"I'm taking it back. I'm taking them all back."

Start.

It's raining where I'm at... It's cloudy. It's grey outside. It's even gloomy to a certain extent. It's perfect. I love the mist. I love the rain. I love feeling it... I enjoy watching it... Playing in it can also be an ace move on the right day... I've always welcomed the rain. I appreciate it like a dragonfly appreciates the wind. My relationship with rain is an important one. The rain symbolizes entirely too much for me to get into for this purpose, but I will say that yesterday's seemingly everlasting rain shower stirred up some riveting thoughts... Thoughts that could only be realized with "The Goonies." Oh, my sweet companions from my yesterdays who never seemed to let me down... Never.

If you've seen "The Goonies," you may share some of my thoughts around this idea. You probably have a favorite Goonie and you probably have a favorite scene or ten. Today, I'm interested in this one... The one where the Goonies are collecting coins from a wishing well.

Stef said, "Wait, wait, stop, stop! You can't do this!"
Data and Mikey asked, "Why?"
Stef replied, "Because these are somebody else's wishes. They're somebody else's dreams."
Mouth responded, "Yeah, but you know what? This one, this one right here. This was my dream, my wish. And it didn't come true. So I'm taking it back. I'm taking them all back."

I understood that moment. I understand that moment now. It's a gripping dialogue on the hopes and dreams we all share... Everything we wish for may not come true. Of course, life will surprise us and we will take it all in and consider these things as gifts. Most of the time, that will suffice. But sometimes... Sometimes, it just isn't good enough when you dream and hope for something that falls on deaf ears. The faith that we are taught to embrace and the goodwill that we are expected to give... It doesn't always make sense. It didn't make sense to Corey Feldman's character. It was a bitter moment. And given what the Goonies were fighting for, it made all the sense in the world. I was on his side then... I feel like I'm on his side now.

Cue to another beloved scene... Unfortunately, this one is nowhere to be found. It was a deleted scene that certain networks would insert as a time-filler to extend the flick. I have been lucky enough to see it on a few occasions, but it's a true rarity. It doesn't even spend time as an outtake on the DVD edition that I hope you own. To see it is to cherish it forever... I probably sound ridiculous right now... I don't care.

Still in the well, Andy declares, "I'm not a Goonie." So she's sworn in...

Ladies, gents, boys, girls... "The Goonies Oath."

"I will never betray my goon dock friends. We will stick together until the whole world ends... Through heaven and hell, and nuclear war. Good pals like us, will stick like tar. In the city, or the country, or the forest, or the boonies... I am proudly declared a fellow Goonie."

And then we see Troy's jacket (that Andy was wearing) on the bucket as it's sent up the well. Awesome. Something about the simplicity of that agreement gets me. Right in the gut. If all agreements and contracts were that simple... And that silly... People might put a different spin on... Nevermind.

For some reason, it just makes me smile. I really don't know why any of this matters... On second thought, I do know why...

The rain made me do it.

So... Visit Astoria, Oregon someday. I promise it will not let you down.

This post is dedicated to the ones born in the month of December.

- bsm*

Stop.