Rodan

Rodan occupies a special place in my heart. This Rodan is not the Rodan of my childhood, but I guess I will talk about it here.

I haven’t seen my Mother in years. She’s around, somewhere, but we travel in very different circles. Every once in a blue moon we connect, but the occasions are few and far between. The circumstances of our situation I will keep to myself, but let’s just say it affects me to this day.

On one such meeting a few years ago, I had my mother over to see my new baby. It was the first time I had seen her in a while. It was an emotional time, but this wasn’t about us, it was about the baby. As she was ready to leave, she pulled a tattered VHS tape out of her purse and handed it to me. It was a well-worn copy of the original black and white Rodan movie. She said “I saw this at a flea market and thought you might like it. I remember you watched it on Creature Double Feature when you were little”.

And then she left. We’ve crossed paths at funerals and such over the years, but that was the last time we ever had a moment. That stupid Rodan tape. I don’t really even remember watching Rodan as a kid. Each time I see that tape, or anything with Rodan it in, I remember that moment.

For better or worse.

This Rodan, from Godzilla Final Wars, is my first Rodan toy. I like to think that buying this toy means that I have been able to let go, to move on, but I am not sure. It means SOMETHING, but what that something means I don’t know.

I gave this rodan toy to my kids, and they play with it often – it resides on the shelves that are OK to play with. My hope is that my kids will have a much different connection with Rodan than I did.