Crushes...

A fellow blogger, Ophelia London, reviewed the book I Think I Love You by Allison Pearson today and then asked....

"Who was your teenage crush? I told you mine. . . . ."

So, picture this... 

There you are (or I am), all 13 years and raging 'hermones'...

Standing in front of the record bin of the local Boston Woolworth's store (I kid you not), flipping through the bargain records (yes records, actual 1984 black vinyl).

And suddenly, there he is!! The man-boy of my dreams! His adorable, slightly-feminine face stares out and screams...

He's the cutie in the middle front...

"Marry me and have my babies!"  (uh, ok, maybe that was just me)...

It screams "Take me home!"

So I did... And quite a few more over the years.

My childhood crush (ok, to be fair to my family, obsession), was Roy Estephan Rosello Diaz. A member of Menudo from the mid-to late 80's. 

For those of you who don't know, Menudo was a Puerto Rican boy-band, created in the 1970's by a money-hungry mastermind with substantial backing. Menudo members joined the group as pre-teens and stayed only long enough to make the band's management team a fortune, then the second they began to look too "manly', they were tossed to the wind.  The likely best known ex-Menudo (at least in the states) would be Ricky Martin, of Livin' La Vida Loca success.

But the 80's were Menudo's hey-day, with a successful crossover into the American market.  Pretty rare and impressive for a traditionally all Spanish group, but us 1980's teens knew sexy when we saw it!

Roy was the quieter, shyer, mostly Spanish speaking one. Yes, I kissed his pictures, swooned, and listened to his music for hours each day...all that 'normal' stuff. But, I really do mean obsessed! I also made a fourth grade classroom which I was watching over lunch (I attended a small private school that year) sing Happy Birthday to him. I convinced my parents to take me to Puerto Rico junior year so I could "experience the world" and, more honestly, visit the Menudo store and buy more music and pictures (you never know, I might have run into him!).  I even broke up with my first REAL high school boyfriend because (well, honestly because I didn't really like him that much, but I said....) I was in love with someone else and though I knew "it could never be, I just couldn't change my heart"!

After Menudo, Roy went on to other things... He made a jungle-boy type movie, sadly totally in Spanish but dude was practically in the buff so honestly who cared?! He has worked with his father in real estate and has owed several businesses. 

He has stayed involved in the music scene, attempting a come back in Brazil and trying to arrange a Menudo reunion show, but to little success. 
 


But honestly, he is still pretty darn yummy... Isn't he?!