space blow up, and good versus evil fight using lightsabers (“how’d they do that!?).  Add the power of Star Wars to seeing it in the middle of the day, on a school day, on purpose, with my dad, and you have one of my best childhood memories.

Obviously, Tucker doesn’t know who R2D2 is.  But I do.  And this was just awesome, taken at Air and Scare at the Dulles Air and Space Museum last night.  Not only did R2 allow us to pose with him, he’s a real robot.  He can turn his head, blink his lights and glide back and forth just like real R2. Plus, there was candy.