At the tender age of 11, I experienced an unexpected awakening in the most mundane of places—a grocery store. While my mom was busy examining the produce, I wandered off to the nearby magazine aisle. My attention was instantly captured by a vibrant magazine sporting the name BOP in bold, pink letters. It was a teen fan magazine, one I had seen before but never truly noticed until that fateful day. Although Kirk Cameron dominated the cover, it was the small image of Michael J. Fox at the bottom that captivated my heart.
I was an avid viewer of Family Ties, but it took me a while to acknowledge my obsession. Each evening at 7:30, I’d sneak into my parents’ room to watch the show on their small TV. I avoided viewing it in the living room; it felt too personal, too private. That all changed the moment I saw Michael J. Fox’s charming smile staring back at me from the BOP cover. Suddenly, I understood—my heart raced for him. I needed that magazine!
As I glanced at the $1.95 price tag, I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach. I could already hear my mother’s voice saying no. Summoning my courage, I asked her anyway, only to receive her classic “Maybe later,” which I knew meant “Not happening!” Before placing the magazine back, I flipped through it one last time, and fate smiled upon me; it opened right to a mini poster of Michael J. Fox.
“Stealing is wrong!” my conscience yelled.
“But it’s true love!” Hormonal Me rebutted.
In a moment of impulse, I tore out the mini poster while ensuring no one was watching. My heart raced as I folded it and tucked it into my pocket. I was drenched in sweat as we exited the store, fully anticipating a security guard to swoop in at any moment. Guilt consumed me on the drive home, but the moment I unwrapped the glossy treasure in my room, all remorse evaporated. I tucked it under a book to flatten it and secured it in my Trapper Keeper, allowing me to gaze at his enchanting face at school.
However, a single poster was not enough to quench my thirst. A few days later, we returned to the grocery store, and to my delight, there was another issue of BOP. This time, I made the mistake of flipping through it again, and there it was—a centerfold of him, looking like a Canadian version of Bruce Springsteen. I simply couldn’t resist; I had to take it.
You’ll be relieved to know that I ceased my stealing spree after that. The guilt was overwhelming. Yet, as my days of petty theft came to an end, my desire for Michael J. Fox posters only intensified. I soon realized that I couldn’t limit myself to just BOP; other magazines were bursting with treasures, and I had to explore! Tiger Beat, for instance, had wallet-sized cutouts in the back!
After my centerfold escapade, I managed to earn some money and purchased my first magazine legitimately. I meticulously cut out every pinup and article featuring Michael J. Fox. As the New Kids on the Block rose to fame, my obsession with teen magazines spiraled out of control. I didn’t even need to buy them at the grocery store anymore; my friend Jake’s stepmother owned a bookstore and had access to all the latest editions. He even had the elusive Big Bopper magazine, which was filled with oversized centerfolds. Jake would sell them to me at a discount, and if you didn’t get to him first thing in the morning, they were all gone by lunchtime.
Yes, I had a dealer. No judgment, please.
Despite my walls being plastered with posters—one wall dedicated to group shots of the New Kids, another behind my bed for individual band members, and the wall next to my bed solely reserved for my true love, Donnie Wahlberg—I always felt it wasn’t enough.
One morning, I dashed to Jake as soon as I arrived at school, anticipating the treasures he would unveil. To my dismay, he only had a YM magazine and a Thrasher. “What am I supposed to do with these?” I demanded, feeling frustration boil over. He explained that another girl had snagged all the good stuff, and I nearly lost it, demanding to know her name. It was Lisa, and I remember plotting how my petite, 4-foot-8 frame could take her down.
I knew I had an obsession. Eventually, I apologized to Lisa for my glaring stares and even turned down her kind offer of an extra BOP magazine.
That was the turning point; I stopped my magazine poster pursuits altogether. I didn’t renew my subscription to Super Teen and ignored Jake’s pleas to check out the new issues. By the year’s end, I took down most of my posters, keeping only a couple of Donnie’s—eventually swapped out for a massive poster of Mark Wahlberg in his iconic Calvin Kleins.
Reflecting on that chapter of my life brings a mix of nostalgia and a hint of shame. I cherish those innocent days when my biggest concern was how to sneak a poster out of a grocery store, alongside the embarrassment of the lengths I went to for my obsession.
To the girl who bought a BOP magazine and found a missing pull-out poster, it was me. I’m sorry!
For more insights on family and home insemination, check out this resource on pregnancy and related topics. Additionally, if you’re interested in home insemination kits, consider visiting this page for expert guidance. You can also explore another article on our blog that provides further information.
Summary
This piece reflects on the author’s nostalgic journey of teenage obsession with magazines, particularly BOP, and the lengths she went to acquire posters of her crush, Michael J. Fox. It humorously recounts the mix of guilt and excitement associated with her youthful escapades, ending with a light-hearted apology to those affected by her antics.