Yesterday my 8-year-old son came to me with the Ghostbusters sign he had hanging on his bedroom door, I made for him a year ago, and said “here I don’t like Ghostbusters anymore, now I like Star Wars,” and walked away without hesitation. Excuse me?! Not into Ghostbusters anymore?
Just like that?
This child has made us watch EVERY Ghostbuster movie there is (repeatedly), we had discussions about Peter Beckman is the funniest and silliest of all, we have weighed the pros and cons of moving to New York to be close to them, and I can probably name every single part of the Ecto-1 car.
We have bought encyclopedias about the Ecto-1 and all the gear these 4 gentlemen carry around. We have the early readers versions of their stories (whatever it takes to make them read), we have three or four versions of Ecto-1 and fire house-ghostbusters headquarters and had negotiated with dad to paint his car white so we can ride an Ecto-1 too.
Good Bye…
And, now, just like that, we say goodbye? Years, years! dedicated to learning (you know the learning that comes from hearing on and on the same thing over and over) and singing (OK, this part was fun, pulling up at school jamming to the theme song) and visiting the Louisiana Ghostbusters stands in the Con-Junior (the car and classes for kids in how to use the equipment is really cool), hours spent on finding the “right version” of Ecto-1.
What do I do with all this knowledge? My brain is forever changed by this “mild” obsession of his. Am I supposed to get rid of the proton pack without feeling anything? How about all the hours we spent building the car with cardboard boxes?
I get it, you moved on, your interests changed, and you grow, and bigger better things await you/us. Is this how it feels when you get attached to a girlfriend/friend your kid brings home and suddenly that friendship/relationship ends, and you have this hole in your heart? Do I have to grief the loss of a beloved subject and many memories alone? No one discusses with me this decision… is not fair.
Now, if you excuse me, I will be drawing a map of who is who and who fights who and which movie comes first labyrinth….
