Monologue: The Best Days of my Life
By Kevin Brennan

*Sigh* it seems like just yesterday, those days. Those days when life was like a carnival that I thought would never
I don’t remember exactly how we met, however that is not important. What I do remember is hanging out every day – whether it was down at Douglas Park, Lincoln Park, or Westwood Park, or even Rustic Canyon Park. Sometimes, we’d even hang out at my place in the spa or something.
Man, we did some of the craziest things back then. Whether we were at my house stealing sugar from the cabinet, or claiming trees as our own at parks, or even dropping trash into a stream to make ‘stew’ – that didn’t matter. We were all really good friends, and that is what was important.
And then, of course, the dreaded institute called school came. They ended up going to various Santa Monica public schools, and I was trapped in a fancy rich-kid’s private school called UES; not to say that I didn’t like it, but I think that was one reason why we kinda just stopped hanging out.
I saw Danny every once in awhile, but I’m pretty sure that was it for awhile.
Then, the thing that really killed us happened: Danny moved up to Santa Barbara. See, as far as I could tell, he was the leader of us; and everyone who knows me well would say that it had to be true if I acknowledged anyone else as leader. The last thing we did together when he still lived here was see the first Pokemon movie.
Every so often, I would visit him; sometimes with the gang, other times not. He had a much better place in Santa Barbara, with a pool and everything. If I remember right, he basically lived on a cliff in a community called Hope Ranch.
Now, you might ask: “Kevin, if you still lived so close to the others, why didn’t you hang out with them very often?” Well, that is one mystery that will never be solved – not even by Scooby and the gang. Sure, I’d see Tyler every once in awhile, but I don’t thing I ever saw Daniel save for the reunions we’d have every so often.
Another kid who was from Santa Monica was named Jeremy. I guess you could call him the weird one; or, at least at the time. Whether I was running away from him for trying to kiss me, or wrestling with him, it didn’t matter. He was just who he was. While I do not recall hanging out with him and the group before I met up with him (‘again’ says my parents) at a park, he is a great friend; he’s the only one I’ve talked to in ages. In fact, he was the only one I saw frequently after Danny moved.
Of course, every so often we’d have reunions; although the last one I think where we had the whole gang together was at least three years ago. Some were at the park, some were up at Danny’s, and I think one was held at my place.
Perhaps the most memorable of these was the time when I went to Six Flags with Danny and Jeremy. Remember the good old days when Cartoon Network actually had good programming, and gave away cool stuff? I know, “it’s all huge publicity stunts,” but that one wasn’t. I actually happened to win those tickets fair and square. Sure, we didn’t have the whole gang; but it was my first time to Six Flags, and as long as I saw Danny and Jeremy, I was fine.
Sometimes, I would see Tyler for a barbecue on some holidays, but that hasn't happened in at least 3 years.
Now, a lot of people will call me over nostalgic; is it because I had an amazing childhood with these guys, because my life just ain’t what it used to be, or because the last time I saw Danny it seemed like a rushed goodbye? I really don’t know. But what I do know is this: We should all see each other again at least once.
A quote that I will always remember from one of my favorite TV shows is this: “The carnival always comes back; you just have to wait for it.” Well, I think I’ve waited a long time. Is my carnival gone forever???