I saw “Red Dawn” on TV a few nights ago. “Red Dawn” was released in 1984 and was about high school kids fighting off the occupying communists who invaded the USA. They go to the mountains, hide out, survive and eventually kick some commie butt. They became known as “The Wolverines.” It was a great cold war flick and Brian and I loved it.
There was one particular scene in it that Brian and I thought was great. About half way through the movie, Robert (C. Thomas Howell) hunts and kills his first deer. Jeb (The legendary Patrick Swayze) and Matt Eckert (Charlie Sheen) make Robert drink the blood of his first kill and honor “the spirit of the deer.” Take a look at this you tube clip and watch the awesomeness unfold:
We fished frequently with the Adam and Kerry MacVay . Kerry worked with K-Mart (where my Dad and brother sold toys) and we went several times to Canada and Costa Rica. We always had a blast and enjoyed catching tons of fish (most of the time). We got to meet interesting people (Gen. George Patton III) and some utter and complete boors. The biggest boor was a guy we met in Canada. His name was “Preston.” When we first met Preston and his wife, they immediately preceded to tell us how and why they disliked K-Mart. They went on and on. Finally, Preston asked Kerry what he did for a living. Kerry says “I buy toys.” Preston said “oh” and drank his coffee. In mid sip, Adam surgically said “for K-Mart.” Preston was slightly embarrassed and tried to take his size 10 unsuccessfully out of his mouth. We all immediately despised the “Prestons” and made fun of them all day fishing. Brian called me Preston numerous times when he disliked my normal easy going personality and superb fishing skills.
The next day, the Prestons were again boring us with details of their life. Finally, Mrs. “Preston” did say something that interested us. She talked about how she had to shoot and kill a bear that wondered on their back deck in Minnesota. We listened to the somewhat interesting story and Mrs. Preston paused. Brian immediately went for the kill:
Brian: “Was this the first bear you killed?”
Mrs. Preston: (slightly puzzled) “Yes.”
Brian: “Did you drink its blood?”
Mrs. Preston: (shocked) “What?”
Brian: “You have to drink the blood of your first kill. You have to honor its spirit.”
Mrs. Preston: “You’re kidding me? That’s disgusting!”
Kerry MacVay: (nodding his head) “Of course you have to drink the blood!”
Rest of us now in on it: “Oh yeah, you always have to drink the blood. That’s what every hunter does with their first kill. Gotta drink the blood...gotta drink the blood.”
The Prestons were simultaneously stunned, mortified, disgusted and wanted desperately to get the hell away from us – Brian in particular. It was glorious! They left us alone for the rest of the trip. They thought we were all crazy and avoided Brian like the plague.
I was recently in Detroit and heard that “Red Dawn” was being remade. Most of it was shot in Detroit. In fact, in one of the scenes, a tank goes through the old K-Mart headquarters in Troy were Brian and my dad spent most of their professional careers selling toys to Kerry and other K-Mart buyers. How appropriate!
In the clip above, Charlie Sheen’s character says “once you do that (drink the blood) there will be something different about you.” I think that statement also relates to everyone who ever met Brian. You always remembered him and (as we know), he made you feel different and sometimes he made you “drink the blood.”
I always get a chuckle at the imagined conversations between Preston and his wife. I guarantee they remember Brian and probably still talk about “this crazy Ohio fisherman who asked us if we drank the blood after killing that bear.” Brian certainly changed them!
WOLVERINES!!!!
One of my all-time favorite movies too. Hollywood is currently remaking it which is a crime against humanity.
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