November 12, 1955

"Of course...the day I invented time travel!"

It's been a while since I've seen any of the Back to the Future movies, but I've had a jones for some vintage Robert Zemeckis/Michael J. Fox action lately.

A couple of months ago I checked out Always Looking Up: The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist from the library. This is Fox's second auto-biographical memoir-style book to date, and deals mainly with his life since his Parkinson's diagnosis in the early 1990's.

This book touched me in a way that few have in my lifetime. None of us ever know how we'll act if we're faced with the diagnosis of a life-threatening illness, but if I ever have to take that bullet I hope I do it with the dignity and resolve of Michael J. Fox.

Sure, he had some hard times in the beginning. Who wouldn't?


But how many people do you know who have devoted their lives to helping others with the same condition with which they've been diagnosed? He's poured all of his time and resources into the Michael J. Fox Foundation, which mainly funds Parkinson's research and works to further Parkinson's awareness in our country.

While I was reading this I realized exactly how much I've always liked Fox. Think about it: Alex P. Keaton, Teen Wolf, Marty McFly, Doc Hollywood...what's not to like?

And did I mention the fact that I grew up 3 doors down from Robert Zemeckis's childhood home? His mom was always known to the neighborhood kids as Aunt Rose, and if you knocked on her door on Saturdays she'd come to the door with candy for you. But you could only get candy once each Saturday...believe me, we tried. One was definitely the limit. Unless it was your birthday. Or especially nice out. Rose is still there, but she's getting on in years and I haven't heard any "Aunt Rose" stories circulating around the neighborhood lately so my guess is that she's retired.

Robert's dad, Al, was a wonderful old man, God rest his soul. He came across as gruff to us kids, but that's just because we decided to pick flowers for our mom. From his prized flower bed. Tulips...bulbs and all.

But to my dad and everyone else on the block, he was just Al. One of my favorite Al-related stories involves my dad obtaining bootleg copies of the Back to the Future films in the 80's and mentioning how great the movies were to Al. Who had yet to see them, because they hadn't been released.


The year of Forrest Gump, the entire neighborhood had a gigantic Oscar party in celebration of the 13 nominations, 6 of which the film ended up winning. One of the features about Zemeckis during this awards ceremony included footage he shot as a kid, back when he was an aspiring filmmaker. It was surreal to see our neighborhood, our park, beach and rickety old red-painted wooden pier on TV. That night we all felt just a little bit like movie stars.


On Monday I talked The Hubbs into watching Back to the Future, and I couldn't be happier with our recent movie choice. It's been just long enough since either one of us has seen the movies that everything seems new again.


Tonight we watched Part II, and I'm super-excited about hunkering down to watch the conclusion within the next couple of evenings.


I may have been young when these movies came out, but that doesn't make them any less magical. And seeing Michael J. Fox in his prime, pre-Parkinson's glory...well, it almost makes me speechless after seeing what he's gone through since his diagnosis in 1991. Throw into the mix the fact that he remains an optimist after all he's been through, and you may begin to see why I find the man so inspiring.


Plus, he got to fly in a freaking DeLorean. It just doesn't get any cooler than that, people.