An Exercise - 2

TIRED TECHNOLOGY: Our second challenge was to raise the contestants' "geek cred." We wanted to hear about fond memories regarding obsolete technologies used and loved by our remaining 11 contestants without it turning into "who had the most obscure toy" but a competition to create the most compelling and entertaining post.

"Can we look at him?"

I smiled and nodded as I reached down to open my backpack. The thin, turquoise binder was kept in the same place each day, as I wound up pulling it out to show others each morning during homeroom. The only thing that changed was the thickening mass of photo album pages between the covers.

"Here he is."

Jennifer leaned over my shoulder as I turned to the front page, and we titled our heads upon taking in the wide eyes and dimpled chin. Sigh, sigh.

"He's so cute," Jennifer breathed.

Jonathan Gregory Brandis, born April 13, 1976 in Connecticut. Mother Mary, father Greg. Only child, got his start in commercials and moved out to California. "Neverending Story 2," "Ladybugs," "Sidekicks." And now, "seaQuest DSV."

The scrapbook documented several months of my collection cultivation. BOP magazine, BB (Big Bopper - better pinups) - I'd even forayed into "16" and "TeenBeat" territory. And I didn't like those magazines. But I wanted pictures and articles on Jon.

He was the eighth grade class crush - each of the girls sighed over him. We arrived at school each Monday morning ready to discuss the previous night's "seaQuest" episode and even went so far as to pass around the "sQ" novels that had been published. We had it hard.

I had every article or photograph of him I could find. Until Jenn reached into her backpack this morning. "Do you have this?"

She pulled out a folded piece of thick glossy print (creaselines across his face? Horror!). I judged from the texture that it must be a Bop or BB shot - no other magazine used such nice stock. She paused for a moment, then unfolded.

He lay on his stomach, his chin resting on folded hands. The blue of his shirt and the background brought out the color in his eyes, and his hair was the color of sand, cut into the long, bowl-cut style he used during "sQ"s first season. His smile was small and closed.

He looked absolutely gorgeous. I'd never seen such a great shot of him.

"Wow, he looks so cute," I said, leaning forward. "Where did you find it?"

"Just around," she replied offhandedly. Bitch wasn't going to tell me. I closed my scrapbook in annoyance.

"Well, can I scan it into my computer? I'd love to have a copy."

"Sure, she replied. "But I need it back tomorrow."

I tucked the photo into the binder, being sure to unfold and place it flat.

After class and practice, I pulled the photo out and set it on the desk next to my family's computer. The scanner lay next to the keyboard, off-white plastic the side of an ice scraper. I picked it up, turned it over and checked the button on the left side to make sure it would work. The red light on the scanner sparkled.

I turned on the Commodore computer, waited for it to load and finally opened the drawing program. Selected scan. I felt so technicolgically savvy. No one else I knew had a scanner.

I positioned the scanner on the top left corner of Jon's photo and clicked the button with my thumb. Slow, steady stroke downward. My hands slightly shook, but I made sure not to stop until I reached the bottom of the image. Thumb off the button, look at the screen.

Nice - this pass with the scanner caught Jon's eye. This was going to be easy.

Fourteen passes with the scanner later, I realized I wasn't going to be able to keep my own copy of Jonathan perfection. I couldn't line up the scans, so the left side of Jonathan's nose wasn't in the same place as the right side. The blotchy black and white scan made his skin look sallow, his hair too dark to discern.

It just wasn't working. I hadn't the technology to make the duplication happen. I'd just have to try to find the magazine.

The next day, I gave Jennifer the photo back.

"How'd it work?" she said with a forced casual smile.

I shrugged. "You know, I was going to do it, but then I really looked at the photo," I began, looking back through my collection of images. "And it's actually not that great a picture of him. He kind of looks weird, don't you think?"

She leaned back over the photograph. "He does?"

"Totally. His eyes are doing something strange. I decided I'll just keep the ones I have of him. I like those better."

The bell rang and I hoisted my bag onto my shoulder. As I prepared to enter the hallway, I turned back. Jennifer was frowning as she looked at the photo. I chuckled and headed to class.