Episode 3.21, The Mirror Ball
-----------------------------
At Home
Joan wonders, ‘Why did I ever buy this? This is just not who I am’.
She continues the “what-to-wear boogie” while rummaging through her
closet. She wants to look nice for Adam today, but she really doesn’t
feel like dressing up. She holds up another skirt and blouse to
herself, looks in the mirror, frowns, and tosses them onto the pile
of clothing already on her window bench seat. She glances outside for
a moment and smiles. No pervert today! She holds another outfit up to
herself and looks again in the mirror, “Yeah, this looks nice.”
Her image puts her hand on her hip and with a crooked smile says,
“So, you like what you see?”
Joan is stunned for a moment, but then she realizes to whom she is
speaking, “I think Adam will like it.”
God – “What do you think the mirror sees?”
Joan puts her hand on her hip, imitating her image in the mirror, “I
don’t know; you’re the one who’s in there.”
God smiles, “It’s all about light, Joan. There are two ways of
spreading light. You can be the candle or the mirror that reflects
it. Which one are you?”
Joan – “I try to be both.”
God presses her nose against the inside of the mirror and scans the
room with her eyes, “Mirrors would serve you better if they first
reflected before sending back an image. This mirror is flat, but
there are others.”
Joan – “Hah, you mean like those in a fun house? I like the ones that
make you look both really fat and really skinny.”
God – “Focus, Joan, you are building a mystery. Learn to see from
both sides now.”
Helen calls upstairs, “Joan, telephone.”
Joan glances away for an instant. When she returns her eyes to the
mirror, her reflection is as it was before. Frustrated, she yells at
the mirror, “But I don’t know what you mean!” She walks to the door,
peeks out her head, and calls downstairs, “What’d you say?”
Helen – “Emily’s on the phone.”
Joan picks up the telephone, “Hi Emily, how is my favorite cousin?”
Emily – “I am great! I’m better than great! I’m soooooooooooo
excited! Guess what?”
Joan – “I don’t know, but I’m sure you’re going to tell me.”
Emily laughs, “You’re always so funny. But really, I get to sing at
the Inner Harbor on Christmas Eve… my first public performance. Isn’t
that awesome?”
Joan – “Yeah, I’m really happy for you. I’m sure you’ll do well.”
Emily – “I want you to come. I know it’s Christmas, but I really want
you to see and hear me. Pleee-heee-heeez!”
Joan is hesitant, “I don’t know. I really enjoy spending Christmas at
home with my family and friends.”
Emily – “We’re also going to be in the ‘Parade of Lights’. We
decorate our boats, and then we circle through the Inner Harbor. Two
years ago, we won the ‘Blinking Jesus Award’. Last year there were
more than fifty boats. It’s really a lot of fun.”
Joan – “It sounds really neat. Blinking Jesus Award?”
Emily – “Oh, that’s just what my mom calls it. It’s a prize for
having the best decorated boat.”
Joan – “Let me talk to my parents, and then I’ll let you know.”
Emily is disheartened, but happy that it is still a possibility,
“Oooh-kay.”
Joan continues, “How is everything else?”
Emily – “Oh, my friends Lauren and Kizzie are going to…”
After Joan finishes talking with Emily, she walks downstairs, “Mom,
Emily wants me to visit during Christmas.”
Helen – “I know, Trenna and I talked before she put Emily on the
phone. Emily being able to sing at the Inner Harbor is a Christmas
present that Trenna arranged for her. Emily doesn’t know.”
Joan – “So this isn’t real?”
Helen – “It is for Emily. The only thing that Trenna arranged was the
opportunity. Emily still had to audition, and the band agreed that
she was good enough. She will only be singing the last song.”
Joan – “I would like to see her sing, but I also like spending
Christmas at home. What do you think I should do?”
Lilly has been sitting quietly, feeling this is more of a
mother-daughter talk, but she can no longer resist inserting her
opinion. “No one really knows when Jesus was born. The celebration of
his birth on December 25th is just a tradition. There is really no
reason why we couldn’t celebrate Christmas when you return.”
Helen – “Christmas is also about giving. Emily adores you and it will
mean so much to her to have you there. I think you should go.”
Joan had already decided that she would go for the very reason that
her mother cited. She also wonders about the meaning of God’s message
relative to Emily’s call. Was it a coincidence? Lilly’s observation
shows her she doesn’t have to choose between the two. “Yeah, you’re
right. I’ll tell Adam when he picks me up for the movie, and I’ll
e-mail Emily from work.”
At School
When Grace arrives, Joan and Adam are amusing themselves by bantering
the dialog of Mr. and Mrs. Beaver.
Joan – “You’ve been sneaking second helpings, haven’t you?”
Adam – “Well, you never know if your next meal’s going to be your
last… especially with your cooking.”
Grace – “What are you doing?”
Joan smiles, “We’re packing food. You’ll thank me later. Adam gets
cranky when he’s hungry.”
Adam – “I’m cranky now!”
Grace – “You two are nuts! Where’s Luke?”
Joan – “He should be here somewhere; he left before I did. How’s your
mom?”
Grace – “She’s fine. You haven’t told him about Saturday, have you?”
Joan – “No, that’s our secret.”
Adam – “What’s your secret?”
Grace deflects, “\ \ `The Secret of Roan
Inish <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Secret_of_Roan_Inish>`__\ .”
Adam – “Is this about Tima, because I was being nice to her? She is
your friend, right?”
Joan smiles, “Adam, it’s okay.”
Adam – “I don’t have a roaming eye, at least not anymore. I swear!”
Grace – “Speaking of roaming, look who’s coming.”
Joan – “Don’t worry about it, Adam. I believe you.” She smiles and
gives him a kiss, “My lips are selkied.”
Grace – “Thanks, I want to tell him myself.”
Adam – “Okay, just so you know.” He returns the smile, “Yeah, they
are like silk.”
Luke, Glynis, and Friedman join them. Grace says to Luke, “We need to
talk, biology closet, three o’clock. Don’t be late.”
Luke – “I don’t think you’re going to make it.”
Grace – “Sure I will, that is if you let me read your biology notes
from Friday. When I take the test with everyone else today, I’ll be
caught up. No detention.”
Joan chortles, “Ha, ha, I used his notes to study at work last
night.”
Luke – “Okay, we’ll go over biology during lunch. How’s your mother?”
Grace – “She’s fine. We’ll talk later.”
Grace begins to leave, but Friedman says, “Wait, Glynis and I have
something to tell all of you.” Grace remains and Friedman continues,
“Glynis and I aren’t dating each other.”
Joan – “You mean you broke up? I’m so sorry.”
Glynis– “No, we’ve never been dating. It’s all been a ruse.”
Grace – “Well, you guys are certainly not inept at subterfuge.”
Friedman – “Though this be madness, yet there is method in it.”
Adam – “And the purpose of this deception is?”
Friedman – “Our parents would never approve of who we’re really
dating, so we’ve been pretending to date each other. After I pick up
Glynis, we pick up Sean and Mel, and we make it a foursome. We’ve
been doing it for months.”
Joan – “Sean, from Judith’s party?”
Glynis– “Yep.”
Luke – “Mel? Um, are you telling us that you’re an elk?”
Friedman – “No, her name is Jamel. Mel is her nickname.”
Adam – “So why are you telling us this now?”
Glynis– “Because you’ll find out on Saturday, anyway. We’re all
coming to the dance.”
Grace quips, “We’ll continue with part two of ‘\ As the Mirror Ball
Turns\ ’ in just a moment.”
At the Police Station
Lt. Daghlian – “Peter Fyles will be released from the hospital at
noon. Your daughter sure did a number on him… gives ‘Bic Stic’ a
whole new meaning.”
Will – “She was just defending herself.”
Lt. Daghlian – “That’s not his story. He says she attacked him for no
reason.”
Will – “He’s either delusional or a liar. We have two witnesses to
back up Joan’s story.”
Lt. Daghlian – “Well, in any case, he’ll think twice about carrying a
pen again. How is she doing?”
Will – “She’s fine; she just had a few scrapes and bruises. Were you
able to contact the other girls?”
Lt. Daghlian – “Their parents have agreed to let them view a line-up.
I’ve set it up for four-thirty this afternoon.”
Will – “Anything new on Armond Washington?”
Lt. Daghlian – “No, just a few crank calls. Do you think Mayor
Doherty would consider shaving his beard?”
Will smiles, “I’ll ask him when we have lunch today.” Lt. Daghlian is
surprised for a moment, then he realizes that Will is joking. Will
continues, “Just keep looking.”
At The Herald
Rebecca – “It’s too bad there wasn’t much to your Muslim story, but
it’s good that you were there for the attempted kidnapping. I wish we
could have interviewed the girls involved. It would make for a great
story.”
Kevin – “I did interview them, but they are minors. Their parents
want their identities to remain confidential.”
Rebecca – “But you know who they are, don’t you?”
