I don't remember the exact date, but it was somewhere in January of this year. I found a complete set of DVDs at Goodwill. $1.99 for the entire first season of 24. Little did I know.
I became interested (and since developed a knack for understatement) in the Napoleonic Wars after my initial viewing of Master and Commander back in 2004. Peter Weir's epic production from the series by Patrick O'Brien starred the swashbuckling Post Captain (at the time) Lucky Jack Aubrey, brilliantly portrayed by Russell Crowe. I later found that Mr. O'Brien had written almost 30 books on the same subject all whirling around the exploits and maritime adventures of Jack and his counterpart Dr. Steven Maturin. Less than little did I know.
Here we are in April of 2015. I am sad, depressed, lonely and forlorn.
I finished the final season of 24 last night, Live Another Day. The heroic Jack Bauer being taken by the dastardly Russians to Moscow for what we all know will be a painful (and perhaps final) stint in some Soviet stalag. For the remainder of my days I will feel empowered and moved by the character so perfectly portrayed by Kiefer Sutherland. The guy had balls.
Almost simultaneously I finished listening to the collected works of Patrick O'Brien as rendered and read unabridged on tape, CD more accurately. All this made me feel like a captain of a 32 gun frigate as I drove my 4 cylinder Ford Ranger around town.
They are both gone now. I am done. It is over. The Jacks have left me here to carry on. As they might. I have, I feel, a responsibility to emulate. To copy. To live up to expectations. To honor their (however fictions) courage, conviction and compassion. Good writing is the nail to the hammer of good acting.
Thank you sincerely authors and actors. It was a wild ride, whether at CTU or aboard the Surprise. In LA or Malta, NY or the Galapagos, DC or Port Mahon, London or Mauritius.
I am going to miss you guys. I hope I can carry the torch in some small way.
Jacks couldn't have been better.
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