Patch and Freaking Kayla!!!

I haven't been shy about admitting my soap-watching history, at least when it comes to my guiltiest daytime pleasure, General Hospital. What you might not know is that from about 1987 to about 1994, I also kept up with The Young and the Restless, One Life to Live, and Days of our Lives. So you can imagine my surprise when I turned the channel on Jet Blue the other day to find that Patch and freaking Kayla are back in Salem! When did that happen?

I'm guessing recently, since Patch doesn't exactly remember Kayla or his life in Salem. Not that that should be an issue though, since the original Jack, Jennifer, and FRANKIE are also back to remind him! Frankie, though! Billy "AJ" "Baywatch" Warlock! I'm sorry, is it 1988?

Apparently, it is! In my days off this week, I have also managed to catch GH, and to my utter delight, Robert, Anna, and Robin are all sharing screen time again, as if Robert and Anna never died overseas and I didn't bawl my eyes out 15 years ago at the thought of Robin growing up an orphan. I haven't caught on to any explanation as to how exactly they survived the accident (or faked their deaths) but just watching the on-screen chemistry between Tristan Rogers and Finola Hughes has given me joy beyond anything to which my 30 year old self should feel comfortable admitting.

When I was 11, I read in Soap Opera Digest that Finola Hughes (Anna) and Ian Buchanan (Duke) would be making a personal appearance at a nearby high school. I asked my dad to drive me, not realizing that the autograph signing would be an all-day affair. While he wasted his sunny Sunday sitting in the car, I sat in the audience watching two of my favorite soap stars answer questions, perform skits, and finally, sign their headshots with a Sharpie.

It was one of the best days of my short life. And I still owe my dad a huge thank you for sitting in his car for four hours when I told him I'd be back in just a few. Sorry about that, Dad. But it was awesome.

I met Finola Hughes (again) a few years ago, back when she resurrected her character Anna Devane on All my Children. I did PR for one of the actors on AMC for about five minutes, and so spent a lot of time at the set, ogling the NY-based soap stars, including a pre-Tad Hamilton/Fergie-fiancee Josh Duhmel. The entire cast was very friendly and not at all Hollywood, but I remember standing speechless in front of Finola because I just held her in such high regard. Susan Lucci, pish tosh! Finola Hughes, my hero!

People who don't watch soaps just don't get the connection the rest of us have with this medium. There's something about relating to these characters day after day, week after week, year after year that makes them seem like family. Only better looking, more fun, and intensely more dramatic. But they are nothing if not consistent. They make me feel 12 years old again, eager to buy into true love, adventure, and a sense of security - that even if I change the channel, they will still be there in some form or another.