9.11

[Mark Arbour]

The next story in the CAP series, 9.11,  should be ready for launch soon.  The first few chapter have been written and have gone through the first round of editing.  

 

The story will start in the summer of 2001.  I'm going to start out with Will narrating, but I'll bring more people in as we go on, and as we get closer to the attacks of 9-11-01.  I haven't decided exactly how I'm going to do that, but I'll figure it out.  

[centexhairysub]

I have no problem with Will starting as the narrator but as the date gets closer to that awful day and those that followed; I can't imagine anyone other that JP being the one anyone wants to hear from...  I really do believe that the gravitas of the situation demands JP as one of the narrators.  I could see this as being a story that has multiple narrators at different points but JP is a must...

[Mark Arbour]

I have no problem with Will starting as the narrator but as the date gets closer to that awful day and those that followed; I can't imagine anyone other that JP being the one anyone wants to hear from...  I really do believe that the gravitas of the situation demands JP as one of the narrators.  I could see this as being a story that has multiple narrators at different points but JP is a must...

 

That is a probability. 

[methodwriter85]

   I like the idea of there being more than one or two points of view. That's what defined 9.11 for me- it was such a human story, with many different points of view that everyone can remember where they were when it happened.

[Mari]

I, of course, am thrilled to have Will back    I am eager to read the other family members POV as well.

[naaz]

love the forums that are there before the stories they are about has not been published.

[Mark Arbour]

I'm pondering the other narrator(s), and we definitely have to have them when we get to 9-11, but I think Will can get us through summer, or at least part of it.  With him being out of school, it makes it possible for him to be at critical places and scenes in a pretty natural way.  Gives me some time to think things through. 

[methodwriter85]

Will might be a slut, but he's never been a shithead and I think sleeping with someone you know to be in a relationship a shithead thing to do.

 

It's actually consistent from the previous story- Will slept with Tony who had a girlfriend, and he messed around with Gathan despite knowing that he was back with Kristin. The latter really bothered me, because Will is supposed to be good friends with Kristin, but I think this is the philosophy that Mark has in regards to his own life and that he's had Will articulate- that it's not your job to make sure other people live up to their committments. I don't necessarily agree with it, but I think Mark's developed that as a pretty strong part of Will's viewpoint, and it remains consistent with Will's "live and let live" (unless you try to get in my way) attitude.

Edited April 15, 2013 by methodwriter85

[PrivateTim]

It's actually consistent from the previous story- Will slept with Tony who had a girlfriend, and he messed around with Gathan despite knowing that he was back with Kristin. The latter really bothered me, because Will is supposed to be good friends with Kristin, but I think this is the philosophy that Mark has in regards to his own life and that he's had Will articulate- that it's not your job to make sure other people live up to their committments. I don't necessarily agree with it, but I think Mark's developed that as a pretty strong part of Will's viewpoint, and it remains consistent with Will's "live and let live" (unless you try to get in my way) attitude.

 

Not the same, Will had Tony before the chick did and Kristin was mostly out of the picture. The encounters with Gathan were random things, not a twice a week scheduled event with someone you go to school with and see everyday. You have to know when you are peeing in your own pool you're gonna get popped sooner or later and with ramifications far beyond the one offs.

[methodwriter85]

   Maybe it's not the same thing, but Will clearly set precedent for having sex with people that were in relationships in the previous story, and this story feels like a logical progression from that.

[PrivateTim]

   Maybe it's not the same thing, but Will clearly set precedent for having sex with people that were in relationships in the previous story, and this story feels like a logical progression from that.

 

The difference is Will seems to know it is wrong and he was hunting for outs......  it didn't occur to him in the other instances because the circumstances were so different.

[MJ85]

Will being involved with guys who aren't single seems to have become more of a precedent in the more recent days. It remains to be seen, though, if he's truly "learned" a lesson here - in fact, letting Kyle go probably became an incredibly easy thing to do for the simple fact that he didn't measure up to Tony. Never mind the fact that he apparently isn't seeing much of Tony these days. But the point is that Kyle suddenly became a liability that Will decided he didn't want to afford, so...in that light, did he learn the lesson that he probably should be learning from this? We'll see.

[centexhairysub]

Okay, I am going to take another point of view on the issue of Will's behaviour.  I agree with Will; it is not his job to police the actions of anyone that he is sleeping with.  Will can't make Kyle faithful to Eric and it isn't his job to try.  I do think that it is better not to see someone that is in a relationship but it isn't your job to keep anyone else on the straight and narrow, so to speak. 

