Shine
12-22-2010, 04:23 PM
(Author's note: "Hard Habit to Break" takes place during the spring of 1984, which would place it very near to the end of the fifth season of The Facts of Life)
Its a warm spring afternoon in May 1984. Natalie and Tootie are sitting in front of the televison watching MTV, which has just premiered Bruce Springsteen's new video for "Dancing in the Dark", directed by suspesne master Brian De Palma and starrng the Boss and an unknown actess named Courtney Cox. As Bruce grabs a hold of Courtney's hand and leads her up on stage, the girls are swaying to the music. After the video is finished, MTV VJ Martha Quinn comes on to introduce the next video as Natalie turns down the volume on the televison.
Prior to turning on MTV to check out Bruce's new video, Natalie and Tootie had been discusssing the book All Quiet On the Western Front. Tootie had been assigned a book, any of her choosing, in her American History class. The assignment was to read the book and then write a paper discussing how the book handled the period in history in which it takes place. Natalie, who had read the novel earlier in the year, had recommnded it. Tootie was unsure if her teacher would accept the novel since it took place in Germany during the first world war and is told first person by a disillusioned German soldier. Nat thought the book would be okay since America was also involved in World War I.
"Natalie," said Tootie shaking her head, " I just don't think that Mr. Rubin will accept All Quiet On the Western Front since it takes place in Germany and is told by a German soldier. We weren't even on the same side as the Germans in World War I."
"Nor were we in World War II," said Natalie, "for that matter."
"I think that Paul," said Tootle referring to Mr. Rubin by his nickname, giving to him by students because he looked like singer Paul Simon, " expects us to read a book that takes place in America or is at least told by an American. The course is American History, not World History."
"The thing about All Quiet On the Western Front," said Natalie,"is that its about a soldier's disillusionment with war. He's on the front line in battle, he's seeing all his young friends die and he begins to question the concept of war. The very same questions going through this soldier's mind would be going through the mind of an American trooper who has had to watched his friends die."
The front door opens and Blair and Jo enter, arguing as usual.
"You were just talking about the concept of war, Nat," said Tootie.
"Blair, I cannot even entertain the idea that you are actually going out with that clown," said Jo. "I thought you broke it off with him last December after even you admited he was a schmooze."
"Its just one date, Jo," said Blair. "Let's not overreact here. Its just one little date. What harm can there be in that? I mean, what's so bad about the guy anyway?"
"What's so bad about Chadwick?" asked Jo. "Well, let's see? First off, he's a 19 year old college student who wears a smoking jacket and walks around with a pipe in his mouth. Secondly,....well, there is no secondly, Chadwick is a 19 year old college student who wears a smoking jacket and walks around with a pipe in his mouth."
"Chadwick!" said Natalie. "Oh, Blair, you're not going out with that guy again are you?"
"Yeah," said Tootie, "I thought he was a..."
"...a schmooze," finished Jo.
"Well", said Tootie, " I think I'll go upstairs and try to think of a book for my assignment."
"I'll join you," said Natalie. "Hey what about The Red Badge of Courage?"
As Natalie and Tootie head up stairs, Jo and Blair take a seat on the couch. Jo had worn her hair down today and had recieved so many compliments that she was considering loosing the ponytail for good.
"Blair," said Jo, "Chadwick is a waste of time. Why on earth would you go out with him again. There is no future in any realtionship with that guy. He doesn't even know who he is. When a guy doesn't know who he is then he doesn't know what he wants. That's not a very promising foundation for a relationship."
"Come on, Jo" said Blair, "no college student truly know who they are. That's why so few people end up with the people they date in college. Because when they get out in the real word, mature and find themselves a little bit, they learn that they have nothing in common with their college sweethearts. Or high school ones, for that matter. Look at what happeend with you and Eddie last month."
"Good point, Blair," said Jo. "At one time there was a chance that things could have worked out with Eddie and me but we grew up and we grew apart. With you and Chadwick there isn't even a chance."