Kevin – “Yes, I know.”
Rebecca gives Kevin a mischievous smile, “Some reporters would
publish that information anyway, feeling that it’s the public’s right
to know.”
Kevin – “Well, we’re not The New York Times. We have ethics, don’t
we?”
Rebecca, still smiling – “You could write the testimonies for them
and put their signatures on it.”
Kevin – “Oh yes, creative journalism.” Using a good imitation of
Walter Cronkite, Kevin continues, “And finally, Dan Rather stands by
his story that Bush is a Martian. And that’s the way it is, Monday,
December 12, 2005.”
Rebecca, also imitating Walter Cronkite, “And that’s the way the Dan
cookie Rather crumbles.”
Kevin, now switching to imitating Arnold Horshack of ‘Welcome Back,
Kotter’, “Ooh-ooh-ooooh!And that’s the way, uh-huh, uh-huh, I like
it, uh-huh, uh-huh.”
Both laugh. Rebecca asks, “So, what do you have in mind for your next
story?”
Kevin – “Actually, I’m writing an editorial. I’ve been thinking of
using the title, ‘Illusions in Journalism’.”
Rebecca – “Allusions, sounds interesting. What’s it about?”
Kevin decides not to correct her error, “Well, it’s a sensitive
subject, some would even say taboo, but I feel it should be
discussed. It’s not finished yet, but I would like to hear what you
think about it.”
Rebecca – “You’ve piqued my interest. Send it to me.”
At School
Luke – “Okay, you have to tell me about Mel. Where did you meet?”
Friedman – “We met at the Southgate Mall. She had a Mount Rushmore
T-shirt on, and those guys never looked so good… especially
Washington and Lincoln. Kind of bloated, but happy, if you know what
I mean.”
Luke – “Yeah, I get it, she has idyllic mammary.”
Friedman – “The skirt she was wearing was so tight I could read the
embroidery on her underwear. It said, ‘Wash in lukewarm water and
spin lightly’. Such was great advice.”
Luke – “This sounds like another Brittany story. Is that all she is
to you, a great body?”
Friedman – “No, she’s also really smart. We talk about everything.
She’s a sophomore at Southside High School, and she’s on the varsity
diving team. I bought her a ‘Slippery When Wet’ T-shirt, and she
loved it. Oh, and guess what?”
Luke – “What?”
Friedman – “She likes Hamlet.”
Luke – “She sounds perfect for you. What is it about her that your
parents wouldn’t like?”
Friedman – “The lady doth protest too much, methinks.”
Luke – “Come on, there must be more to it than that!”
Friedman – “This above all: to thine own self be true, for there is
nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.”
Luke – “Now that’s just wrong. Just because Shakespeare is famous
doesn’t mean that he knows what he’s talking about. Good and bad,
right and wrong, they all have demonstrable certainties.”
Friedman – “Okay, but within those boundaries, there are shades of
gray. That’s what I mean.”
Luke mimics Friedman, “So what doth thou feel is gray about the
lady?”
Friedman laughs, “If she were gray, methinks my parents would not be
as concerned. You’ll find out at the dance.”
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Joan – “So, tell us about Sean.”
Grace – “Whoa, girl talk, I’m out of here.”
Joan matter-of-factly states to Grace, “You are a girl.” Grace
begrudgingly remains, while Joan continues to query Glynis, “Come on,
tell us about him.”
Glynis– “Well, he’s very handsome. You saw him at the party. Don’t
you think so?”
Joan – “I saw him briefly between the lip-locks, but then again, I
was pretty drunk.”
Glynissmirks at her remark, “Well, he is handsome, and he’s a great
kisser. He’s also really smart. I told you about his research at
Stanford. Last summer he got to work at Johns Hopkins doing AIDS
research. He’s majoring in biology at Dawson State. He’s…”
Joan interrupts, “Whoa! Whoa, whoa, whoa. Sean goes to Dawson State?
How old is he?”
Glynis– “Well, that’s the problem. He’s two years older than me.
That’s why I can’t tell my parents. They would never approve.”
Grace – “And now you want us to become part of this adolescent
conspiracy?”
Glynis– “No, you won’t have to do anything. Just don’t tell my
parents about it. That shouldn’t be too hard, since you don’t even
know them.”
Joan – “What about me? I met your mother at parent-teacher night.”
Glynis– “She thought you were nuts even before I told her about crazy
camp.”
Joan – “Thanks a lot.”
At Millie’s Restaurant
Millie’s is a family-owned diner within walking distance of the
mayor’s office. It has become an Arcadia institution, having first
opened shortly after Arcadia became the county seat in 1856. Legend
states that both General Lee and General Grant have eaten there.
Although best known for its tenderloin sandwiches, Will’s favorite is
the barbeque pork, so that is what he orders.
Mayor Doherty – “So what is it that you wanted to talk about?”
Will – “I recently had a meeting with Brother Jimi’s committee, and
he brought up an interesting proposal. What is the status of the
warehouse at 1213 West Gilmore Street? You know, the one confiscated
during the drug raid last October.”
Mayor Doherty – “It’s in limbo. We’ve been trying to find a buyer,
but no luck yet. Why are you interested?”
Will – “Brother Jimi thought that it could be sold or leased to a
company with the condition that they hire employees locally. It would
help the unemployment situation in that part of town. Perhaps the
sale price could be discounted, the lease reduced, or the property
taxes lowered as an incentive. A manufacturing or a distribution
center would be ideal. If they were to offer a training package that
targets unskilled labor, it would have the best effect.”
Mayor Doherty – “That’s a good idea; the black coalition will love
it. But so far, there has been little interest.”
Will – “What does the black coalition have to do with this? Why can’t
we just provide everyone with an equal opportunity and leave race out
of it?”
Mayor Doherty – “That’s not how the system works.”
Will – “When will the system work that way or will it always be just
a dream?”
Mayor Doherty frowns, “We need to insure that there is no
discrimination based on race.”
Will – “The best way to prevent discrimination based on race is not
to discriminate based on race.”
This time the mayor ignores him completely. Will moves on, “What
about Wallmans? I remember reading that they were looking to put a
distribution center in the area.”
Mayor Doherty – “That idea was killed by the Maryland legislature.
They’re putting it in southern Pennsylvania instead.”
Will – “Well, I really think that it is a good idea. Can you put
people to work on it?”
Mayor Doherty – “I’ll see if they can put an incentive package
together similar to what you have proposed.”
Will – “Thanks Max.”
At School
Joan – “I never know whether to pick up a Sloppy Joe or eat it with a
fork.”
Glynismakes a joke, “Whenever I come to a fork in the road, I always
take it.” Everyone moans.
Friedman – “Maybe they should call it Sloppy Joan.”
Joan – “Thank you Friedman, a fork it is.”
Alice and Tima arrive and ask to join them. After they are seated,
Tima asks Adam, “Mrs. Girardi has given us a really cool assignment.
Would you like for me to tell you about it or would you rather wait?”
Adam – “If I say that I would rather wait, will you be able to stand
the strain?”
Timasmiles at Adam’s joke, “Probably not.”
Adam – “Okay, then tell me.”
Tima– “She wants us to make something that displays an abstraction.
What’s really cool is that we can choose any medium, any subject,
pretty much whatever we want. She’s really going to let us express
ourselves. There is something I’ve been thinking about doing for a
long time, and this assignment is perfect!”
Adam – “Something that displays an abstraction… I’ll have to think
about it.” After a few moments, Adam smiles, “Yeah, I know what I’ll
do. Thanks for the heads up.”
Tima– “You’re welcome.” She notices their absence, “Where are Grace
and Luke?”
Joan – “There off somewhere studying biology. How are the
preparations for the dance coming along?”
Alice decides to answer, “Everything is nearly finished. Thank all of
you for helping. Can some of you help us put the decorations up on
Saturday morning? It shouldn’t take too long.”
All agree to lend a hand. Glynis asks Tima, “Will you be coming to
the dance?”
Tima– “No, I’m not allowed to dance with boys.”
Joan – “You mean you did all of this work, and you’re not even going
to be able to enjoy it?”
Tima– “I enjoy helping. I just want you to have fun.”
Glynis– “That really doesn’t seem fair. Being a Muslim must be hard.
Do you ever wonder how your life might have been had your parents
chosen to raise you differently?”
Timareflects for a moment before answering, “It is hard sometimes,
and I have wondered how my life might have been different. I ask
Allah for guidance almost every day.” She continues while looking at
each one seated at the table, “My beliefs are very important to me.
They define who I am and who I am not. This is how I choose to live
my life. Please don’t feel sorry for me.” She looks at her watch, “I
have to go; I have an appointment.”
Joan – “Please say hello for me.”
Timagives Joan a long stare of disbelief, much like the one that Joan
gave to God when he reminded her of her promise. She wonders how Joan
knows about her noon time excursions to the roof, but is pleased that
she has chosen to be cryptic, “Yes, of course. I’ll see you later.”
