Visited By Darth Vader

When I was in middle school, I remember walking to class feeling less than confident about everything because I was this short and cumbersome kid, and, as one knows, you are in an atrocious mindset at that age. Being one of the youngest of six kids, you have pity parties regularly. As a treat, one weekend, the family could see the new science fiction movie Star Wars. When the movie was over, I thought it was so cool, and from then on I always wanted to be Darth Vader. He was a villain you couldn't forget. Darth Vader could choke his enemies with force and a gesture of his hand, and he wasn't impressed with much. He was my hero! There were so many people I would have tried that choking motion on. He could just put his hand out and choke the tar out of everybody that bugged him, and I thought that was such an incredible trait. I won't lie; I pretended the motion to choke some kids who were always bugging me.

One day when I was in PE, not happy about my green and yellow shoes, and dreading whether I was going to wear shirts or be skin that day. With hesitation, I lined up like I was supposed to for calisthenics. We were in the gymnasium ready for the coaches to come out of their office, when suddenly the doors behind me, which were a pair of old wooden doors that used to creak, and the handle mechanism made a loud noise, echoed behind us as the door slammed closed. I thought the coaches were coming in through the doors, and I thought nothing of it when suddenly there was a familiar breathing sound beside me.

I turned, and who do you think was standing there, but Darth Vader! Dressed all in black, looking magnificent as he confidently strode into the room.

I couldn't believe it. He flew his Tie fighter to Sparks Middle School to visit us, and of course, I thought Darth Vader was there to visit me!

His entrance was outstanding! With his terrifying swagger, his cape swishing across our gym floor, and gaining more attention, everybody was turning around. They were stunned that there was Darth Vader, the Dark Menace, and the Sith Lord from Star Wars. I had just seen him three days ago, and I was frozen in my spot. I think I was shocked because he was there at our school.

What was unexpected was that all the kids in my gym class roared, "Get him!" in a berserk rage, and in a fray, they attacked Darth Vader. The kids were grabbing at his helmet and his cape. I just stood there in astonishment, asking myself, "What is going on?" The Sith Lord was trying to get away, but the students were tearing at his costume, and Darth Vader was trying not to hit the kids as he was fleeing. Obviously, he was an actor. Trying not to hurt the kids until his cape ripped, and then he was defending himself any way he could. His helmet was knocked off, and you could tell Darth Vader was getting upset, but abruptly there was shouting and multiple gym whistles going off from Mr. Dickie and Mr. Siddle. Red-faced, pulling kids off of Darth Vader, and spewing out commands from Stop! Saps! Stop! The coaches could bring back order in our gym; they were good at that. Once again, Darth Vader escaped the battle as he ran out of the doors.

It was going to be a great visit with Darth Vader, and it turned out to be a free-for-all, an MMA battle, a Kumite of first blood; all I knew was that Darth Vader had come to our gym class as a surprise, and it backfired. It goes to show you back in the 70s, Darth Vader was a huge scary guy, and that is why he was feared by many, and still today one of my favorite villains. In the new movie out this week, we get to see why he was so scary in our imaginations and the Star Wars story.