-By Guest Blogger miahappy
Hello, my name is Mia and I am a Steve and Kayla addict.
There, I said it. The first step in conquering any addiction is admitting you have a problem. The thing is, in this case, I am not sure my addiction is a problem.
When I was 13 I began watching Days of Our Lives (initially just to annoy my sister who watched daily despite being a Luke and Laura fan at heart). I’ll never forget the first episode I ever saw. There was a big party and Renee was killed…classic whodunit mystery involving just about every character on the show.
A week later, I quietly admitted to myself I was hooked.
I was initially convinced there would never be another couple greater than Bo and Hope. Well, in the matter of a few months, with the talent and chemistry of two spectacular actors… namely Stephen Nichols and Mary Beth Evans, I knew in my heart it did not get better than their Steve and Kayla.
I remember sitting in front of the television every afternoon after I got home from school to watch the recorded episode. Some of those old tapes (even some on Beta – yes, my dad was one of the 15 people back then to insist that Beta was the way to go – lay off!) were worn out because I would rewind and play them over and over and over. There were scenes that stood out in my memory, even years later; the patch removal, the first kiss, their first time on the roof, the first time after Kayla was raped (my personal favorite), and no doubt, their yacht wedding. I knew back then my interest teetered on obsession, but who cares. I had my daily fix and I was happy.
I stopped watching Days after Steve ‘died’ in 1990. Most of the reason was because I had just begun college and was in a real transition in my life, but another reason was because I already knew at a very young age that it just doesn’t get any better than that. How do you follow up such a great love story? The old videotapes unfortunately didn’t make the move with me and I have no idea what ultimately happened to them, but with Steve ‘gone’ it was better in my mind to let them go. I never bothered with any other soap…I knew there was no point. So for the time being, I hopped on the wagon and moved on with life.
Almost 20 years later, due to restricted activity from a pregnancy and WAY too much free time, I found myself surfing through YouTube early one Saturday morning. I was positively giddy to find a plethora of Steve and Kayla clips at my fingertips for my endless viewing pleasure. I laughed, cried and reminisced back to my teen years as I watched scenes I remembered so very fondly and could practically still recite despite having not seen them for many, many years.
It was then that I officially fell off the wagon.
Long story short, in order to feed my growing addiction I found myself engulfed in the multitude of fan fiction stories posted on the forums. I’ll tell you, I knew after reading that first story that things would never be the same. Finally, there was something to fill that void that could not be taken away by some idiot running a multi-million dollar organization…some moron who couldn’t care less about what his fans are begging for nor the product he puts out. I wouldn’t have to suffer through watching some dim-witted executive attempting to destroy something that, although fictional, held a dear place in my heart and always would.
But…I digress…
The day I read the last new fan fiction was a sad one for me. I thought to myself, ‘what now?’ It took a great deal of self-convincing and a number of attempts before I finally decided to give it a shot and write a story of my own. If there was nothing to read…I’d write. I’ll tell you honestly, it was the best decision I have made in a long time. Now there is hardly a day that goes by without some time spent writing, or reading, but mostly both. It is a wonderful escape to difficult times and the struggles we all have to deal with in life. Without this outlet, I’m sure they would have taken me away in a straight jacket months ago (but there is no guarantee my husband doesn’t have them on stand-by at this moment – in fact, he won’t tell me what the unmarked speed dial number is on the phone…I’ll have to ask him about that).
When I was asked to write this blog, my mind began to wander back to the beginning. What started this time-filler, which turned into a hobby, which quickly became an addiction for me? Well, the answer to that was the magic of Steve and Kayla.
What is it about this fictional couple that has spawned multiple websites, luncheons (*expletive* you Corday), campaigns and tons of intriguing fan fictions? What is it that kept them alive in our hearts for the past 20 years and will keep them with us forever, despite the attempts at destruction through the current production team in charge?
Here’s my take…
We start with a very flawed character, Steve “Patch” Johnson. The eye patch definitely gives him an air of intrigue and the pretense of danger. The smarmy attitude and obvious vendetta against Bo Brady peaked our interest as we began to wonder about this new nemesis introduced to the scene.
He was a mercenary. An orphan who never had anyone honestly love him, he did what it took to survive, but even early on we could see there was more to this man than met the eye (no pun intended). His time with Hope showed us glimpses into his heart; a heart he tried desperately to hide from the outside world. For him life was hard and he had been repeatedly hurt and rejected (even by his own mother). He wasn’t going to let anyone get inside his heart – that was carefully locked away, never to be opened again.
Then there was Kayla. She was beautiful, intelligent, sweet, and very caring. Raised in the textbook happy home, she lived her life caring for those less fortunate, always on the side of the underdog. Despite numerous warnings from many people who cared for her, she insisted on seeing the good in everyone, regardless of common stereotypes.
Their relationship started in the worst possible way. He stalked and terrorized her. But, fans of the couple will never forget the look on ‘Patch’s’ face the first time he saw Kayla from her closet in Cleveland. Everyone could see it was the beginning of something magical.
It was a classic love story. There was a bad boy with the heart of gold. The good girl who refused to be deterred from going after the man she wanted. She showed him what love was and helped him break down the heavy walls he had built around himself. He intrigued her, and showed her passion and excitement, making her the woman she always wanted to be despite being treated as a child by most of her family. They were a perfect fit. Brutally honest and accepting of each other regardless of what they found. They had a love like no other.
She supported him through the turmoil of his family returning to his life and the fallout of an abusive father. He supported her through a horrific rape and the devastation of deafness. Together they experienced highs and lows, good times and bad, and although many were against their relationship at the start, they won everyone over with their devotion and commitment to each other. Their love for each other could not be measured and will never be questioned.
If there were a dictionary definition of love story, I would think we would find the story of Steve and Kayla; two strong, independent people drawn together through an unbreakable connection. With them, we definitely see the sum is greater than the parts.
They can take away the actors. They can write off the characters, but thank God they can’t take away my love for them. They will live in my heart and for as long as I enjoy it, on my computer screen.
In a world that tends to be very cynical and cold, I will always have a refuge. When things just get too tough and I don’t want to face reality, I can lock myself away and escape with my ever-loving couple, whether they are riding into the sunset in the wild west, living happily ever-after in medieval times, or fighting drug lords in the jungles of Columbia…
You know what? I don’t think my addiction is a problem. In fact, for as long as it gives me the peace I seek, this addiction is going to be fed.
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