I Must Be Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Biggest Fan

Medha Shri gave the OSME Writers Club a Writing Prompt via WhatsApp. Here is the prompt and instructions: 

The prompt for today is to think about what will make you really happy?
Then imagine you have it and write about how you feel, what you do, the changes it has brought… how positive you are…
Close you eyes and imagine you have it and you are happy. Make notes in 5 minutes. Then write the story in present tense… as if you are living your happy life.

The challenge for me was: Do I have the courage to press publish on a mediocre piece of writing? The answer seems to be yes, so here you go. Forewarned, please feel free to skip this one 🙂 

If you’d like to flex your writing muscles, I encourage you to write an article using this prompt. 

Check out two amazing posts in response to this prompt.
Surekha Chandrasekhar’s article 
Soma Mohanty Garg’s article

Sep 6 1993

“Bend down boy!”

Arnold Schwarzenegger bellows his instructions to young John, saving him from the bad guys. Machine guns are fired left, right and centre. The terminator protects John and his mother Sarah. 

I must be the luckiest sixth-standard student ever at this moment. My Mom has taken me and my kid brother to watch Terminator 2: Judgment Day at the Devi Paradise theatre.

Arnold Schwarzenegger is my hero. I don’t understand anything in the movie. But I don’t care. I love this movie. This has to be the best experience ever. This must be heaven on earth. My friends asked me if I liked Dolby stereo sound effects. Dolby what? I get to see Arnold on screen, and I am excited. Period. 

“I’ll be Back”. 

No! I don’t want the movie to end. More importantly, I don’t want Arnold to go. I’m as disappointed as young John. Oh well. At least the terminator will be back. I must convince Mom to watch this movie again. This is the best movie ever. 

I wish I could meet Arnold.

(Note from 2022 Prahalad: sixth-standard Prahalad didn’t have the slightest inkling that I’ll Be Back will be immortalised in history).

Aug 12 2003

Arnold Schwarzenegger is speaking at the University of Maryland!

This has to be the best day ever! I am going to meet my childhood hero.

Arnold is contesting for the position of Governor of California. I’m so glad he chose to speak at the Cole Field House. On another note, Terminator 3 released back in July. I didn’t care enough to watch it.

Am I even a true Arnold fan?

July 11 2015

I’m watching Terminator Genesys in the lovely Escape theatre with Durga. What a fantastic experience! The chairs are amazing. I’m so glad I was able to reserve a couple’s seat. The food here is delicious. The popcorn is amazing. 

The only fly in the ointment is the movie itself.

Terminator is so boring. Why would anyone watch this movie? What is the big deal in a few people watching machine guns?

Arnold has aged. Wait, I liked him a lot in Terminator 2, didn’t I? What was I thinking?

I wish we had gone and watched the Harry Potter movie instead. Now, that is an example of a fine movie series.  

January 10 2050

I’m watching the Harry Potter series on air-movie on our couch. With the grandkids. Can you believe we had to stream movies in Netflix and Prime back in the days?

Today, with the press of a button, I watch the movie on air right where I’m sitting. Literally on air.

But what a drag. The kids seem to love this movie. Let me humor them and watch it. I should ask them though, who in their right mind would watch Harry Potter?

Wait, didn’t I like it in my twenties?

What was I thinking?

Note: Arnold did not come to University of Maryland. That part was fiction. The rest of it is true.

Image Credit: http://www.impawards.com/1984/terminator.html, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=22186885