After Tima leaves, Joan addresses her friends. “Hey, I have an idea…”
At The Herald
Kevin can see Rebecca working at her desk. When a frown furrows
across her brow, he knows that she has finished reading his
editorial. She briefly glares at him with\ `angry
eyes <http://dc35.4shared.com/download/18067188/7be86998/Loggins__Messina_-_Angry_Eyes.mp3>`__\ ,
but quickly returns to viewing her computer. He decides to send her
an e-mail.
*I can see that you’re upset, but this issue is important. We can’t
just sweep it under the rug. Let me show you what I’ve found. Can we
talk privately later?*
*Kevin*
After a few moments, Kevin receives her reply.
*I can’t believe you wrote this! This racist is not talking to you,
fact-boy.*
At the Police Station
Sergeant Williams – “How was your lunch with the mayor?”
Will – “The food was great, but I have mixed feelings about our
conversation. Has anything happened here?”
Sergeant Williams – “We have Peter Fyles in lockup. He wants to see
you.”
Will – “That’s not going to happen. I’m not going to allow him to
concoct some conflict of interest charge. Lt. Daghlian has complete
control of this investigation.”
Sergeant Williams – “A Mike Trimble called. He said that it’s
important that he talks to you right away.” She hands him a post-it
note, “Here’s his number.”
Will – “Thanks, just what I need.”
Sergeant Williams – “Bad news?”
Will – “Yeah, most likely. Is there anything else I need to know?”
Sergeant Williams – “No, that’s all I have.”
Will – “Thanks.”
Toni leaves and Will calls Mike Trimble. He reviews paperwork while
he waits on hold.
Mike Trimble – “Will, I just want to let you know that the ACLU has
filed suit in the federal court. A process server is looking for you.
I have to be in court tomorrow. Can we meet Wednesday morning?”
Will – “I would like Mimi Rogers to be in on this. I’ll have to check
with her, but that should be fine.”
After he hangs up, he calls Mimi and confirms their appointment. He
then calls Toni back to his office, “I’m going to take the rest of
the afternoon off. I’ll be at home if you need me but if anyone asks,
you don’t know where I am.”
Sergeant Williams – “There’s a guy at the front desk asking to see
you.”
Will smiles, “Give me about ten minutes and then let him know that
I’m not here.”
At School
Grace quivers, “Eeeuw, I still hate this place. I’m just waiting for
all of these formaldehyde darlings to pop their lids and slime us to
death. A day of the living dead! A mind is a terrible thing to taste,
but I only regret that I have but one brain to lose for my country.
Slither out you closet denizens, for…”
Luke interrupts, “You’ve been hanging around Friedman too much. Are
you finally going to talk to me now?”
Grace stops avoiding the issue, “Yeah, that’s why we’re here.” They
sit on the floor and Grace begins, “It’s just that when I lost the
baby, my life went to hell. I know at first, I was scared, and I
didn’t know what to do, but then I decided that I really wanted to
have it.” She thinks of Joan, “I mean, I wanted to have the baby.
Losing it… losing the baby really broke my heart.”
Luke – “And your method for mending a broken heart is to cut yourself
off from those who love you? You should have let me in. It was my
baby, too.”
Grace – “I’m sorry, but there’s more to it. I got mad at God and I…
well, let’s just say that I didn’t use any euphemisms. I thought that
He was punishing me and that’s why I lost the baby. Then when I
looked up the HCG hormone for class, I found out that I might have
cancer. I didn’t want…”
Luke interrupts, “You have cancer?”
Grace – “No, it turns out that I didn’t. In fact, the doctor doesn’t
think that I was ever pregnant, but I know I did those tests right,
and they were all positive. Life sucks, dude.”
Luke pulls her in close and hugs her, “Yeah, but you didn’t die.”
Grace – “So what do we do now, brain-boy?”
Luke – “Just be here with me.”
Grace – “I can’t stay long. I’m still grounded.”
Luke – “I’ll take what I can get.”
At Home
Joan comes through the door singing along with her iPod, “Home, where
my thought’s escaping, home, where my music’s playing, home, where my
dad lies waiting, silently for me.” She removes her earphones, “Why
are you here?”
Will – “Because I live here? Where’s Luke?”
Joan – “He’s in the pet cemetery with Grace. Why are you really
here?”
Will – “I took the afternoon off.” Will considers asking about the
pet cemetery but decides that he really doesn’t want to know, “I’ve
made cornetti. Hungry?”
Joan agrees and sits at the kitchen table while her father prepares
her snack. Will asks, “How was school today?”
Joan – “Good, I think I passed my biology test. I definitely wasn’t
looking forward to sitting in detention… the breakfast club it’s
not.” She pauses until he brings her snack and sits at the table with
her, “Dad, you don’t just take the afternoon off. Is something wrong
at work?”
Will really doesn’t want to talk about it, but he decides that she’ll
find out soon enough anyway, “It looks like the white hat is going to
become Darth Vader… at least that’s how the ACLU will portray me.
It’s frustrating. You try to do what you think is best and no matter
what, someone complains. Do you like the cornetti?”
Joan – “Don’t change the subject. Tell me what’s going on.”
Will provides her with a synopsis of his case and what he expects the
ACLU will claim. “No matter what happens, there will be a lot of
publicity about this case.”
Joan – “So this is kind of like a two-way mirror. You see yourself
one way, but the ACLU sees you another way, and you have to show
which one is real.”
Will – “That’s a good analogy. Our court system is supposed to give
us truth, justice, and the American way, but you’re lucky if you get
all three.”
Joan – “Yeah, all that stuff can drive you crazy. Just ask Grace.”
She stands up, puts her arms around his neck, and gives him a kiss on
the cheek, “Well, I know you still wear a white hat.” She takes
another cornetto, “I have to catch the bus for class. I’ll see you
later.”
With Ole Pen
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
Well, I am officially a computer geek! Luke has shown me a lot of
neat things that I can do with this computer, but the neatest thing
is that now I use it for writing my diary. It’s a lot easier to hide
a CD than a journal, and it’s even password protected!
Dad and Kevin both took the day off. They said they just didn’t feel
like going to work. I know Dad’s reason, but I’m not sure what’s up
with Kevin. He seemed kind of moody today.
They worked on the boat this morning. When I got home from school,
they showed me what they had done. It’s a Mary Kay boat! I was glad
when they told me that pink was just the color of the primer. We’re
going to have a family meeting to decide the final color for the
boat. I already know what color I want, and I also have a name. Now
all I have to do is convince everyone else.
Mom asked me how I felt about driving to Baltimore. I told her the
truth. I’m not thrilled about it, but I’ll do it. She didn’t say
anything more, but I could tell that she was thinking, “Hmm.” I worry
when she does that.
I’m still trying to figure out what mirror me meant the other day. At
work, I leafed through every book I could find that talked about
mirrors. Nothing seems to fit. I know it’s a metaphor, but when
monumentous interruptous actually tells me something, it usually
means more than or something different than what I think it does.
Will I forever be plagued with a failure of imagination? I’m going to
ask Mom. I sure hope she gives me more than just ‘Hmm’.
I have a calculus quiz tomorrow. Does anyone ever need to know this
stuff after high school? Who cares if the angle of the dangle is
proportional to the dingle of the dongle? I have Luke to figure stuff
like that out for me.
Dad and I played a game of chess before I came to bed. I really don’t
care about winning, but I don’t think I should let him win too often.
I beat him in twelve moves. I love the time with him and hug he gives
me, win or lose. That’s the best part.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
At the Police Station
Will – “No one called, so I assume everything has been quiet.”
Sergeant Williams – “Well, not quiet, but mostly routine.Three of the
four girls picked Peter Fyles out of the lineup. The DA thinks we
have a good case to put him away. When he was arraigned yesterday,
the judge denied bail. He’ll be our guest until the trial.”
Will – “We’re really not set up for long-term stays. I’ll see if
Sheriff Bristol can take him off our hands.”
Sergeant Williams – “We received a tip that Armond Washington was
seen near ‘The Liquor Emporium’. We think he may have been casing it
out. Carlisle will be there when they open at 11 and I’ll take the
evening shift.”
Will – “I’m glad we finally have something on Washington. Let me know
if anything happens. Oh, if that process server shows up again, let
me know. I’ll let him do his thing today.”
Sergeant Williams – “I’ll let Sergeant Drake know.”
Mike Trimble raps on the open door as Toni is leaving, “Good morning,
Will. I’m a little early. Can we start?”
Will – “Sure, let me call Mimi…”
At School
Helen walks into the office, “Hi, Marlene. I need a red marker. Is it
all right if I take one?”
Marlene – “Sure, help yourself. You know where they are.”
Helen – “I miss working here. We never seem to have time to talk
anymore. Would you like to have lunch today?”
Marlene – “Oh, I can’t. I have some errands to run. How about
tomorrow?”
Helen – “That would be nice. How are the kids?”
