Dear Kevin Smith,

Yesterday I saw Clerks II. My friends went without me when it opened, but I got snotty about it, because I've been waiting for it, so they were really nice to me and went to see it again so I could see it. I suppose I could have gone by myself, I've done it before, but I just felt like I needed to share the experience.

I digress. I really, really, really, really, liked Clerks. I should also mention at this point that I too grew up where you did. I'm fully reppin' the Chi nowadays, but seeing little landmarks of my youth hits me hard right in my cold, black heart. This might be why I liked Clerks so much, although I admit, I didn't actually see it until I was in college.

Alright, let me tell you a little bit about what I was doing in 1994. I was 12. I was still mad because my mom had firmly maintained I could not have a perm. I listened to pop radio. My friends and I fantasized constantly about being teenagers. I wouldn't have gotten Clerks ever if I could have found a way to see it. Three years later, when we packed up our stuff and moved to the Midwest, leaving my hometown in our dust - I wasn't sad. In fact, I wasn't really sad about leaving at all until I saw Clerks.

Even in black and white, I saw everyone I grew up with, I saw the sandy soil, I saw the yellow license plates on rusting cars, I saw the Cape Cods, I saw the beach, I saw Italian Ices and I saw jughandles. I felt the bitter and the sweet.

To be honest, I don't know what I like more - the fact that I fully do enjoy your movies or the fact that you're just a kid from Jersey. And not a kid from Jersey like Bon Jovi. Gross. And I just happen to think you're great.

love,
me