Senseless Tragedy

When I saw all of the TV and internet ads that had the A Christmas Story theme this past holiday season, I thought the trend was gratuitous and rather unoriginal. Now, it seems that there was a reason for it: a fitting final tribute to a man who gave my generation a holiday classic.

Back in 2005, when I was still living in New Jersey, my roommate at the time heard I had never seen A Christmas Story. When the holidays rolled around, he ordered me to curl up on the couch in our drafty living room that never quite felt like home to watch his copy of the DVD. And I did just that, right under the pinkish glow of the Christmas tree lights and near the toy train set my roommate had set up earlier that month. That's one great memory I have of that apartment: feeling cozy, happy, and not a little bit childlike as I finally watched all of those scenes I had heard my schoolmates talking about all of those years.

Rest in peace, Robert Clark.