I cried at the recent Star Trek movie—not because of the storyline or the stunning visual effects, but because it brought my mom near. My mom passed away almost four years ago, and she was a Trekkie. Yep, from the series first gleaming episode on television, through the next thirty years, she was captivated by Spock, Tribbles, the Wrath of Kahn, and Captain Picard. She bought a cast metal replica of the Star Ship Enterprise which she displayed proudly on her bookshelf. While she was on her mission she had her sister tape every episode so she wouldn’t miss one moment of Captain Kurk. She even attended a Star Trek convention, and was thrilled when she met and had her picture taken with Scottie.
To set the record straight (lest you’re conjuring a weird picture of my cute mom) she was very normal. She was a well rounded, hard working, gray-haired, grandma. She attended church, loved animals, and was a very good cook. It’s just that she also adored Star Trek, and we, her progeny, adored her for adoring it. It made her more accessible, it made her the good-natured recipient of some intense teasing, and after she was gone it gave us all fond memories to lighten our hearts on those occasions when we wanted to talk to her on the telephone, and couldn't.
Therefore, it was fitting at the end of the film when the voice of Spock said, “Space, the final frontier. These are the voyages of the Star Ship Enterprise…” and the Star Trek theme music swelled in volume, that I cried. Actually, they were tears with a chuckle. You see, one part of me was missing her, and one part of me was remembering something she said just a few weeks before she died.
Mom: Hey, you know Scottie has gone on before me.
Me: (smiling) Yep, I know. He’s off on his continuing mission.
Mom: Well, I’ve figured out what I’m going to say when it’s my time to go.
Me: What’s that, Mom?
Mom: Beam me up, Scottie.
(Tears and laughter)
Fade to black
5 comments:
Oh Gale, that's so touching! I love Star Trek too, and the film was just wonderful. Your mother was a woman of fine taste.
This is really sweet, Gale. I can't wait to see the movie, myself. :-)
Bless your mom's heart, Gale. She sounds like a wonderful woman. It's funny how the simple things bring our loved ones near. What a sweet post.
I have never met your mom, but knowing this about her makes me love her nonetheless.
I felt that the recent Star Trek movie paid great tribute to the original and I was extremely pleased with it. As soon as it ended I wanted to watch it again!
How wonderful to have this precious memory with her. I'm thinking she might have slipped away from her heavenly duties for a moment to sit with you in the theater.
Your mother sounds like a wonderful woman, Gale. And here's a secret, I've been a Trekkie fan for years. I think it started when I developed a huge crush on James T. Kirk--I was around 10-11 at the time. Everyone else my age had a huge crush on Donny Osmond. I guess I've always enjoyed marching to a beat of a different drum. ;)
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