I. “There’s a call to adventure. It’s something in the inner psyche of humanity…” Gary Gygax, co-creator of Dungeons and Dragons I’m slowly crawling down a dark hallway, flat against the pristine beige carpet while attempting to move silently and hide in the shadows. I hold my breath as I slide towards the door ofContinue reading “Episode 11: Shore Leave – Nerdy Spring Breakout”
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Episode 10: Arena, part 2 – Survival of the Thinnest
New York 2000 I take a cursory glance for stray dogs or people along the dark street as I step out of the warehouse. During the year that I’ve lived in the desolate Brooklyn neighborhood known as Bushwick, I’ve realized that both can be equally dangerous to encounter in the night. My breath is visibleContinue reading “Episode 10: Arena, part 2 – Survival of the Thinnest”
Episode 9: Arena, part 1 – The Gym Class Horror
“Phaser banks, lock on to the enemy vessel. Stand by for firing orders. All hands, this is the Captain. We are going into battle. All hands, battle stations. Red alert. I repeat, red alert. This is no drill. This is no drill.” Captain Kirk in the Star Trek original series episode “Arena.” “Bob and weave!Continue reading “Episode 9: Arena, part 1 – The Gym Class Horror”
The Devil in the Dark – The Story of David Gregg, part 1
After brushing my teeth, I walk out of the bathroom and cautiously peer down the dark hallway. Peeking out from around the corner, I see a huge butcher knife, gleaming in the darkness. A hand wearing a black glove holds the weapon tightly aloft, slowly twisting the knife so I will see the glimmer inContinue reading “The Devil in the Dark – The Story of David Gregg, part 1”
Episode 8: The Mallternative Factor – Parachute Pants vs. Capes
FADE IN: EXT. SHOPPING MALL – DAY The bland, overbright facade of a mall on the outskirts of Houston, Texas on a hot day with an unbroken, cloudless sky and cars but no people. A seagull slowly circles the lot. JEFF (Voiceover) For many suburban teens in the 80s, the mall provided a mini-vacation fromContinue reading “Episode 8: The Mallternative Factor – Parachute Pants vs. Capes”
We Are Spock – Remembering Leonard Nimoy
“Spock: Do you believe in the concept of service to mankind? Nimoy: I think so. Spock: Then perhaps you are here to be of service.” ———————————————————————————————— “The show has certainly given me a sense of self-worth and particularly the relationship with the character of Mr. Spock has given me a constant guideline for a dignifiedContinue reading “We Are Spock – Remembering Leonard Nimoy”
Episode 6: Spectre of the Gun – Hunting, Gathering, and Reading
“Rise ahnd shine! Rise…AHND…shine!” I woke every school morning to my mom’s southern voice abrasively carrying through the house. I dealt with it by imagining her as a Pterodactyl, and I’d mimic her catchphrases with dinosaur screeches as I flapped my arms and ran around the house like a scene in a Ray Harryhausen film.Continue reading “Episode 6: Spectre of the Gun – Hunting, Gathering, and Reading”
Episode 5: Mirror, Mirror – The Path to the Nightcage
I move in slow motion, trapped in the crowd after a concert at Music Hall in downtown Houston. My friends, Michael and Steven, slowly move in syncopation as we awkwardly descend the steps of the balcony, taking tiny steps to assure we don’t kick or trip someone else. I am wearing grey parachute pants, aContinue reading “Episode 5: Mirror, Mirror – The Path to the Nightcage”
Episode 4: Amok Time – Triggering my Trekkie Sleeper Cell
“After a time, you may find that having is not so pleasing a thing after all as wanting. It is not logical, but it is often true.” – Spock in Amok Time. In June of 2001, I lived in a loft space in the Bushwick neighborhood of Brooklyn. Bushwick hadn’t yet become the art and fashionContinue reading “Episode 4: Amok Time – Triggering my Trekkie Sleeper Cell”
Episode 3: The Space Seed – Uncharted Paths Away From Home
“It is better to rule in Hell than to serve in Heaven.” Captain Kirk quoting Milton’s Paradise Lost. The opening phrase: “Space, the final frontier,” introduced me to the mission of the starship Enterprise, to explore strange new worlds, seek out new life and new civilizations, and boldly go where no one has gone before. This phrase,Continue reading “Episode 3: The Space Seed – Uncharted Paths Away From Home”
Jeff Gauntt-Quiceno 