Crushing

 

Amanda Peterson’s tragic passing has oddly brought back fond memories for me. In the last week stars have been tweeting about how she was their first crush and reminiscing about their younger days. I too gazed at Can’t Buy Me Love with stars in my eyes. My heart didn’t beat faster for Amanda, though she was certainly a cute girl. Oh no, I only had eyes for Patrick Dempsey. That’s right, I loved McDreamy long before he ever set foot in Seattle Grace. His dark curly hair, bird chest and all around nerdiness made my heart go pitter pat.  I even insisted my mother take me to Can’t Buy Me Love on opening weekend just so I could get my fill of Patrick.

He wasn’t my first crush though, no that title belongs to Robby Benson—remember him? Well, I do and just thinking about him still makes me feel squiggly inside. Remembering his awe-shucks smile is all I need to be thrown back into my younger days. And that’s what crushes of yesteryear do, they make us feel young again.  I was sad to learn of Amanda’s death, she died far too young. But in my mind she’ll always be young, beautiful  and somebody’s crush.