Marlene - “Oh, it’s a soap opera. To tell you the truth, my son has
married a real tramp! She doesn’t get out of bed until eleven. She’s
out all day spending his money on heaven knows what, and when he gets
home, exhausted, does she have a nice hot dinner for him? Hah! She
makes him take her out to dinner at an expensive restaurant.”
Helen - “Oh, that’s a shame. I’m sorry to hear that. How is your
daughter?”
Marlene – “Ah, now that’s a lucky girl. She has married a saint. He
brings her breakfast in bed, he provides her enough money to buy
whatever she needs, and in the evening he always takes her out to
dinner at a nice restaurant.”
Helen gives her a confuzzled look. Marlene slowly cracks a smile. She
points at Helen and says, “Gotcha!”
As Helen leaves the office, the bell rings. The halls fill with a
mass of moving students. Joan sees her and approaches, “Mom, are you
going anywhere for lunch today?”
Helen – “Well, I tried to, but no luck.”
Joan decides not to ask what that means and gets to her point, “I
really need to talk to you about something. Can we meet in your
classroom?”
Helen – “Sure, but let’s go for a walk instead.”
Joan – “Mom, are you nuts! It’s twenty degrees outside.”
Helen – “It was nineteen degrees last year… I checked. It’s global
warming, you know.”
Joan – “Who cares about one degree? It’s winter. Mom. Yes or no?”
Helen is slightly frustrated with Joan’s response, because she wanted
to be able to say, ‘Gotcha’. Instead, she smiles and answers, “Yes,
I’ll be there.”
At The Herald
Kevin has decided not to bring up his editorial today. Instead, he
has been quietly doing his work. He does not plan to drop the issue,
but has decided that a breather for a day or two will be best.
Rebecca feels awkward as she approaches his desk. She asks, “How are
you feeling today?”
Kevin, realizing that Rebecca is trying to break the ice, responds
with, “I’m doing fine, and you?”
Rebecca – “I’m okay. I was just wondering since you called in sick
yesterday.”
Kevin – “I just wasn’t feeling well, but a moderate dose of pink
xylene cleared my head.”
Rebecca – “I’m glad that you’re feeling better. I can’t use that
heavy-duty stuff. Sudafed works for me, and it doesn’t knock me out.”
She hands him a few papers, “Here are some stories I would like you
to check. I’ll have more later.”
At the Police Station
Mike Trimble – “So, that’s basically the ACLU’s case. I would like to
talk to all members of the committee. I expect the prosecution will
call some or all of them as witnesses. Can you arrange a meeting?”
Will – “I’ll give Brother Jimi a call and let you know when we can
meet. Do you think we can win this?”
Mike Trimble – “It really depends upon the judge. If he rules
according to what the Constitution actually states, we’ll win. If he
rules according to what he thinks it says, it could go either way.”
At School
Joan enters the classroom and closes the door behind her. She scoots
a stool up to the front of her mother’s desk and then places her
lunch tray upon it. Helen inquires, “What’s for lunch?”
Joan – “Mystery meat.I suppose that’s appropriate for today. Would
you like some?”
Helen – “No, I brought a sandwich. So what is it that you want to
talk about?”
Joan – “God and his divine law against being direct.” Helen smiles
without comment, so Joan continues, “Last Sunday, just before Emily
called, God paid me a visit. We had this conversation, but his
responses were even more cryptic than usual. I really don’t know what
he means, and I need your help.”
Helen – “Well, I’ll help if I can. What did he say?”
Joan – “Actually, it was a she this time. In fact, it was me, which
made it all the more confusing. I wrote everything down after I
talked to Emily.” She hands Helen a sheet of paper, “Read it for
yourself.”
After Helen reads what Joan has written, she looks up at Joan, “Well,
she seems to be trying to tell you something about yourself,
something she wants you to do better. Is there something new that she
has been asking you to do?”
Joan hasn’t told her mother about her latest gift, because she’s
still pondering whether it is real. Has she interpreted the hints
correctly, or is she suffering from a failure of too much
imagination? Perception certainly isn’t her forte. Everything that
has happened has an alternate, more rational explanation. She
remembers, ‘Some things have to be believed to be seen.’ Is that it?
Is faith the key? She decides to cautiously confide in her mother,
“Well, there is something, but I need to understand it better.”
Helen – “Well, I think God wants you to understand it better, too.
‘Focus, Joan. You are building a mystery. Learn to see from both
sides now.’ That has to mean something. If you are the candle, then
you are the source. I think the candle could be your behavior,
because your behavior will always display your true image.”
Joan – “I had the same thoughts about the candle, but it’s the mirror
part that I’m wondering about.”
Helen – “If you are the mirror, then you are not the source. If you
reflect upon the light before sending it back, then you are affecting
it in some way. Are you a flat, concaved, or convex mirror? Each
would affect the light differently, with concaved being the most
interesting. What exactly does God mean by light? That’s what you
need to figure out.”
Joan – “That’s what I can’t figure out.”
Helen wonders quietly for a few minutes, “What if I show this to
Lilly? I’ll bet she would have some ideas. We’ll be studying
catechism after work tonight. Why don’t I ask her then?”
Joan – “Okay, but wait until I get home. I want to hear what she
says, and I’d rather she not know that we’re talking about me.”
Helen – “I can do that. I’ll say it was a dream that I had. That
should work. What you tell me will always be our secret, until you
tell me otherwise.”
Joan – “Good.” She smiles, thinking to herself, ‘Her lips are
selkied.’ She continues eating her lunch, “Would you like some of my
apple crisp?”
Helen takes a spoon and begins to help herself, “They do make good
apple crisp.”
At St. Mary’s Convent
Joan is thrilled that Grace has finally come with her, and Grace is
wondering why she finally agreed to come. Both actually know the
reason. Sometimes you do things you don’t really want to do because
you are friends.
Sister Sarah tallies the student head count and it is even this
evening. Normally, she just sits out when this happens, but tonight
she calls Sister Margaret. Sister Margaret has taught the class on a
few occasions when Sister Sarah was ill and when she was teaching
Joan separately. Sister Sarah announces the reason for the change,
“We’re going to start tonight’s lesson with the jitterbug. All of you
know it well, so we’ll be removing it from future classes. Let’s have
one last dance.”
She starts a CD and the music begins to play. All commence dancing
with their partners. Joan and Grace dance like a matched set, each
predicting the other’s moves. While they dance, Joan glances over at
Sister Sarah and Sister Margaret. She remembers her dream, but
suddenly realizes her mistake. She was not laughing at them dancing;
she was laughing with them. For fun, Joan begins to mix the Lindy Hop
into their dance. Grace follows suit and together, they dance and
have a grand time!
At The Liquor Emporium
Dan – “What kind of wine would you like?”
Rebecca – “Red would be nice.”
Dan was hoping for a more specific answer. He knows nothing about
wine and was hoping that Rebecca would make the choice. He decides to
admit his ignorance, “The only brand that I have tried is Boone’s
Farm. Thursday was a good year.”
Rebecca smiles as his joke, “Well, we’re not in college anymore.”
Toni Williams overhears their conversation. She asks Rebecca, “What
kind of wine do you like?”
Rebecca – “I don’t like dry wines. That’s all I know.”
Toni selects a bottle of Woodhall Party Garnet from the shelf, “I’ve
had this one before. It’s made here in Maryland. If you like a sweet
wine, this is a good choice.”
Dan – “Okay, let’s party.”
They begin to walk toward the register, but they are startled when a
man pulls a gun. He demands money from the clerk. They retreat back
down the aisle unseen.
Toni recognizes the gunman as Armond Washington and observes him from
the end of the aisle. The clerk gives him the money from the
register, but Washington becomes belligerent about the sum. He
threatens to shoot the clerk if he doesn’t open the safe. Toni had
hoped to be able to wait to confront him until after he left the
store, but she feels that is no longer an option. She draws her
weapon and calls out, “Police, drop your weapon.”
Washington turns and points his gun at Sergeant Williams. Shots ring
out.
At Home
The older Girardis are having a little party of their own. Lilly
brought snacks, and all have been enjoying talking and playing
Euchre. Will’s cell phone rings.
Will – “Girardi… uh-hah… yeah, I know them… how bad… what hospital…
okay, I’m on my way.”
Will hangs up and observes the puzzled expressions coming from his
family. They obviously could not help listening, “Sergeant Williams
has been involved in a shooting. I have to go debrief her.”
Helen – “What was that about a hospital?”
Will – “Toni shot a robber and the robber shot a customer… Dan
Thompson.”
Kevin – “Dr. Dan Thompson?”
Will – “Yeah. Why don’t you go to the hospital and call me when you
find out how he is. He’s at UMC.”
Lilly – “I’m going with you. Has anyone called Rebecca?”
Will – “She was with him when it happened.”
