fakeboyfriend

When I was a child, I had numerous fakeboyfriends. Heck, I wasn’t ready for the real ones yet, anyway, so why not? I think my first real crush (and, yes, this will date me) was Shawn Cassidy when he was on The Hardy Boys. I also liked Bo Duke on The Dukes of Hazard. I had a thing for pretty boys, apparently. They were also a good bit older than me, which I suppose, broke my 5-year-older-than-me-limit. Why quibble, though, over a few years when I also liked a guy who wore purple socks (Donny Osmond)?

My tastes changed and developed over the years of course. In the early 80’s, I liked Jason Bateman and Alfonso Ribiero on Silver Spoons. They were, at least, about my age. Finally an adult, I was kind of busy in the late 80’s and early 90’s, but I have fond memories of the character of Joel on Northern Exposure. However, traveling this far down memory lane takes me out of childhood.

There was always something so exciting and secretive about a crush on a TV character when I was a kid. It was my own fantasy world that I didn’t have to share with anyone. I could go on adventures with the Frank and Joe Hardy, helping them to solve mysteries. I got to climb into the General Lee through the windows of my mind, while running from Rosco and Boss Hogg. And, eventually, I got to spend a whole week on Fantasy Island with Alex P. Keaton.

Whether your childhood was in the 50’s or 90’s or somewhere in between, crushes were a safe way to try out emotions and ideals in relationships, just as they are today. When I watch my daughter watching TV, I wonder which boys she likes and which boys she “like likes.” Sometimes she’ll tell me. Sometimes she doesn’t have to—I can see it in her eyes.

So, who was reflected in your eyes off of the TV screen when you were a kid?

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