 

I am more concerned with the fact that Marie and John were discussing something so private in a venue that allowed them to be overheard; I have to wonder if one of them didn't want the information to come out...

 

Mark is already setting up several people to be in place to be directly involved with the tragedy of that day and the aftermath.  Elle is in New York, so Darius might be as well even if they are not together at the moment.  Wade and Matt are going back East with Nana, although we don't know exactly why yet or for how long.  JJ and Tiffany could be in Bulgaria or elsewhere with skating issues.  Will could be in Europe or heading back home around that time...  Way to go Mark, let's put everyone in danger...

 

I really like the idea of hearing from several people as narrators during this story.  This was an event that truly touched everyone in a different way, why not let that show...  I do think that JP is the only must!

 

Great first chapter and can't wait to see where Mark takes us on this ride.

[Mark Arbour]

I'm not convinced that it's "wrong" to sleep with someone who's in a committed relationship.  I do think the basic commitment is between the two partners, not the third person who is the cheatee.  Is that a word?  Should be.     Still, I can see that it could be morally similar to a person who is aiding in a crime.  Sort of like even though they didn't rob the bank, they drove the getaway car.  As I wrestle with it, I'd be more inclined to say it's unwise than wrong.

Edited April 15, 2013 by Mark Arbour

[rjo]

Again Mark I agree with you, Will sees that he is responsible for his actions, not others. The idea that having sex with someone in a relationship is not wrong as much as unwise. Next time he will learn from this and not be involved in relationships like this.

 

On another point, why were Marie and John talking about the situation in public? If Stef finds out they will be in the dog house.

 

Last, I agree with David, JP is the only one who can handle that horrible day. Along with Ella, Brad could be in NYC during the attack. Will would be in school at that time so he's safe. Darius could be visiting Ella depending when UCLA starts. Again Matt and Wade would be starting their last year at Sanford. Senator Danfield and or Nana could be in Washington. If I remember all planes were grounded for a number of days after the attack and communications were bad also. Mark handled the Kennedy Assassination perfectly. I am such he will handle this great too.

Edited April 15, 2013 by rjo

[methodwriter85]

Again Matt and Wade would be starting their last year at Sanford.

 

Stanford is on a quarter system, so the 2001-2002 school year doesn't start until after 9/11. Check out the 2001-2002 Stanford academic calendar. According to the calendar, the 2001 Autumn quarter at Stanford started on Monday, September 24th, 2001.

 

Wade and Matt's graduation should take place on Sunday, June 16th, 2002.

 

I checked out info on UCLA for  fall 2001,  and they're also apparently on the quarter system- Darius's school year doesn't start until Tuesday, September 25th. So Darius could totally be in New York City visiting Ella on September 11th. Aside from that, the 2001 MTV Music Awards took place on September 6th, and I could easily see Darius getting tickets via Robbie's connections for that, and taking a week or two in New York trying to reconcile with Ella. That would be just the type of thing I could see two college kids wanting to do, especially if Ella is interested in seeing rockstar fashion. Plus, Britney Spears was there(that was the snake performance of Slave 4 U) and Ella's in her demographic.

 

We're getting close enough to current times that it's easier looking up internet archived info, thank god.

Edited April 15, 2013 by methodwriter85

[MJ85]

I have a hunch that the discussion that Erik overheard was one that was initiated by Marie. Given what we're learning about her social interactions and how she's reacted to what Will's been up to...it does seem like the sort of thing that she'd do.

 

So, I see John as a...perhaps unwitting, or even unwilling, accomplice there. I'd direct the brunt of wrath, assuming wrath comes out, onto Marie.

[PrivateTim]

I'm not convinced that it's "wrong" to sleep with someone who's in a committed relationship.  I do think the basic commitment is between the two partners, not the third person who is the cheatee.  Is that a word?  Should be.     Still, I can see that it could be morally similar to a person who is aiding in a crime.  Sort of like even though they didn't rob the bank, they drove the getaway car.  As I wrestle with it, I'd be more inclined to say it's unwise than wrong.

 

Again Mark I agree with you, Will sees that he is responsible for his actions, not others. The idea that having sex with someone in a relationship is not wrong as much as unwise. Next time he will learn from this and not be involved in relationships like this.

 

There was a time when "Do unto others, as you would have them to unto you" was more important than "Do your own thing baby".

[methodwriter85]

I'm not seeing JJ as a narrator just yet.  For one thing, if I did that, Jeremy would bug the shit out of me, arguing constantly.  :-)  But more importantly, he's not developed enough to narrate.  He needs to get older, and mature.