Will leaves for ‘The Liquor Emporium’, as Kevin and Lilly leave for
the hospital. When Joan arrives home, she is in high spirits. It was
a fun night with Grace, and she is especially delighted to have
learned that her initial interpretation of her dream was wrong. She
is looking forward to learning if Lilly can make sense of what Mirror
God has told her. She asks her mother, “Where’s Lilly?”
Helen – “She’s had to leave. Are you hungry?”
Joan – “Yes, but did you talk to her?”
Helen removes Joan’s dinner from the microwave and sits with her,
“Not really. She had to leave in a hurry. I just handed her your
paper and told her it was a dream that I had. I asked her to read it
when she got a chance. She read it quickly and initially rattled off
some possibilities, but then she stopped. Something else appeared to
come to mind. Then Kevin pressed once again for them to leave. She
said that she would have to think about it for awhile.”
Joan – “So, when will she let us know?”
Helen – “I’m not sure. I expect her to respond as soon as she’s had
time to collect her thoughts. Helen pauses as she changes the
subject, “I do have some bad news to tell you. Do you remember Dr.
Dan from UMC?”
Joan – “Yeah, what about him?”
Helen – “He was shot tonight. That’s why Lilly and Kevin had to
leave.”
Joan – “Will he be all right?”
Helen – “I don’t know. I sure hope so. Your father, Kevin, and Lilly
have all mentioned that he’s a really nice man.”
Joan – “Can you take me to the hospital?”
Helen – “We won’t be able to see him; Kevin and Lilly are already
doing what they can for Rebecca. There’s really nothing for us to
do.”
Joan – “I guess you’re right.”
Helen sees that Joan is upset. She hugs her then takes her hands, “We
can say a prayer.”
At Home
Kevin stays with Lilly and Rebecca until Dan gets out of surgery.
After debriefing Toni, Will goes to UMC to find out about Dan and to
interview Rebecca. Will has decided to sleep in a few extra hours,
but Kevin has gotten up with the others, “It looks like Dan will be
okay. The bullet ricocheted off the wall before it hit him in the
shoulder. It only went in about an inch.”
Joan – “Oh, I’m glad to hear that. Well, I mean, I’m glad it wasn’t
worse. When will he be getting out?”
Kevin – “Rebecca was the only one allowed in to see him. He’s
scheduled for some tests today. I guess the bullet nicked his
axillary artery. The doctors want to make sure that an aneurysm
doesn’t develop before they let him go home.”
Helen – “You look terrible. Why don’t you go back to bed?”
Kevin – “Oh, I’d love to, but Rebecca asked me to make sure
everything keeps running at the paper, so I’m the editor for today.
It’s actually a great opportunity, but I wish the circumstances were
different.”
Joan – “Do you think it would be okay if I visit Dr. Dan after
school?”
Kevin – “I suppose, but you should call the hospital first to make
sure that he’s still there and allowed visitors.”
At School
Adam – “You don’t look very happy today. What’s wrong?”
Joan – “Oh, a friend got hurt last night and I’m just worried about
him.”
Adam – “Do I know him?”
Joan – “Yeah, well, you’ve met him. He was with Kevin when we went to
the Unurban the last time. Dr. Dan.”
Grace – “The knee guy?”
Adam – “Oh, Ms. Askew’s boyfriend.”
Joan – “Yeah, that’s him. He got shot.”
Both Grace and Adam ask a flurry of questions, too many for Joan to
address. She motions for them to stop, “All I know is that he was at
a liquor store when he got shot. I’m going to try to visit him at the
hospital after school.”
Adam – “Would you like me to come with you?” Grace immediately offers
the same.
Joan – “No, I’ll just go by myself. Rebecca and Lilly will probably
already be there.”
They arrive at Joan’s calculus classroom where they will part ways.
Joan says jokingly, “Is the angle of the dangle really proportional
to the dingle of the dongle?”
Both Adam and Grace smile. Adam responds, “I think you overheard a
joke, but that’s not how it goes.”
Joan – “Great, just what I need, another quiztastrophe. My grade
average in calculus is already a joke.”
Grace – “I can help you with your calculus in study hall. It won’t
help you now, but maybe you’ll pass the test.”
Joan – “And what would you like me to do for you? Do you have your
dress yet?”
Grace looks around quickly, “Shh, don’t broadcast it! I’m covered. My
mom took me shopping.”
At The Herald
Kevin enjoys writing his second front-page story. Full control of the
content of his story and that of the other writers is something that
he has wanted for a long time. He is requiring rewrites and demanding
that some ‘facts’ be sourced or removed. He’s not making many
friends.
While at the hospital, he had the opportunity to interview Rebecca.
As expected, his father wouldn’t share what Sergeant Williams told
him, but he has the facts from one point of view. He plans to use
Washington’s mug shot in the article, something he feels should have
been published long ago.
Kevin watches the news as he works. He sees his father arriving at
the police station. A slew of reporters begin to ask questions.
Reporter # 1 – “Chief Girardi, can you tell us the identity of the
customer who was shot during the robbery last night?”
Will – “Yes, his name is Daniel Thompson. He is a doctor at UMC.”
Reporter # 2 – “And what is his condition?”
Will – “The last I heard he was in fair condition.”
Reporter # 3 – “What is the status of the investigation into this
shooting?”
Will – “Excluding Dr. Thompson, all the witnesses have been
interviewed. Today we will review the store’s security camera tape,
and we hope to be able to interview Dr. Thompson. Then we file
reports. The evidence will be turned over to Internal Affairs for
their review.”
Reporter # 1 – “We have received an unconfirmed report that Sergeant
Williams fired first at Armond Washington. Can you comment?”
Will – “I will note the key word in your statement, ‘unconfirmed’.”
Reporter # 3 – “Mrs. Washington states that the killing of her son is
just another example of how the Arcadia Police Department routinely
victimizes the black community.Do you have a response?”
Will – “I understand Mrs. Washington’s grief, but Mr. Washington was
shot during the commission of a robbery. Armond Washington is a
victim of his own criminal behavior. The only true victims are Dr.
Thompson and the others present during Mr. Washington’s unlawful
activities. I have no further comments.”
Reporter # 2 – “Chief Girardi, just one more question. What is the
status of Sergeant Williams?”
Will – “As is standard police policy, Sergeant Williams has been
suspended with pay until Internal Affairs completes their
investigation. Good day.”
Kevin quickly edits his story to include some of the comments from
this interview.
At the University Medical Center
Rebecca and Lilly stay at the hospital until Dan’s parents and sister
arrive from Scranton, Pennsylvania. It wasn’t until then that Rebecca
realized that she had left her purse in Dan’s car. With no way to get
into her apartment, she accepts Lilly’s offer to sleep on Kevin’s
couch. When they return, Dan’s family graciously allows Rebecca and
Lilly to spend time with him.
Although still in a lot of pain, Dan is in good spirits, cracking
jokes like, “This is why I didn’t try out for javelin catcher in
college.”
A sonographer pulls the curtain aside and plugs in an ultrasound
machine, “I have to perform an exam. Would you mind waiting outside?”
Rebecca – “Actually, I’d like to stay if it’s okay.”
The sonographer considers her request and says, “Sure, but please be
quiet during the examination.” She addresses Dan, “Normally, this
exam doesn’t hurt, but I will be scanning near your wound. I will try
to be as gentle as possible, but I expect it may hurt while I do it.”
Dan nods and prepares himself. When she places the transducer on his
shoulder, the shock of the cold gel startles him. He jerks, causing a
rush of pain in his shoulder.
Sonographer – “I apologize, doctor. We warm the gel, but it always
seems to be a shock at first contact.” She moves the transducer
across his shoulder, looking for the axillary artery. Dan grits his
teeth but says nothing. Rebecca and Lilly can see the artery come
into focus on the monitor. The sonographer pushes a button and the
artery fills with color. It is completely red, except for a turbulent
area of yellow and blue. This, Rebecca surmises, is the nick that she
was told about earlier. When the exam is finished, the sonographer
cleans the gel from Dan’s shoulder and says, “I hope that wasn’t too
painful.”
Her comment is more obligatory than meaningful, because it is obvious
that Dan is in a great deal of pain. He manages to give her a
Cheshire cat smile, “I’ll be okay, but could you ask the nurse to add
some joy juice to my drip.”
Sonographer – “I’ll let her know.” She leaves, pushing the machine
down the hallway. Rebecca follows her. After they are a distance
away, Rebecca asks, “That turbulence isn’t good, is it?”
Sonographer – “I am not allowed to discuss the results of the exam
with anyone, except for Dr. Thompson’s doctors.”
Rebecca – “I’m no expert, but Susan Jordan has shown me enough to
know what I’m looking at. How serious is it?”
Sonographer – “Oh, you know Susan?” She doesn’t wait for an answer,
“Well, the doctors will decide what needs to be done. Please, I can’t
say any more.”
At School
Ms. Lischak – “Let’s have a little review. Ms. Polk, please tell me
the definition of an enzyme.”
