from Rob
We confess. We are addicted and we just can’t stop. There is a nightly ritual in our house that is almost never neglected. Just before Alicia and I close our eyes to the world and enter the bliss of unconsciousness we watch an episode of The West Wing. "Hello. I’m Rob, and I am a West Wing-aholic."
You see, The West Wing is quite simply the best television show ever made. We are so deeply under it’s influence that among our first major purchases after arriving in this country was a complete DVD box set. (Which I am sure is a fully authorized and legal copy.) It contains every episode spanning the seven magnificent seasons this show brought us inside the White House. So before we could buy bread we had our opiate. We even flirted with naming this blog Lemon-Lymon.com. (That’s just for all you other West Wing-aholics out there.)
Not too long later we realized some of our new friends had yet to enjoy the satisfaction The West Wing brings, yet they could practically quote A Few Good Men, another masterpiece written by the creator of The West Wing. We insisted immediately that they begin a daily regimen of the Bartlett senior staff. Before they finished "Post Hoc, Ergo Proctor Hoc" (Season One; Episode Two) they were hooked.
At the end of each episode of The West Wing the screen goes to black and three names appear on the screen. One of these names is Thomas Schlamme, one of the original producers and directors. For any true fan this screen brings bitter-sweet feelings. It’s like the savoring of something great mixed with the realization that it’s over all too quickly and you’re left wanting more.
The other day my new addict friend, now fully experiencing The West Wing high, tells me that he has come up with a term do describe such deep and inexpressible feelings. As the names flash signaling the end of another episode he turns to his wife and says, "We’ve just been Schlammied."
So the other day I’m sitting on the couch in my living room and my daughter, now well into her first double digit year of life, trots out in a white shirt sent from her aunt Heather, and a pair of jeans. I glanced up and I was sure someone had replaced my little girl with a teenager. And then it hit me… "I’ve just been Schlammied."
I better get ready because from all I can tell over the next 10 years the Schlammies just keep on comin’.
3 comments:
Oh, Man, you're killin' me! You know that YOU got ME addicted to West Wing. I was actively resisting because I figured it was a typical left-wing, bleeding-heart liberal propoganda machine. And it IS, to some degree, but I agree it is the best TV ever. NOW you talk about my beautiful Hannah becoming a TEENAGER! You would think that I would have learned when I tried unsuccessfuly to keep you (and Rikki and Krista) from doing that!!! OHHH Hannah!
What? you didn't know that was going to happen? Don't you remember all those other kids it happened to before Hannah?
There are lots of schlammies out there.
Just so you know, that is the ritual in your siblings houses as well. Although I haven't gotten Phil to partake of it with me. But Tom and Rikki and I stand in solidarity with you.
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