Bumblebee was my best friend when I was 8 years old
Listen here - I am a (somewhat) functional adult human at the ripe old age of 19. I have a job (a sad and depressing one at that, but besides the point...), adult friends, adult responsibilities, etc. I like to think that I’m pretty stable in life. But I remember when I very much was not a stable human, and I was reminded of that time tonight while watching “Bumblebee” tonight.
When I was just about to turn seven, my mom got a new job out of state, and because she loved me and our family, she took it. Because of that, we moved, and it was the worst thing ever. I hated it. Resisted it. My parents sympathized, but they really tried to get me to embrace our new lives. I fucking hated it, more than I thought I could hate anything. I started second grade, and I made friends, but I missed my old school. My old teachers. My old friends. So, being an emotionally confused kid, I kinda pushed people away by being exceptionally and strangely me. I gave them the full experience of knowing ME. And let me tell ya, it was a lot to take in. Honestly, it probably still is, so S/O to my friends that have chosen to stick around for me - love ya, guys.
But anyway, I had some friends, but I tended to keep to myself a lot. I’d throw a pity party at least once a week in a corner of the playground and I’d only invite myself. I confided in my favorite music and films because they were a piece of home I could hold onto in our new life. And then one day, my dad brought home a new movie for us to watch, just to see if it was any good.
That movie was 2007’s “Transformers.”
A little backstory, here. My dad grew up in the ‘80s, and Transformers were among his favorite things growing up, but because he didn’t have a son (at the time), he didn’t think he’d get to share that love with anyone. Boy, was he fuckin’ wrong....
So Dad brings home “Transformers” and we pop it in. Before that moment, I was not by any means into robots. The closest I’d been to being into sci-fi was “Lilo and Stitch.” But we sat through that signature Michael Bay film, and my life changed. I fell in love with these big ass robots and their war, their struggles, their sacrifices, and somewhere in there, I felt connected to them. And as much as I loved all of the Autobots, Bumblebee was my favorite. He became a good friend, a best friend. He was so emotionally approachable and relatable. Bumblebee became a part of my coping as a kid. When I had bad days emotionally, I confided in my Bumblebee action figure. When I was angry or sad or just kinda emotionally fucked some days, Bee was the guy I relied on.
For a long time, I relied on the Autobots and Bumblebee to make friends and get through life. I hung around the boys a lot. I avoided most other girls. Only the boys could relate to my “passion” (borderline obsession, maybe?) for the space robots. I found my dad’s old G1 toys, I asked for new Transformers action figures for every holiday and birthday, and I even got the complete collection of the original cartoon. They helped me get through my emotional crises in life. Bumblebee helped me the most.
Middle school starts, and this kid is rockin’ al the TF school supplies. Folders, notebooks, pencil case, lunch box, everything except a backpack. Most people thought it was weird of a girl to love a boys’ thing so much, but it lead me to a good friendship for a few years. But then, as I got older, like most people’s childhoods, that crutch was needed less and less. I kinda came into my own with time, and I came around to this new life I’d resisted so much. By the time I got to high school, all of my Transformers stuff just kinda existed in my room. By the time I packed for college, it all ended up in a storage tote in my attic. And that’s where they’re at, even as I type this long-ass post.
My sister, who is 11, almost 12 now, loves Transformers, too. Not like I did, but nonetheless loves them. She’s the reason we saw “Bumblebee” tonight. I haven’t really thought about them a lot since I packed my things away, but I’m glad she asked to see it. This “origin story” of the loveable yellow bot not only serves as a potential franchise rebooter, but serves as a reminder of when I was a kid. Bee and Charlie develope this deep friendship, and I was reminded of the love I had for the little guy long ago. The film reminded me of those hard times I had growing up.
Even as I type this, I’m starting to feel bad for putting my friends in the attic. God, I’m starting to well up a little. They did so much for me.
Bumblebee did so much for me.
Listen here - I am a somewhat functional adult human at the ripe old age of 19 with a normal adult life. But tonight, I got to be a kid again. I got to remake a best friend again. I got to fall in love again (in the most platonic way.) All because of a movie that my sister was excited to watch.
It was a heartwarming night. Thanks, Hasbro 💙