Grace – “Enzymes are things invented by biologists that explain
things which otherwise require harder thinking.”
Ms. Lischak – “That’s interesting, Ms. Polk. Do I need to explain why
your response will cause negative activation energy to be applied to
your grade for this class?”
Grace reconsiders, “Actually, enzymes function as organic catalysts.”
Ms. Lischak – “Better, Ms. Polk.LukeyG., define a catalyst.”
Luke – “A catalyst is a chemical involved in, but not changed by a
chemical reaction. Enzymes function by lowering the activation energy
of reactions.”
Ms. Lischak – “Mr. Friedman, what are the possible mechanisms for an
‘over the barrier’ catalyst?”
Friedman doesn’t answer. To the class, he appears not to know the
answer. They begin to chant, “Brain freeze, brain freeze, brain
freeze…”
Friedman interrupts, “No, no, I know the answer. It’s just that I
have been wondering why we never talked about the ‘through the
barrier’ mechanism.”
Ms. Lischak – “Time constraints. We did mention it briefly during
physics, but quantum tunneling is too complex a subject to cover,
even in these advanced placement courses. If you choose to take
quantum mechanics in college, I’m sure you will have the opportunity
to investigate this matter further.”
Friedman – “Well, I have already done some reading on my own. I was
just wondering what you thought about it.”
Ms. Lischak – “Quantum tunneling requires negative energy, which is
theoretically impossible. Yet experiments have shown that photons can
just appear on the other side of an energy barrier. Either negative
energy is possible or some as yet unknown force is at work.”
Joan – “Whoa, whoa, whoa. It took me a long time to understand this
activation energy stuff. Are you now saying that a catalyst can cause
a change involving no energy at all?”
Ms. Lischak – “Negative energy, Ms. Girardi, which is a physical
impossibility, yet there is evidence to suggest that it exists… a
conundrum at our present level of science. That is why I decided not
to attempt to delve into the subject during this class.”
Joan sits with a bewildered expression painted across her face. After
a few moments, she raises her hand again, “So, in layman’s terms,
we’re talking about magic.”
Ms. Lischak – “Magic is simply alternative physics. As I stated
previously, I expect that one day, it will be found that some unknown
force is at work.”
Joan whispers to herself, “God!”
Ms. Lischak – “What did you say, Ms. Girardi?”
Joan – “Never mind. Thank you.”
At the Police Station
Will says jokingly, “We’ve been spending a lot of time together.
Maybe we should start ‘\ Seeing Other People\ ’.”
Mimi smiles, “Hah, hah, I’ve heard that one before, but I’d rather be
‘\ Dancing in Twilight\ ’.”
Will smiles, “Oh, I haven’t seen that one.”Getting back to business,
Will asks, “So, what do you think? It looks pretty clear cut to me.”
Mimi – “I agree, but let’s not make a public statement just yet. I
would still like to read what Dr. Thompson has to say. Any word on
when we can get his statement?”
Will – “I had hoped to get it today, but his doctors have asked that
we wait. I’m told he is still in a lot of pain. I don’t expect him to
provide any information that we don’t know already.”
Mimi – “I agree, but let’s get all the facts, then we’ll make our
conclusions.”
Will – “Fair enough.”
At The Herald
Kevin has just sent tomorrow’s edition to print when Rebecca walks
in. He asks, “What are you doing here?”
Rebecca – “I’m not staying. I just wanted to check how everything
went today.”
Kevin – “Fine. I haven’t made a lot of friends, but it’s a good
edition.”
Rebecca – “Okay, you’re in charge again tomorrow. I’ll be back on
Monday.”
Kevin – “How is Dan?”
Rebecca was already looking emotionally drained, but Kevin’s question
obviously disturbed her even further, “I don’t know. I think the
problem with his artery is more serious than we’ve been led to
believe. I’m really worried.”
Kevin – “I’m really sorry to hear that. I’ll stop by after work.”
Rebecca – “No, just go home. I’ll call you if anything changes.”
Kevin – “Joan plans to visit after school. Can you arrange for her to
see him? She would really like to.”
Rebecca – “Sure, I can make it happen.” She pauses then continues,
“About your editorial. Can you prove your accusations?”
Kevin – “Yes, I have everything documented and cataloged. I can also
document a similar pattern for WGF-TV’s news program.”
Rebecca – “Okay, I’ll be back sometime tomorrow. If you can provide
the proof, I’ll consider letting you run your story.”
At the University Medical Center
When Joan arrives, Lilly is the only one in the Intensive Care
waiting area. She motions for Joan to have a seat, “Rebecca called to
let us know you were coming. Dan’s parents are with him now, but you
can go in when they are finished.”
Joan – “Thanks. How is he doing?”
Lilly – “I’m not really sure. Rebecca is concerned about his artery.
I only know what she tells me.”
Joan – “Tell me what you know.”
Lilly provides Joan with the information she has been given. When she
is finished, Joan surmises, “So, the bullet wound isn’t that bad,
it’s just the nick in his axillary artery that has everyone
concerned.”
Lilly – “That’s what I gather. Maybe Dan’s parents will have more
information when they come out.” Joan nods without speaking.
Lilly reaches into her purse and pulls out the paper that Helen had
given her. She skims over it again, “This is your dream, isn’t it?”
Joan hesitates, not sure what to say. She is surprised that Lilly
figured it out, but is glad that she believes it was a dream. She
answers, “Yeah, how did you know?”
Lilly – “The dialog just wasn’t your mother. How long have you been
having dreams like this?”
Joan – “Off and on all my life, but they just started to be regular
last summer.”
Lilly – “Are all of your dreams like this?”
Joan – “No, I dream about a lot of things. I don’t always understand
them, but this one seems important. That’s why I decided to ask Mom
about it.”
Lilly smiles, “And so she asked me.” She gazes at Joan for a moment
before she continues, “I’ve always known that there was something
special about you. Like mother, like daughter.” She looks at the
paper and then back to Joan, “Do you know what a charism is?”
Joan – “No, is it anything like grace?”
Lilly – “Well, you do need grace to understand it, but no, it is
different. They are gifts from the Holy Spirit. There are several:
The word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, faith, the grace of
healing, the working of miracles, prophecy, the discerning of
spirits, diverse kinds of tongues, and interpretation of speeches to
name a few. These dreams may be words of wisdom or knowledge.”
Joan smiles, “Me discerning knowledge? You haven’t seen my calculus
grades.”
Lilly – “There are many kinds of knowledge. Intellectual knowledge is
just one kind.” She briefly looks back at the paper, “This image of
you in the mirror is trying to tell you something, something you
should learn to do better. I don’t know what that is, perhaps you do,
but you need to learn more about it. ‘Focus, Joan. You are building a
mystery. Learn to see from both sides now.’ Does that mean something
to you?”
Joan ponders it once again, but this time, its meaning becomes clear.
She had been ignoring the obvious. She responds to Lilly, “Yes, now
it does. Thank you for your help.”
Rebecca returns slightly before Dan’s family come out from their
visit. Dan’s mother asks, “Are you Joan?”
Joan – “Yes ma’am. How is he doing?”
Mrs. Thompson – “Okay I guess, considering. I’m sorry you won’t be
able to talk to him. He’s fallen asleep, but he was looking forward
to your visit.”
Joan says “Oh,” dishearteningly. “Can I sit with him for awhile?”
Mrs. Thompson replies, “I don’t see why not. Go ahead.”
Joan enters the room and sits beside the gurney. She glances around
at all the instruments displaying various waveforms and numbers. She
closes her eyes and prays, ‘God, please help me to do this right.’
She opens her eyes briefly, finds Dr. Dan’s hand, and closes them
again. She visualizes his artery, the nick, and the turbulence, just
as Lilly described it to her. She concentrates on that spot. Then she
prays, ‘God, please heal Dr. Dan’s artery.’
After a few minutes, she returns to the waiting area. The Thompson’s
have gone to find a restaurant, and only Rebecca and Lilly remain.
Lilly says, “Come on; let me give you a ride home.”
At Home
When Joan opens her eyes, she is puzzled because she is unable to
sense her body. She realizes that she had forgotten to put on sports
cream before going to bed. She also remembers that she has gym class
today and bemoans having to exercise with bruises.
Her body begins to tingle as it awakens. She sits up, expecting pain,
but there is none. She examines her arms and legs, nothing. She
stands in front of the mirror, examining her face and backside, still
nothing. No bruises! She smiles as she realizes what has happened.
Happy feet take control as she dances around the room singing, “I’m a
catalyst, whoaoo, a beautiful chemical reaction, yeah that’s me…”
After a few minutes, she darts out the door to be the first one in
the bathroom.
At School
As the students enter the classroom, Helen gets her first peek at
some of their projects. She observes Tima’s project and feels
disheartened. Tima seems to be a promising student; Helen is not
looking forward to having to scold her for not following
instructions.
