For my entire life, I’ve watched the daytime drama “As the World Turns.” That is, my entire life up until last month. Last month, after 56 years, CBS pulled the plug on my one last remaining soap opera. A year ago Guiding Light got the pink slip.
I loved “suspending disbelief” long enough to be transported to Oakdale for an hour every weekday. The storylines reeled me in, and by the time I started teaching, I was taping Friday’s episode to watch during the weekend.
The characters were like family to me, even though the faces sometimes changed. A continuing series of this length naturally had some actor turnover, but several people I started watching as a toddler were present for the final show.
Both Meg Ryan and Kevin Bacon started their acting careers on my soaps. I still fondly remember them as Betsy Stewart and Rick Bauer, even though it’s been literally decades since they played those parts.
I always wanted to be a writer for “As the World Turns.” I wanted to be able to twist and turn the events, building to a crescendo each Friday, hooking the viewer so they’d be sure to tune in on Monday. But alas, it’ll never happen now.
The World, as we knew it, has stopped turning. It was a good long run, and I’m in mourning for my friends. I can’t believe how much I miss them! I do, however, wish them all every happiness and future success.
It’s the least I can hope for family.