Jake Ryan

The western world is all a-twitter with speculation about one of the most significant events of the past half-century, and if you think I'm talking about the revelations of the identity of "Deep Throat", you would be entirely wrong, and shame on you for thinking I've ever cared about the shenanigans surrounding the Nixon Administations. No, I'm talking about the re-emergence of the teen queen of the 80's, Molly Ringwald, and her hints at a possible sequel to 'Sixteen Candles'.

Think I'm making a mountain out of a mole hill? Well...apparently I'm not the only one pondering this possible event...

http://www.usatoday.com/life/columnist/popcandy/2005-06-07-pop-candy_x.htm

http://www.hankstuever.com/jryan.html

And after reading the second article about the mythical Jake Ryan, I got to thinking about how I have not been blessed/cursed with a Jake Ryan of my own. That is to say that I guess I've always left the myth to those who wanted it. Looking back at the years of high school, I can't pinpoint any desires akin to the Jake Ryan myth. I was pretty well happy dating most any guy who asked. Sure, I was a blonde cheerleader, but that didn't make me more popular in any way and in fact, I was such a gawky, skinny teenager, that I could easily identify more with the Sam-character than I could the Caroline-character. But looking back, I didn't lust after the hottest, most popular guy in school...and I think I would be hard-pressed to even know who to give that title to, and I'm sure that whomever it was decided to bestow this title on wasn't secretly crushing on yours truly either.

I'm not saying that Jake Ryan does or does not exist, just that he didn't/doesn't exist for me. The Mr. Everything portrayed in the movie is a wonderful Hollywood fantasy, but it didn't really exist in the Northwest Territories as far as I was aware. After all, I grew up with most of those people, meaning there was very little aura of mystique to draw upon for the fantasy. I guess if anything, the Jake Ryan fantasy for me would have been, well, the Hollywood version...a nice, handsome, rich, popular and fabulously well-timed actor (maybe Harry Connick, Jr. or more mainstream Brad Pitt) who sweeps me off my feet.

But why should I feel robbed of the Jake Ryan myth, when I'm happily settled down with my very own Farmer Ted.