Happy Jolebration Day everybody!
This is the day I celebrate my late, great BFF on her birthday.
This year's post is a real Tell-All.
I'm going to tell you about EVERY SINGLE DATE that Jo and I had during 1982.
(But it's a bit of a rabbit trail so try to keep up.)
My BFF Johannah and I were roommates in college at West Virginia University until May of '81. That's when we dropped out of college (again) and moved to North Myrtle Beach for the summer. Life was good at the beach. We lived in a rickety little shack, but it really didn't matter because we lounged on the beach by day and worked as waitresses (the politically-correct term at that time) by night. Our tips were ample so on our days off we splurged on lavish adventures—like going to see movies.
That summer Raiders of the Lost Ark came out and Jo and I (like every other woman on the planet) fell in love with Indiana Jones and became big Fans! We were so smitten that we went back to see it a second time because at that time we could afford such luxuries. (A movie ticket cost $2.75 in 1981 and jumped to $3.00 in 1982. Absolute highway robbery!)
Late in '81 we moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma, intent on attending Bible College. There was one problem: we didn't have a dime for tuition. So, we didn't go to Bible College. We got an apartment and jobs instead. Unfortunately, the apartment was expensive and our jobs barely paid us enough to scrape by. We were poor as church mice. And at $3.00 a ticket we couldn't afford to see a movie once, much less twice.
And because I was as poor as a church mouse, I decided to color my own hair with henna because I couldn't afford to go to a professional hair salon. I must not have read the directions well (or at all) because when I rinsed the henna out of my hair hours (!) later, it was two completely different colors. The top two inches of tresses sprouting from my scalp were a blazing Lucille Ball shade of red. The rest of my (long!) hair was totally black. With blue highlights—like Superman's hair in comic books.
Jo tried to console me by saying, "I think it's cool. It's so Punk Rock!"
"Uh, Jo, this is Tulsa. Home of Oral Roberts University. Punk Rock isn't exactly trending here!"
"Just wash it a ton then. It'll fade!"
It didn't. And since I really didn't want to shave my head (trending even less in Tulsa) the only thing I could do was wear my hair in a bun so no one would notice my two-toned hair. Until I turned around, that is. Then folks chuckled and/or gasped at the black bun tightly coiled atop my scarlet head.
Besides going to work, I quickly became a recluse to avoid being seen in public, which would have been no big deal except Netflix didn't exist yet. It wouldn't have mattered anyway because Jo and I didn't possess a TV. Life got very dull very fast.
"You should at least come with me to walk around the mall," Jo would whine out of boredom.
"No. It's too embarrassing. Plus I can barely spare two dollars a week on luxuries."
"Well same here! We don't have to buy things. Let's just get out of the house."
"Nope. Don't wanna be seen for the next five years until my hair grows back out."
"We could go to a movie. No one will see you in the dark!"
"That's a great idea! Oh wait . . . That's right . . . We can't afford to go to a movie!"
"Oh. Right."
Then one day Jo burst through the door, full of excitement.
"Guess what weirdo! I just found out that there's a movie theater that shows older movies for a dollar!
"Really?"
"And—wait for it—they're playing Raiders of the Lost Ark!"
"Woooohoo! Let's go."
And we did. Twenty-three times over the next several weeks.
Now when you watch a movie twenty-three times you can pretty much quote it. And we did. All throughout the movie. (We were were kinda hoping to start an Indiana Jones movie cult like The Rocky Horror Picture Show but, sadly, we were the only ones who ever participated.)
Jo's favorite part of the movie was when Indiana tosses a date (the fruit—not a person) into the air to catch in his mouth at the very moment his sidekick Sallah realizes that a nefarious monkey has died from eating one because it was poisoned. Sallah snatches the date in midair to prevent it from dropping into Indy's mouth. Then he squishes it in his hand as he quietly states, "Bad dates." Jo always thought that scene was hilarious and we quoted it loudly, much to the annoyance of the rest of the audience.
Now we couldn't afford to order anything like popcorn at the theater (everyone knows that the food and beverages are how the theaters really make money) so Jo started bringing something to munch on. Naturally she thought it would be amusing to always pack a box of—you guessed it—dates! Not only did we have something to snack on, but we could totally act out the scene for the surrounding and not-too-enthused audience members. I would toss a date into the air along with Indy and Jo would catch and squish it like Sallah. Then we'd bellow, "Bad dates!"
We had Soooooo. Many. Dates. throughout that year.
And just to clarify: Those dates (the fruit—not actual men) were the ONLY dates we had during 1982.
At least all of them were pretty good dates.
And during that time Indy inspired a solution for my color-blocked hair. I had carefully saved almost sixty dollars over the past four months, but it still wasn't enough to buy the car I desperately needed—or even a bike—so in a moment of weakness I blew it all on an authentic Indiana Jones hat. Not only did it camouflage my black bun, but it looked chic as well. And when the theater stopped playing Raiders, Jo and I were able to re-enact the movie at home because we had one whole prop to work with!
But we did eventually get sick of all the dates. And also of being super-poor. When summer rolled around we moved back to North Myrtle Beach and returned to waitressing because we really liked being able to purchase "new release" movie tickets again. And splurging on life's little luxuries . . . like popcorn.
So to celebrate Jo on her birthday I thought I'd share her favorite scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark.
And maybe I'll eat a date. Or not. I'm still kinda sick of them.
I think I'll just have popcorn instead.
Jo's Favorite Scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark
BONUS SCENES & notes!
Below are some captures of Jo playing Indy to my Marion
The Famous Marion Punches Indy Scene
The actual scene below
I should also mention that Jo and I once scored a TON of coupons for our favorite eatery: Taco Bueno.
It was a REALLY BIG DEAL!
We ate free tacos for like . . . two months maybe?
Taco Bueno and the "Indiana Jones dates" were our chief forms of nutrition in 1982.
And also . . .
Jo and I had no car in Tulsa.
So we had to rely on our good friend Todd to drive us everywhere.
Unfortunately Todd's Volkswagen Bug often wouldn't start so Jo and I would have to push it to edge of the nearest hill while Todd steered.
Once it started rolling downhill we had to run alongside it and jump inside.
Have you ever tried to jump in the backseat of a Volkswagen Bug while it was moving?
Indiana Jones had it easy by comparison.
And . . .
Since this is a Tell-All Post I should be completely upfront and tell you the full truth:
My application to Bible College was rejected.
But Jo got accepted.
Probably because her hair was only one color.
the way we were in 1982
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JO!
Hey Connie- it's Renate. (This shows me as 'guest'.)
I remember going to see Raiders with you a handful of times. There was a very subtle thing in the movie that was one of your favorite parts. I think you, Jo and Sheila all loved that part, being dancers. It's the scene where Indy climbed on top of the submarine and did a couple quick steps. It was like a 'kick-ball-change' but without the kick. I would never have noticed it if you hadn't kept pointing it out. Now I think of you every time I see that part of the movie. (Like I said, it's subtle. VERY subtle.) Yes, I do own it and still watch it occasionally. It's…