Day 331: The World According To Lloyd Dobler

“I gave her my heart, and she gave me a pen.” – Lloyd Dobler

I was thinking about Lloyd Dobler early today. I think of Lloyd often, albeit not in a romantic sense like a lot of the ladies (and maybe men) have done since 1989 when Lloyd entered our collective hearts and minds. 

I think of Lloyd for other reasons beyond the great romantic he is. I think of Lloyd for reasons related to life views and philosophies for living it. 

I hold Lloyd Dobler in great esteem, and for many reasons. For someone so young, he really had his shit together. He knew the score way early on, and man, if that didn't put him a millions miles ahead of the pack. I’m 45, and I'm still wishing I could acquire the levels of wisdom that Lloyd seemingly was born with. 

I’m not alone, either. Do a quick search for Lloyd on Google and you’ll find the Great Dob’s presence is quite strong in the virtual and real worlds. Lloyd lives on all these years later with great force, in fact, as anyone who has let the Words of Dobler wash over his or herself would expect.

Lloyd has at least one Tumblr page created in his honor (and it’s a great one at that).

Lloyd, of course, has his own Wikipedia page.

He has his own character page at IMDB.

There’s a band named after him.

There’s an online art gallery that you can virtually peruse and get all Dolberized in.

There's T-shirts and posters and bumper stickers and decals. The GIFs and JPEGs and TIFFs and graphic art and more. 

Lloyd has had comparisons drawn between himself and Jake Ryan, that chisel-jawed hunk of a loverboy from “Sixteen Candles” in the Washington Post and come out quite favorably.  

Hell, John Cusack even sank into his inner Dobler not long ago, breaking the fourth wall, and bestowing Peter Gabriel with his very own boombox during Gabriel's gig.

For a great many people, Lloyd Dobler and "Say Anything" is more than just a movie. It's a guiding point. A landmark moment. A reference point to return to again and again. Some people have not only taken great solace in Lloyd's wisdom, they've built your lives around it. If you know nothing else about "Say Anything," you probably are at least familiar with this tasty nugget of pure gold: 

“I don’t want to sell anything, buy anything, or process anything as a career. I don’t want to sell anything bought or processed, or buy anything sold or processed, or process anything sold, bought, or processed, or repair anything sold, bought, or processed. You know, as a career, I don’t want to do that.”

As much as I love that quote and as much as I admire the truth it contains, I draw inspiration from Lloyd Dobler more for his risk-taking ways and the incredible sense of adventure that lives within him. 

Whereas I adored many a girl from a far but never had the courage to even utter a word, the great Lloyd Dobler acted on his attraction for one Diane Court.

  

Whereas I let too many opportunities pass me by because I was worried about the consequences more than the possibilities, the great Lloyd Dobler seized the day and kick-boxed (“the sport of the future”) his ass off to sweet, sweet contentment.

“I am looking for a dare to be great situation.”

Whereas I’ve tried with great effort to turn clever phrases meant to invoke some reaction at the right time to provide someone some sense of meaning, Lloyd does so effortlessly, such as this, my favorite of all from Lloyd:

“If you start out depressed, everything’s kind of a pleasant surprise.”

Whereas I often completely bungle the words and meaning that I’d like to get across to someone I love, Lloyd does so with great ease, including this exchange with his sister. 

Lloyd: You used to be fun. You used to be warped and twisted and hilarious... and I mean that in the best way - I mean it as a compliment! 

Constance: I was hilarious once, wasn't I? 

Whereas I use too many words to over complicate an uncomplicated situation, Lloyd uses less to say more, and I admire the hell out of that.

Diane: Are you shaking? 
Lloyd: No. 
Diane: You're shaking. 
Lloyd: I don't think so. 
Diane: You're cold. 
Lloyd: I don't think I am. 
Diane: Then why are you shaking? 
Lloyd: I don't know. I think I'm happy.

I thought of Lloyd today for the same reason I usually find myself thinking of Lloyd. Lately, I’ve been feeling as if I'm living without much purpose or reason. Floating. Drifting. Randomly moving from one seemingly inconsequential personal moment to another, hoping, wishing, praying that something dramatic might occur to break the routine of daily life. 

It's at these times that my man, Lloyd somehow, someway enters the scene and lets me know that he wouldn’t stand for such self-inflicted meandering and time-wasting. My boy Lloyd would grab himself a boombox, drive his car to his best girl’s bedroom window, and he'd confront his destiny by staring down what he wanted most in the world straight in the god damned eyes. Then he would proceed to grab onto happiness and covet it for all it is worth, not worrying about the last minute or the next one to come.

Thanks yet again, Lloyd. You’ve once again shown me the way. You truly are the keymaster.