Yardstick Lightsabers

It's no secret that I wasn't a rich kid. We lived in apartments all my life. Whether it was the RIAC housing, Columbia Manor, Valley Encantada or Saddle Creek, my mother busted her ass to raise me.

When Star Wars blasted its way into my life in 1977, there wasn't a year or day that I didn't think about it or play Jedi or Stormtrooper. One of the coolest weapons from the movies was the Jedi weapon known as the lightsaber. There was a toy back in those days. It was nothing more than a flashlight mounted to an inflatable tube. If you waved it through the air, small air vents would cause a hum noise like those in the movies. I knew of a few friends that had them way back then; and although they were freaking cool, there was still something odd about the toy.

Unfortunately, I never owned one of those toys. So, my creative mind turned my Grandmother's yardstick into my lightsaber. I spent hours running around her backyard in Alamogordo swinging it back and forth. I would generate the hum noise myself and even the spark and clash sounds as it struck obstacles in my path. Now, since my lightsaber was nothing more than a thin piece of wood, it was prone to snap or break. And my Grandmother was usually never happy about it. It would be followed with a scolding, how I should not play so rough and a trip down to the TG&Y to buy another one. I would be told not to play with it as it was used to measure things. Yet, that wouldn't last too long and before my Grandmother knew it, I was outside fighting Rancors and Imperials.

Oh, I never owned the Kenner Stormtrooper Blaster either. But, a ruler held between the thumb and forefinger worked well enough. It was long enough that I could even grab the base with my other hand and pretend I was shooting Rebel Fleet Troopers or Jawas. Although, I wish I had the official toys, I got by just fine with a few measuring sticks and my imagination. And there's not a day I regret swinging my Yardstick Lightsabers...

Refills .39¢

Discovered that Circle K has fountain drinks for .79¢, any size, everyday. The nicer stores have a whole wall of brands and flavors. And you can add a squirt of cherry, vanilla or lime for free. The largest drink size is only the 32oz. Yet, like the side of the cup says, The Thirstbuster, it does quench those late day thirsts. It's definitely the best value of the summer. McDs has theirs for a buck. 7-11 sells theirs for $1.19. Now, the real kicker that I think time has forgotten is the affordable refill. None of those deals include a refill. Except 7-11 and they offer a $1.49 refill, any size. What if the drink is only a $1.19? The only drink that the $1.49 refill is even a better deal on is the Super Big Gulp which runs $1.69. For .20¢, its almost not worth lugging the cup back to the store. So I have yet to ever do a refill at 7-11 and I continue to fill landfills with unwanted Super Big Gulp cups.

Summer 1989. Sophomore year at Roswell High had ended. Still hadn't gotten the drive to get a summer job. I worked down at Chewnings doing some of the odd jobs for some pocket cash, once or twice a week. I wouldn't find a job until Junior year summer. Yet, it was a great summer. And for movies. Sitting in the air conditioned Cinema 4 (at the Roswell Mall- the most modern of Roswell's three theaters. I think the first movie I would see at that theater was Breakin 2: Electric Boogaloo) watching Batman with Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson, Cinema 1 & 2 watching the Last Crusade (the last the original Indiana Jones movies). I was able to drive to almost anywhere, anytime as I had my first car - 1979 Ford Fiesta. It wasn't much to look at yet I got me places whole helluva lot faster than my 10 speed. So, I went to the movies often. I went to the Tastee Freeze when I wanted. But the best thing that summer was my Sun Country Mini Mart drink bottle. One would buy the bottle (a 32oz tube with a straw) for $1.99. Then, every refill, anytime, any Sun Country Mart, anywhere was only .39¢! I would get that thing filled up sometimes 2 or 3 times a day. That was a value! Just a quarter, dime and three pennies (with tax). There was a Sun Country at the corner of Sunset and Poe. This was the one I would visit the most. I would be sitting at home watching MTV (with real music on it) and I get a thirst. I would hop into the Fiesta and drive down the road. Within 5 minutes I would have my cold 32ozs of Coke. The deal would continue for summers after too. Eventually, I think I had about three of the bottles. So if one was dirty, I would have a couple backups.

Oh, I wish I could get .39¢ refills today. I guess I can't complain too much about a .79¢ drink. It is 22 years later....