travlbug

After making love three times and then waking up in Brian's bed, Davey's first words are "We shouldn’t do this.... It’s wrong." He follows up by saying "I'm scared." Yes, Brian and Davey have finally gotten together, but Davey is still thoroughly screwed up inside (thanks, Dad [David, Sr.]), and I'm concerned that he's not yet emotionally mature enough to handle a gay relationship.

Something about this chapter reminds me of Rosemary's Baby.... 😂😂😂

Mark Spencer is an idiot. At the behest of "Crazy Girl" (i.e., Marcie), he has slashed tires, rifled through another's backpack, vandalized a book, keyed a car, and put a friend at risk by having him improperly check a student's address. Sorry, Mark, but these are not normal requests meant to prove your affection. Rather, they are a gateway to suspension, expulsion, fines, community service, and even juvenile detention. (Sure Marcie likes you [chump]. She might even see you on visitors' day. ) Trevor and Brandon refuse to accept their girlfriends' Marcie-inspired ultimata and are dumped. "So does this mean we’re all three single again?" I love that Trevor notes, "There's always the barn." 😂 Also, with the girlfriend-associated blinders off, Brandon and Trevor once again reassert their friendship with Brian. (Let the healing begin!) So how long was Pete going to allow Davey to kill himself working before assuming financial responsibility (and giving Davey his life back)--especially since he could have done so at any time? If he was looking for a good-faith effort on Davey's part, he had it long ago. While I applaud his present willingness to take over from Davey, Pete's "testing" of Davey's resolve is reprehensible.

"My father had been shocked hearing my description of Davey’s ‘bed’ and while we both knew it was better than being on the street, the total lack of privacy Davey had to live with was shocking to us." Come to think of it, if Davey were a foster kid, CPS would yank him out of there so fast that Monta's pink housecoat would turn inside out from the breeze! "'He’s a good guy.' Dad said softly. '...It sounds like his family has a lot of issues to work through, and while they are doing that, they can’t really pay him the attention he needs. We can, and we will.'" In a way, by acting as a surrogate family, the Breckinridges are indeed fostering Davey, even if only for a short time. Nice to see Brian and Davey confide in one another; and Trevor and Brian renew their friendship (the timeline improves a tiny bit). Hmmm. Mark Richards becomes Mark Spencer. (An ass by any other name....😂)

If Marcie is the primary instigator for the damage to Davey's car, then she gets another benefit not yet discussed: She would have proven to herself that Mark Richards (the new boyfriend) is willing to do her bidding--even if it's against the law! (After all, I don't think for a minute that Marcie would slash the tires herself.)

Brian proves he's there for when Davey needs him; and perhaps more importantly, Davey learns that he can be emotionally vulnerable around Brian (they are building trust ). "I’d forgotten how funny Johnny Carson was in his monologue." I miss Johnny Carson too.

"So far, my efforts to find out what had happened to Sean were having no results at all. Only a few of those I spoke to barely remembered him at all. It was almost like he’d disappeared off the face of the earth." Subsequently, through Todd, we find that Sean and family have moved to Southern California. A search of the library phone books might give a clue as to Sean's new address. If not, with funds in his bank account (though apparently not much), Brian could use some of his own money to continue the hunt. (Of course, even if he finds him, I wonder what he could do to keep him safe from the Rule parents.) Marcie may not be a nice girl, but nothing justifies what Brian says about her in the locker room. I'm afraid that these rather mean-spirited comments will come back to haunt him. "Right now, [Davey] believed being gay was a sickness, something to be hidden, and that it was impossible for two men to have a relationship." Thank you, David, Sr. (In this timeline, you are truly an ass--a criminal as well as an idiot--no matter what your potential might have been.) Brian, take note: Todd is a good guy. (I love the lime-green Beetle with fuzzy dice! Remember the built-in flower vase?) Their heart to heart establishes that a.) Todd is gay, Brian is bi, and they can talk about their orientations openly (Todd is clearly an ally); b.) Todd has not had sex with Davey, so Brian doesn't have to worry; and c.) if Papa locks Davey out, and if Todd cannot accommodate him, then Brian will make sure that Davey has a place to stay. All in all, a fruitful conversation (no pun intended). Once again, baby steps, but Brian is moving forward (and with a new friend who might be able to help. [So far, Brandon and Trevor have proven worthless, and I'm beginning to wonder if Brian will be forced to sever their friendship.])

"Money was tight for him, and he was working at three different McDonald’s restaurants in order to make his car payments, his insurance payments, and still have money for things like food and gas. His mother wasn’t working now because her back pain was so bad, and there were still the payments for his sister to go see a psychologist." This passage is important both in showing Davey's sense of responsibility and in demonstrating loyalty to his family, even though he isn't well treated. He is risking his education and future to help his mother and sister in the present, and he is not rewarded for it. Seeing such qualities in Davey, and seeing the suffering they generate, must be a source of anguish to his erstwhile lover. Mom B is already starting to work on Davey, inviting him into the house and wheedling his birthday out of him where Brian has failed. Dad's questions in the restaurant are also helpful in drawing Davey out, and his suggestion that Brian offer the San Francisco apartment is inspired. (Brian may not realize it, but his parents are his best allies in this timeline, and Davey is so enmired in problems that he will likely require a group effort.) Hmmm. So Todd wants to get to know Davey better and has been watching him to the point that he's aware of Brian's attempts to befriend him. (Yet one more obstacle: Brian may have competition.) "Articulate and well reasoned." Davey's no slouch, which makes his life-destroying circumstances all the more heartbreaking. (Note that the "diamond in the rough" comment could apply to virtually all of Davey's family, with Dad having the potential to become President; Mom, a prominent fundraiser; and Jenny, a fighter pilot.) Brian may cry himself to sleep, but he has made actual progress with Davey (in no small part because of his parents). And Brian, don't worry about Todd too much, at least tonight: As Shakespeare says (in Macbeth), "It [alcohol] provokes the desire, but takes away the performance." 😂

