I came out at work this week. While I had hinted around every once in a while, I hadn't actually opened my mouth loudly and said it. And, of course, when something this important happens, a co-worker must quickly spread the word to the rest of the office. And suddenly I had to explain why I, being a 27-year-old, watch a teen show called "Buffy, The Vampire Slayer." And somehow I had to come up with a really good answer, otherwise, it's just like admitting to watching Baywatch (which I don't, I swear!).

The story began a long time ago. Back in the summer of 1992, I was living in my home town during the summer between classes at UNM. It would be the last summer I would do this, and was only necessitated because (1. I didn't have much of a job and (2. I got kicked out (with my other roommates) from a house I'd moved into a mere six months earlier. The owner decided to break our lease so she could sell the place.

So I was living in a small town for the summer and hung out mostly with friends of my younger brother, because my friends were elsewhere. Luckily, my brother's friends worked at the movie theater. And I saw almost every movie that came out in the summer of 1992 for free.

One of the last ones we saw was Buffy, The Vampire Slayer. It was a light-hearted romp about a high school girl who inherited super slayer powers to fight vampires. The writing was hilarious, the acting wasn't always up to par. And because it was a teen vehicle during a time when teen movies didn't sell at all, the movie bombed.

Fast forward to the spring of 1997. I was smarting from a stolen car (I got it back, but worse for wear) and the continued drudgery of real life work. After resisting the impulse to watch the new Buffy TV show for a month or so, I found myself (because there was nothing on and I was bored) turning to WGN (there is not a WB network affiliate in Albuquerque, but one starts up in month or so) and tuning in.

I knew it was different from the movie instantly. For one, the colors were muted, as if everything was coated in a mist of smoke. And for two, there was a baseball bat flying around on its own, hitting people. See, in the movie, the violence was comical. In the show, the violence is real. Even if most of it happens to creatures like vampires, ghosts, high school jocks and school principals. During the first half season of Buffy, the school went through a couple of principals before finding a soulmate in Armin Shimmerman (who also plays Quark on Star Trek's Deep Space Nine) during the second season.

But does all of this make a point about why I might spend my early Tuesday nights glued to a teen show? Probably not, so allow me to proceed.

Most people my age have found a drama about professional people to keep their minds occupied. Anorexic lawyers, self-important doctors and portly cops. I don't know any of these people in real life. And they represent a section of society that doesn't deserve my attention. Personally, I couldn't give a damn about the personal problems of people making over $100,000 a year. This could be one reason why I don't relate to the big bosses at work--they're so comfortable money-wise, their problems (where to go for vacation--Baha or a desert resort in Phoenix?) are laughable.

But vampire fighting teenagers? Sign me up. Of course there is no monetary accountability in teenage land either. They don't have jobs (except their late night activities in the cemetery), and none of them seem to come from the wrong side of the tracks (except for newcomer Faith, who now has a "sugardaddy" for her finances). But their world is more familiar to me than courtrooms, emergency rooms or jails.

See, in Sunnydale (Buffy's hometown, which rests upon something called a Hellmouth--allowing for all kinds of evil to gravitate into the setting) everyone is against the good guys. Teachers, politicians, cops, parents and other students. It's one huge rebellion fest complete with bloody consequences and weird demons. One of the most interesting subplots this year was the introduction of the mayor, who sacrifices babies to demons to keep his post--among other evil things.

So maybe it's all a big monster fest with good looking teens wielding weapons and stupendous kickboxing skills--but who cares? It's TV, and at least I'm not pretending to empathize with characters I wouldn't want to meet in real life.

I'll tell you, if some rail-thin lawyer ever came up to me trying to tell me about whatever it is lawyers talk about, I'd stuff a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken down her throat and run.

At least with Buffy, she's fighting for a good cause. She's trying to save the world.

Matt Worley also watches Friends, but will never try to defend that habit with anything other than, "They sure are pretty."