Memorizing The Pest

The classroom buzzed with an electric energy as I walked in. The bulky video equipment and that big old TV, with its large cathode ray tube screen, filled me with a sense of excitement and anticipation. The air was thick with the smell of dust and old electronics, but it was a comforting scent, a reminder that I was finally going to learn the ins and outs of video production. As a junior high school student at IS 291, this was a dream come true. As I found my seat, I couldn’t help but notice Fabian, who would come to be known in the industry as CloudKickaPiff. His vibrant aura was impossible to ignore – he exuded confidence, charisma, and always had a smile that could light up the room. We quickly became friends, our connection fueled by our shared love of movies and the creative potential of video production. Under the flickering fluorescent lights, our class transformed into a movie watching club. We huddled together, our faces illuminated by the glow of the TV screen, as we eagerly consumed film after film. The worn-out VHS tapes, their labels faded and corners frayed, were our tickets to another world – one where we could lose ourselves in the stories and characters that unfolded before our eyes. I remember the day “The Pest” with John Leguizamo was released like it was yesterday. We were utterly captivated by the chaotic and hilarious energy that filled the screen, and it didn’t take long for Fabian and me to start a race to see who could memorize the script first. Fabian, being the natural entertainer that he was, quickly took the lead. His voice boomed with confidence as he effortlessly recited the extended version of The Pest’s name. The energy in his performance was infectious, and his enthusiasm would send ripples of laughter through the room, making even the most stoic of classmates crack a smile. This friendly competition lit a fire within me, and I became obsessed with rewatching movies, trying to memorize every line and every scene. I would spend hours at home, my eyes glued to the screen as I dissected each film, deconstructing the dialogue and studying the cinematography. Little did I know, this obsession with movies would lay the foundation for my future in the entertainment industry.