After they have all settled, Helen comments, “I’m glad to see that
all of you completed your projects. I’ll have each of you explain
your projects one at a time.” She looks at Tima, “That’s a pretty
picture, but the assignment was to make something that displays an
abstraction. Please explain your project.”
Timastands up and holds
her\ `project <http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a361/mshaffer2/EulersRelation.jpg>`__\ in
front of her, “Shakespeare used the sonnet to capture the very
essence of love. In his painting, ‘\ \ `The Creation of
Adam <http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a361/mshaffer2/TheCreationofAdam.jpg>`__\ ,’
Michelangelo brings out the beauty of the human form that is far more
than just skin deep. Euler’s equation reaches down into the very
depths of existence. It brings together mental abstractions with
origins in very different aspects of our lives, reminding us once
again that things that connect and bind together are ultimately more
important, more valuable, and more beautiful than things that
separate.”
Helen is both surprised and pleased. Although her artwork isn’t
abstract, it does display an abstraction, so technically, Tima
followed her instructions. “That’s very insightful. Please write down
what you just told us and tape it to the back.”
Tima– “Yes, Mrs. Girardi, it’s already there.”
Helen – “Thank you. Lindsey, please explain your project…”
At The Herald
Kevin and Rebecca meet in the conference room. Kevin asks, “How’s
Dan?”
Rebecca – “He’s doing really well. He had another test this morning
and his artery is healing. There’s no more turbulence near the nick.”
Kevin – “That’s great news. When will they let him go home?”
Rebecca – “They’ll do one more test in the morning, and if he passes
again, they’ll let him go home tomorrow.”
Kevin – “Well, if I can help in any way, just let me know.”
Rebecca – “I’m not sure how next week will pan out yet. I may take
you up on your offer.”
Kevin turns his attention to the task at hand. Rebecca’s mood also
changes with the transition. Kevin says, “This will go a lot easier
if you have an open mind.”
Rebecca – “I don’t like being called a racist!”
Kevin – “I never said that, but my research does indicate that our
stories have a racial bias. I think that rather than it being a
conscious effort, it may be that our reporters have just become
conditioned to report stories that way.”
Rebecca – “Can you prove this?”
Kevin rolls back from the computer and motions for Rebecca to take
his place, “I’ve compiled links to all the stories reporting on
violent crime in Arcadia.”
Rebecca – “What are the red links?”
Kevin – “They are all violent crimes, but the red links are murders.
Click on any link you want and you’ll see what I mean.”
Rebecca complies and reads from the story, ‘Mrs. Harrell was a black
single mother of three… Charles Stevenson has been arrested and
charged with her murder…’ “Okay, so what’s your point? Mrs. Harrell
is identified as being black.”
Kevin – “Yeah, but Charles Stevenson isn’t. That’s part of the
pattern. If the victim is black, their race is usually provided.
However, if the criminal is black, their race is seldom mentioned.
It’s a lie of omission.”
Rebecca – “Okay, maybe it happens once in a while, but I can’t
believe that it is as consistent as you say.”
Kevin – “Click on another link.”
Rebecca clicks on several more links and finds similar patterns. She
gets defensive once again, “Okay, so maybe you’re right. What harm
does it do if we don’t provide someone’s race in a story?”
Kevin – “If race is relevant to a story in the first place, then it
should be equally relevant for everyone in the story. The harm is
that by being selective, we have created an illusion that there is no
black crime in Arcadia. The reality is that blacks were responsible
for 49% of all murders in Arcadia last year. Considering that blacks
make up only about 12% of the population, that is quite a statistic
being ignored.”
Rebecca – “So, in that first story, you feel we should have provided
Mr. Stevenson’s race.”
Kevin – “Or not have provided Mrs. Harrell’s. Would her death have
been less tragic had she been white, married, or not had children?”
Rebecca – “No, of course not!”
Kevin – “Then her race is irrelevant, unless there is another motive
for providing it.”
Rebecca – “And that motive would be?”
Kevin – “You know very well the motive. It’s the same reason that
Charles Stevenson’s race was not mentioned. Listen, all I’m saying is
that we should provide our readers with the facts, all of the
relevant facts, and let them decide what to do with them.”
Rebecca – “Will that change anything?”
Kevin – “Maybe, maybe not. The light of the truth can be harsh to
those who have been in the dark, but it will also set them free.”
Rebecca – “Well, that’s very Platonic of you, but that doesn’t answer
my question. What good can come from this?”
Kevin – “Okay, how about that the first step toward finding a
solution to a problem is to acknowledge that it exists.”
Rebecca ponders their discussion for a few moments, and then she
responds, “Okay, I’ll think about it over the weekend and let you
know on Monday.”
At the Police Station
Carlisle – “I got Dr. Thompson’s statement. It agrees with the other
statements of those who were there. I’ll have it typed up in a few
minutes.”
Will – “Good, send a copy to Mimi when you have it finished.”
Carlisle – “Will do, boss.”
Will – “Oh, are you still working as security for the dance tomorrow
night?”
Carlisle – “No, Principal Chadwick decided that he didn’t want armed
security guards. The school is a gun free-zone, yuh know.”
Will – “What if someone gets a weapon past the security?”
Carlisle – “Then we’ll have shock and awe at Arcadia High.”
Will – “That’s not a comforting thought!”
Carlisle – “Those are the rules.”
At School
Students once again bring their projects into the classroom. Most
place them on their desks or against the wall. Adam brought an easel
with his and places
his\ `painting <http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a361/mshaffer2/MirrorBallAmbigram.jpg>`__\ prominently
near Helen’s desk.
After allowing a few other students to show their projects, Helen
calls on Adam, “Adam, tell us about your project.”
Adam – “Well, as you might have guessed, I made this for the dance
tonight. I have used an ambigram character set to write along each
side of the painting. An ambigram is an abstract letterform that
still produces a recognizable letter for each character. Each side
reads ‘Adam and Joan’ or ‘Joan and Adam’, depending upon how you look
at it.”
The students begin to cock their heads from side to side, trying to
read the writing. Expressions like, awesome, that’s really cool,
radical, way to go space cadet, and even one nifty permeate the
classroom.”
Helen – “Good work, Adam. I’ll let you take it with you, but I’ll
need it back to grade it.”
Adam – “It’s no problem Mrs. G. I plan to let Joan take it home after
the dance.”
At School
The gymnasium is bustling with activity. More volunteers than just
the sub-defectives have arrived to help prepare it for the dance. The
gender is predominately female, some being old friends, others not so
much friends, and still others with faces only familiar from the
halls of Arcadia High. Some notables are Cheryl, Heidi, and Tracy,
three cheerleaders that Joan actually likes; skater girl, without her
skates; and Iris with her Eagle camera. Ms. Lischak is also present
to supervise.
Several of the boys are working to hoist the mirror ball up to the
ceiling. Adam is assisting Clay Fisher who is integrating a CD player
into the gyms PA system. Clay will be the DJ for tonight’s dance. The
equipment is on ‘loan’ from Arcadia’s Mix-FM.
The girls are taking turns hanging decorations. They only have three
ladders and one is being used to install the mirror ball. All is
going well, so Ms. Lischak decides to visit the girl’s room. When she
returns, she finds that the cheerleader’s have begun using a human
pyramid to hang decorations. Ms. Lischak credits them for their
ingenuity, but she has also seen several of their performances during
this year’s football season. She offers this advice, “Please remember
that intelligent falling is no substitute for the law of selective
gravity: An object will always fall so as to do the maximum damage.”
She assigns two boys as spotters.
Joan and Elizabeth set up a table with ice, a variety of soft drinks,
and sweet iced tea. Grace provides two sheets of carrot cake, both
iced with white frosting. Elizabeth is cutting them into portions for
the party afterward.
After the mirror ball and lights are tested, the third ladder becomes
available. This speeds up the placement of the remaining decorations.
When finished, all stand to marvel at their creation.
Joan approaches Tima, “We have one last thing to do. Come with me.”
Joan leads Tima into the girl’s locker room. There they find Tima’s
mother waiting for them.
Mrs. Fakiri has a large bag on her lap, “Here, put these on.”
Tima– “Umm, why are you here?”
Mrs. Fakiri – “Because Joan invited me. Just be quiet and put these
on.”
Time – “Yes Umm.”
The dress is similar in style to the ones she normally wears, but
this one is yellow, decorated with large beautiful white flowers. She
has also provided matching shoes. After Tima dons the new dress, Joan
brushes and places a matching silk flower in her hair. When finished,
Joan takes her hand and says, “Close your eyes and come with me.”
Joan, Tima, and Mrs. Fakiri return to the gymnasium. When they
arrive, Joan says to Tima, “Open your eyes.”
With the lights dimmed, the mirror ball rotates, reflecting
intermittent beams of light that are being flashed upon it. Tima
asks, “What’s going on?”
Joan – “You said you couldn’t dance with boys, right?”
Tima– “Yes, that is true. I’m not allowed.”
