Do you remember a time when you used to hang out in Archies Gallery? I used to. That was before we had coffee shops- a period which coincided with the time when we never had enough money to hang out in coffee shops. So we used to meet at the local Archies Gallery, and giggle over the cards. Yes, we were very unimaginative. But shops were entertaining back then, and secretly admiring a Tom Cruise poster while pretending to be asexual was still not completely lame.
I was reminded of Archies Gallery for one particular reason. I remember, on the morning of my thirteenth birthday, I went there to buy return gifts for my friends. I bought colourful pads, pencils and stickers, and little paper bags to put them in. Because I had bought quite a lot of stuff, I got something free. The guy probably gave it to me because no one else would buy it, but I loved it, nonetheless. It was a keychain, but I transformed it to a badge and kept it attached to my duffel bag for a long time afterwards. I wasn't too young to appreciate irony or irreverance, and to my unformed sense of humour, the keychain/badge had both. And it allowed me a little irreverant shrug of the shoulder each time people asked me if I really felt what the keychain/badge said. I'd say, "I just thought it's funny" and feel so incredibly cool. Honestly, I was a dork. And keep that thought to yourself.
Anyway, the keychain/badge said this- "I Miss Michael Jackson".