Mommy had this ungodly obsession with Star Trek. I never got it.

All I saw when she watched the original series was a bunch of tight clothes and bad make-up. People would talk pretentiously about how primitive it was in the 20th century, etc. Meanwhile, everyone was flirting with each other, even when they pretended to be intellectual. It drove me nuts!

But Mommy saw utopia on the TV. She saw a world where everybody could get along, love each other, and war was abolished.

Maybe I do get it.

I remember when Janet Jackson came out with her Rhythm Nation CD. I was so excited about her video, where all these ‘soldiers’ broke it down in synchronized dance moves. Curtis used to tease me about wanting a rhythm nation, where everybody would forget their strife, and just dance together. Star Trek was that for Mommy.

She watched every episode innumerable times. She bought and read all the books. She even subjected us to some horrible Vulcan dessert. It had raisins. It think it was a rice pudding. With carrots, maybe?

Mommy used to write papers on social work in the Star Trek universe. She’d give presentations at the Pop Culture Institute’s conventions. I remember going to one of those conventions in New Orleans. Most of the audience sat enraptured with her insight, but there’d always be one or two skeptics who wondered why she took Star Trek so seriously. Even though I didn’t understand that either, I thought that someone who’d take the time to listen to her paper should have the respect to appreciate it.

Although the Social Work faculty at WMU didn’t respect the Star Trek papers, Mommy’s research caught someone’s attention. She had an entry in the official Star Trek encyclopedia. She was so thrilled to be included, and they sent a free copy of the book. I even got a kick out of reading her entry. Durned if I understood what it was talking about, though.

Then, I met Curtis. He also liked Star Trek, especially The Next Generation. I actually ended up having to watch the entire series with him.

When I was in labor with Esteban, Curtis watched the last season of Enterprise on the Replay.

Mommy made Curtis a Warf suit to wear to the office one Halloween. The costume is still in our closet. Curtis never worked up the nerve to wear it. Maybe Xay can, some day. Curtis and Mommy even went to a Star Trek convention together, before we were married.

I think Mommy actually conceded that there were more hard-core fans than she. She probably agreed with Shatner, who once said, “It was just a television show. Get over it!”

But, she still wrote the papers, made a quilt, and has typed an in-depth explanation of her quilt. We always had to observe reverential silence when the original series was on.

I just didn’t get it. But I don’t think my kids understand that rhythm nation. . .