 

    Hey, what makes you say that?   Seriously though, I feel like you and I have been largely on the same page in regards to JJ. I've argued with you waaaaayyyyyy more on the Will stuff than I have with the JJ stuff, because we've been mainly on the same page about JJ.

 

    Like here. I totally agree with you on this one. At 17/18 (and when Evan Lysacek moves to Los Angeles), I can see it. Not at 15, when he still has the mindset of a little kid. I cringe at the thought of what a story narrated by me when I was 15 would be like...I was simliar in being very, very immature for my age then. Plus, as I've said in the other thing...being narrator requires you to have lots of sex, and I think JJ's natural inclination is to be somewhat chaste, after the nightmare of what happened with his coach. I think had this not happened, JJ would have been the type of kid you knew in high school who was happy to hold hands with his significiant other, let alone hump like rabbits the way his brothers do. That'll probably change when he gets closer to his 20's, but for now I think where you have him right now - the diva so focused on skating that he's not really so much into dating and mating the way his brothers are and who doesn't get why his brothers get so consumed by it- works really well, as a great contrast to Will the quintessential sexually precocious kid. It's also really realistic and true-to-life- yes, teenagers are typically hornbags looking to sate their hormonal urges, but some aren't. It's nice seeing a supporting character who doesn't fit into the oversexed American Pie high school stereotype.

Edited April 16, 2013 by methodwriter85

[Mark Arbour]

There was a time when "Do unto others, as you would have them to unto you" was more important than "Do your own thing baby".

 

Yeah, and there was a time when Jimmy Carter was president.  I'm not keen on that either.

 

Will is going to figure this out in his own way.  Part of the fun of writing a character like him is following him through these epiphanies of life.

[JimCarter]

Will is going to figure this out in his own way.  Part of the fun of writing a character like him is following him through these epiphanies of life.

 

So that is what you are calling his sexual exploits these days.  

[Ohiospeedo]

Love it that you are back. Thanks as always for your wonderful stories. I truly hope that Will ends up with anyone besides Tony. The closet case has too many issues.

[PrivateTim]

Yeah, and there was a time when Jimmy Carter was president.  I'm not keen on that either.

 

Will is going to figure this out in his own way.  Part of the fun of writing a character like him is following him through these epiphanies of life.

 

Maybe Will will read Mere Christianity at Menlo, or even just an excerpt from "The Law of Human Nature" before the epiphanies bite him in the ass again. Hopefully Ian, er I mean Will, will be in water polo coach Jack Bowen's philosophy class and read Bowen's first novel, The Dream Weaver.

[methodwriter85]

   Mark has kind of ignored what classes specific to his school that Will would taking(he's kept it vague and general like English and math), so I'm not sure we're ever going to see Will in a philosophy class or a religion class, even though I think both are required at Menlo.

 

    I'm not sure religion is ever going to play that much of a thought in Will's daily actions. Mark's atheist, therefore Brad's atheist and it looks like Will is probably going to take after him with that. Darius is probably somewhat open to the existence of God because he went to Santa Clara...I'm not sure about JJ. He'd certaintly never say publically that he's an atheist, that's for sure. I think JJ would be more along the lines of an agnostic...believing in a god, but not really being tied into any kind of organized religion.

 

    Although...wouldn't Will being an atheist actually be somewhat of a problem with Catholic Tony, at least down the road when they're talking about how they're going to raise the twins they procured courtesy of a three-some with a lesbian? Not being on the same page religion-wise can sometimes be a big dealbreaker.

 

   It would be interesting if Mark tapped into the rush towards religion and God that happened for a subset of young people after 9/11 (my older sisters were part of this), but I'd be surprised if he did.

Edited April 16, 2013 by methodwriter85

[PrivateTim]

  I'm not sure religion is ever going to play that much of a thought in Will's daily actions. Mark's atheist, therefore Brad's atheist and it looks like Will is probably going to take after him with that. Darius is probably somewhat open to the existence of God because he went to Santa Clara...I'm not sure about JJ. He'd certaintly never say publically that he's an atheist, that's for sure. I think JJ would be more along the lines of an agnostic...believing in a god, but not really being tied into any kind of organized religion.

 

Mere Christianity isn't about religion per se, it is a discussion of morality and right and wrong and where the understanding of right and wrong come from from a series of radio broadcasts that Lewis made during WWII when the outcome of the war was very still much in doubt.

 

The Dream Weaver is 14 year old Ian's walk through philosophy, morality and ethics. A journey young Will, also 14 should embark on. Since Jack starting writing the novel in 2001, Will very well could have been the model Bowen used.......  interesting.