Joan presents her arm to the room, inviting Tima to look around, “Do
you see any boys here?”
All the boys have gone. A song begins to play over the PA. Tima looks
at her mother. Her mother answers her silent query, “Go have fun.”
For the next two hours, Tima enjoys dancing and talking with her new
friends.
At Home
Helen – “Is everything ready for the dance tonight?”
Joan – “Everything but me.Did you pick up my dress from the
cleaners?”
Helen – “It’s in your room. Would you like some lunch?”
Joan – “No, I had too much carrot cake. I’m just going to take a nap
so that I’ll be ready to dance the night away.”
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Joan once again makes a staircase entrance, but this time, it’s
anything but glamorous. Judith pops in at the last minute to suggest
that she make some changes. Judith suggests that she wear a pair of
two-tiered
droplet\ `earrings <http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a361/mshaffer2/Multi-coloreddropletearrings.jpg>`__\ that
Joan purchased on a whim several months ago. They were a thrift store
special that she had stuffed, bag and all, into her dresser drawer,
where they lay forgotten until now. Leave it to Judith to note that
the outer two stones perfectly match the color of her dress. Judith
also suggests changing the color of her eye shadow and lipstick. When
Joan looks at herself one last time in the mirror, she agrees with
Judith’s assessment, “That’s Joanith shining through.”
Joan hurries down the stairs, “I know; I’m sorry I’m late. I had to
accommodate the spiritual realm before I could come down.” This just
adds wonder to the awe of her appearance. Their expressions prompt an
explanation. Joan laughs, “Judith paid me a visit.”
Adam is mesmerized. Although it is a different color, the style of
her dress is nearly the same as the one she wore when she offered him
a gift. She has never looked more beautiful, but for Adam, that is a
daily occurrence. Ma and Pa Girardi are both clutching handkerchiefs,
each wondering which one will need to use them first. Kevin wonders
how he failed to notice when his little sister became a woman. Luke
is just a basket case, knowing that his turn is next.
Adam offers Joan a wrist corsage. Both are pleased to see that one of
its wildflowers matches perfectly with her dress. Joan offers in
return a kiss, a thank you, and a boutonniere.
Luke – “Come on, we’re late. Grace likes late, but only if it’s her.
Let’s go.”
Just then, Joan’s cell phone rings. Grace queries, “Where are you,
Girardi?”
Joan – “We’re on our way.”
Grace – “Ripley’s been calling, wanting to get a picture of me in
this dress. Get your butt over here!”
Joan – “We’ll be there soon. I’m sure you look beautiful.”
Helen – “Go have fun. Be home by eleven.”
Joan – “Mom, we might want to get something to eat afterward.”
Will – “Okay, call us when you leave the dance.”
Joan can see that Luke is a nervous wreck. She grabs the keys from
his hand, “Adam’s driving.” Luke surrenders without protest and they
scurry out to the car.
At the Polonsky’s, they all walk up to the door together. Joan knows
that the parents will want to see all of them, not just Luke. She
also expects that he may need moral support. She remembers her
butterflies when she and Adam went on their first real date. She will
be there for him if he needs help.
To Joan’s surprise, Luke does rather well. Grace is the only one who
appears nervous. She is self-conscious, but she and her mother have
done a wonderful job. There isn’t anything anti about her. Her skirt
is made of a pleated teal blue silk that flows down to about
mid-calf. The top of her gown has white silk crisscrossing her bosom
and puffy teal blue short sleeves. All of her accessories match, and
her hair and makeup are perfect. In Luke’s eyes, she is a goddess of
imaginary light. After they exchange flowers, all leave for the
dance.
At the Mirror Ball
As in years past, Mr. Price waits at the entrance, ready to pounce on
anyone that he feels deserves it. Fortunately, all are able to pass
without losing any miraculous things.
Inside, the mirror ball reflects light like rain; its color slowly
changing from red, to green, then to blue, with all the colors in
between. Joan watches the array of stars float around the room,
giving a stillness that contrasts with the dancing teens. Friedman
approaches with a girl on his arm. Her green soul window eyes sparkle
as she smiles at him. She is about 4’ 9” tall and probably weighs
less than 100 pounds wet. She has a beautiful figure, with just the
right combination of muscle tone and curves. Imagine an ebony\ `Mary
Lou
Retton <http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a361/mshaffer2/MaryLouRetton.jpg>`__\ .
Friedman shouts, “Hi, this is Mel. Mel, these are my friends.”
All greet her and provide their names, but shouting at each other
precludes a real conversation. Joan suggests that they get some
punch, sit, and talk, “Adam, would you go ask Clay to turn the volume
down a little?”
Grace – “Hey, I’ll go with you. I’m anti-claymation.”
Grace and Adam leave, and within a few minutes, the volume of the
music becomes tolerable.
Joan – “Wow, that’s better. Now we can talk. I love your dress and
those earrings are amazing.”
Mel – “Thank you. My mother brought them back as a gift from her last
trip to Jamaica. I love things that are handmade.”
Joan – “Are you from there? I’ve only met one person from Jamaica. He
was a terrible singer.”
Mel – “Me, no, I was born here… well, in Montgomery County. We moved
to Arcadia when I was five. My dad and uncle work for the community
center.”
A slow melody begins to play. Joan feels a tap on her shoulder,
“Would you like to dance?” Joan is overwhelmed with a rush of déjà vu
as the dream she had discounted begins to play out. Adam, the room,
the music, everything is as she remembers. They walk out onto the
dance floor and begin a waltz. Elizabeth was right, but she totally
understated Adam’s ability. Time stands still as they float around
the room, much like the figurines on her music box, escaping into a
world of their own.
After several numbers, the group gathers once again to rest. Ms.
Lischak walks over, “Greetings kinesiology specimens. I’m glad to see
that everyone is enjoying themselves.”
Glynis– “Oh, we are, although Sean and I aren’t the best dancers.”
Joan – “Sister Sarah has actually talked about that. When I’m
learning a new dance, I find it helpful, but if I think about it
while I’m doing it, I usually mess up. I just try to do what feels
right.”
Ms. Lischak – “Whether it is cognizant or subliminal, all of you
participate.” She briefly looks out into the room and then back to
the group, “The ocular presentation that you have fashioned is quite
impressive. God’s eldest daughter rippling through space,
quaquaversally reflecting, refracting, focusing, and dispersing, all
in tune with the angular momentum of the sphere. The visual
consequence of the medium-energy gauge boson chains raining upon the
mirror ball is magnificent. Well done, photons.”
Grace whispers to Luke, “There she goes again with her dirty talk.
Why can’t she just say that it’s pretty?” Luke smiles without
comment.
Joan asks, “Um, Ms. Lischak, is your second best friend here?”
Ms. Lischak smiles at her comment, “Yes, he’s here. He would actually
like to talk to you. Let us have a dance and then you two can talk.”
Ms. Lischak walks to the other side of the gymnasium, and then onto
the dance floor with her significant other. Joan squints to see in
the dim light, ‘Yes, it is him!’
Joan feels another tap on her shoulder. Sean asks, “Would you like to
dance?” Mel then asks Adam, Glynis asks Luke, and so on. They all
return to the dance floor. It’s a fast song, so Joan begins to
integrate some of the square dance moves that Cee-Cee taught her.
Soon, they are dancing as a group, exchanging partners every few
seconds.
The next song is a slow one for Joan’s dance with Mr. Tuchman.
Although there is not enough time for him to tell her everything that
has happened, she does learn that he has gone back to college. He is
about to complete another bachelor’s degree, this time in history. “I
will be Arcadia High’s history teacher beginning in the fall.”
Joan – “Really, that’s great!” Joan considers what he has told her,
“Wait, what about Mr. Dreisbach?”
Mr. Tuchman apologizes, “Oh, I’m sorry; I wasn’t supposed to let
anyone know. He won’t publicly announce his retirement until the end
of the year. When he told me of his plans, he did mention something
about starting a jazz band.”
Joan smiles, “So he can play the saxophone. Good for him.”
When the song ends, Joan returns to be with her friends. She takes
this opportunity to have another conversation with Mel. They seem to
be opposites in many of their likes and dislikes. Mel loves to dive
and Joan still fears it. Mel loves Koala bears and hats, and you know
Joan’s thoughts on that subject. However, Mel has a darling
personality and is a pleasure to talk with. With the experiences
Friedman has had with girls, Joan is pleased that he has found such a
jewel.
The mirror ball seems to abate its rotation with the waning of the
evening. Joan wonders what song to choose for the last dance. A
melody begins to play in her head, one that she has heard on one of
her father’s records. Its lyrics resonate, not only for this evening,
but also for the events of this past week. After arranging it with
Clay, she pulls Adam once again out onto the dance floor. She sings
along as she and Adam dance to the music.
*Do you believe in magic
In a young girl’s heart
How the music can free her
Whenever it starts
And it’s magic…*
