The Wonder Years....

I dont exactly recollect what it is about Wonder Years which brings a smile to my face everytime I think of it or snatch a rare episode from the net. To say it mirrored my adoloscent life would be paltering with the truth cos' frankly my life was anything but that. Nor was the life led by Kevin Arnold (Fred Savage) a reflection of my inner desires. Ok maybe we did share the fancy for Winnie Cooper (Danica Mckellar);) Not that I am a connoissuer of acting but both of them did a stellar job in the series. And more importantly there was consistency in the characters along with the expected changes which adolescence brings for the good odd five years the series spanned. Not to forget the brilliant narration of Daniel Stern in the background as the grown up Arnold.To sing paens about the series is not this blog was intended for. Though on its own merit it deserves more than a blog entry :)


As was the leitmotif of the series the vicissitudes of "growing up" can have quite a lasting impression on one's mind.For a lifetime. This series has a nostalgic feel to it as it reminds me of a particular friend who urged me to watch this series. I was fifteen then.A very dangerous age with the hormones just setting in both the sexes and there is a very thin line between "friendship" and "love". And if the person happens to be a close friend (Guess I need not expatiate on what I mean by a "close friend" during adoloscence) the thin line almost becomes invisible and you spend half the time plucking the imaginary rose petals saying you-know-what. Ah!those days of indecision...and innocence! When sharing a giggle over Eric Segal's "Love Story" and publicly debunking the "idea" of even "love" and how "ridiculous" it even sounded! Maybe I have the same views now(maybe not..) for a totally different reason but I confess at that time I wasnt serious..or even honest. The fact that she wasnt was pretty obvious as things later transpired but I still vividly remember that walk years ago when we discussed about everything under the sun but that. And yes "Wonder Years" occupied a greater part of the discussion. I recollect she had a lovely voice (or I maybe guilty of exaggerating her singing skills..as fifteen year olds tend to :)) and her all time favorite was Sam Cooke's "Dont Know much About History..". Quite a romantic setting dont you think? in hindsight it looks that way...but at that time it seemed just normal..like it had been for the past three years.....

It's been almost three years since I spoke to her. Almost five years since I saw her.What led to this distance is immaterial in the present context but the memories of those times will never fade away. Rather I dont want it to. And this auld langsyne is the result of watching a particular favorite episode of Wonder Years of ours..."She,My Friend And I"...recently.

Ah! Those Wonder Years....

p.s. This is dedicated to that one person whom I doubt will ever read this....