To be continued...
Its a warm spring afternoon in May 1984. Natalie and Tootie are sitting in front of the televison watching MTV, which has just premiered Bruce Springsteen's new video for "Dancing in the Dark", directed by suspesne master Brian De Palma and starrng the Boss and an unknown actess named Courtney Cox. As Bruce grabs a hold of Courtney's hand and leads her up on stage, the girls are swaying to the music. After the video is finished, MTV VJ Martha Quinn comes on to introduce the next video as Natalie turns down the volume on the televison.
Prior to turning on MTV to check out Bruce's new video, Natalie and Tootie had been discusssing the book All Quiet On the Western Front. Tootie had been assigned a book, any of her choosing, in her American History class. The assignment was to read the book and then write a paper discussing how the book handled the period in history in which it takes place. Natalie, who had read the novel earlier in the year, had recommnded it. Tootie was unsure if her teacher would accept the novel since it took place in Germany during the first world war and is told first person by a disillusioned German soldier. Nat thought the book would be okay since America was also involved in World War I.
"Natalie," said Tootie shaking her head, " I just don't think that Mr. Rubin will accept All Quiet On the Western Front since it takes place in Germany and is told by a German soldier. We weren't even on the same side as the Germans in World War I."
"Nor were we in World War II," said Natalie, "for that matter."
"I think that Paul," said Tootle referring to Mr. Rubin by his nickname, giving to him by students because he looked like singer Paul Simon, " expects us to read a book that takes place in America or is at least told by an American. The course is American History, not World History."
"The thing about All Quiet On the Western Front," said Natalie,"is that its about a soldier's disillusionment with war. He's on the front line in battle, he's seeing all his young friends die and he begins to question the concept of war. The very same questions going through this soldier's mind would be going through the mind of an American trooper who has had to watched his friends die."
The front door opens and Blair and Jo enter, arguing as usual.
"You were just talking about the concept of war, Nat," said Tootie.
"Blair, I cannot even entertain the idea that you are actually going out with that clown," said Jo. "I thought you broke it off with him last December after even you admited he was a schmooze."
"Its just one date, Jo," said Blair. "Let's not overreact here. Its just one little date. What harm can there be in that? I mean, what's so bad about the guy anyway?"
"What's so bad about Chadwick?" asked Jo. "Well, let's see? First off, he's a 19 year old college student who wears a smoking jacket and walks around with a pipe in his mouth. Secondly,....well, there is no secondly, Chadwick is a 19 year old college student who wears a smoking jacket and walks around with a pipe in his mouth."
"Chadwick!" said Natalie. "Oh, Blair, you're not going out with that guy again are you?"
"Yeah," said Tootie, "I thought he was a..."
"...a schmooze," finished Jo.
"Well", said Tootie, " I think I'll go upstairs and try to think of a book for my assignment."
"I'll join you," said Natalie. "Hey what about The Red Badge of Courage?"
As Natalie and Tootie head up stairs, Jo and Blair take a seat on the couch. Jo had worn her hair down today and had recieved so many compliments that she was considering loosing the ponytail for good.
"Blair," said Jo, "Chadwick is a waste of time. Why on earth would you go out with him again. There is no future in any realtionship with that guy. He doesn't even know who he is. When a guy doesn't know who he is then he doesn't know what he wants. That's not a very promising foundation for a relationship."
"Come on, Jo" said Blair, "no college student truly know who they are. That's why so few people end up with the people they date in college. Because when they get out in the real word, mature and find themselves a little bit, they learn that they have nothing in common with their college sweethearts. Or high school ones, for that matter. Look at what happeend with you and Eddie last month."
"Good point, Blair," said Jo. "At one time there was a chance that things could have worked out with Eddie and me but we grew up and we grew apart. With you and Chadwick there isn't even a chance."
To be continued...