Brian's parents can't help but notice their son's increased maturity and are willing to allow Brian time after school to reach out to Davey. (From the parents, we learn that Davey's father has been shamed publicly and has been rearrested for a parole violation. No wonder Davey's become withdrawn.) How odd: David, Sr. is convicted of molesting a minor while Cosby is convicted of sex crimes in 2018. (Sorry, Bill, no Do Over for you!) "[Brandon and Trevor] had been our best friends growing up, always there with us, always supportive and strong. How much of that had been because of Davey’s influence on us? Sean’s as well, but I had to wonder just how much of what I viewed as our moral strength during high school had been because of the influence of the two time travelers?" Brian experiences an epiphany as to just how much Davey and Sean had influenced their lives in the prior timeline, and he doesn't like what he sees (of his friends) without that influence. Finally! Brian's not-so-subtle attempts to break through Davey's barriers have worked--to a degree--and Davey has agreed to partner for the history project. That said, Brian's link to Davey remains tenuous at this point, and his relationship with Brandon and Trevor has strained almost to the breaking point. He has never been so isolated. And speaking of isolation, where is Sean? (After reading the comments, I see that I'm not the only one concerned about Sean, and I hope that Brian can reach out and help him as well.)

Marcie could break glass with her shrillness, and cardboard has more personality. Her most glaring trait is her selfishness. That "before Brian" actually considers marrying her shows how non-discerning he used to be. "How the hell had I ended up with this bitch instead of the calm, loving man I had just spent seven decades of my life with?" (Hormones? 😂) Yet again, Brian indicates that his age was in the 80s (12+70=82), not 60s, before the Do Over. "Once again Davey Jones was right. You might think it would be easy to pass yourself off as a younger version of the same person, but it was really difficult." Davey's insights will certainly help Brian pull off his mission. Acting skills wouldn't hurt either, not to mention a bit more control of his temper. Seeing Davey working at McDonald's--and during school lunch time--must have been a shock for Brian and is a great way to contrast Davey's potential to his actual status in this timeline. Wow, Brian, suggesting you might date guys and mentioning Trevor's barn--you might be moving a little fast (especially considering Brandon's pallor). At least, you explain your apparent anti-gay stance as being an outgrowth of Uncle Rich's death, and it becomes a bonding moment with Brandon and Trevor (an actual hug). Too bad the time machine did not have enough power to send Brian back to age 12, but the complications of him starting at age 16 are fun to watch (though he might disagree...).

I love that the time machine has been hiding in plain sight (as a working MRI machine) for 2 decades! (It would have paid for itself!) Neat work-around to let Brian go back to his 16 year-old body. (I love the surprise when it turns out that Brian has been sent back instead of Davey!) "It had only been bungling by several of the Presidents who took office after [David, Sr.] that had created a situation where so many people had died in needless conflict." This is all the information we get to explain the new dirty bomb? Grrrr. "60-odd year old body?" If Sean had been in his 80s, then Brian would have been too. ("He’d always been on the short side, and now in his eighties he begrudged every millimeter of height he lost with advancing age.") However, we'll pretend that Brian is around 66 at the time of the Do Over, as this is what the text seems to settle on. (That said, it would have been more reasonable for Davey to have suffered a stroke in his 80s than his 60s, though a stroke in one's 60s is possible.) The original timeline is not a pleasant one, and Brian has a long way to go to fix it. (We're rooting for you!)

Whether Bush pardons Davey for political purposes or to spite his successor, one thing is certain: Davey receives his pardon dead last! 😂 (My wayback machine shows George with a clothespin on his nose as he signs it. 😂😂😂)

I am frustrated that Davey has chosen to plead guilty over the recommendation of his lawyer. (He doesn't want a jury to "nullify" what he has done, but I think that he is missing the point--that nullification, if it happens, would be a ringing endorsement for what he's done (for having exposed Bush's lies!). In fact, I'm not certain why Davey is in jail at all: He may have pled guilty, but he has yet to be sentenced. On that basis, he would likely have been eligible for bail (though admittedly, the scene is more interesting this way! He isn't even able to cast a vote for his Dad 😥). "President Bush had issued nearly four hundred pardons in his last days in office, and along with the Vice-President and a few other notable figures, he’d pardoned me as well. My father certainly had not approved, but could not stop it from happening." Why would Bush pardon the man who sabotages his reelection? Not for Davey's sake, certainly. Rather, as the new president is dead against the pardon, Bush is thumbing his nose at David, Sr. by providing it. (Nyah, nyah!) "You know I’ll never approve of what you did. ...Still, I have to admit it was the right thing.” David, you may be President of the U.S., but you can still be an idiot. (If it was the right thing, then why not approve?) "What is it like to no longer know what’s going to happen next?” Davey has now gone beyond 2004 for the first time ever! (He can finally see the next Star Wars installment!) Now that Davey and his father have had a "merry reconciliation," Dad plans to exploit Davey by putting him in the State Department, screwing up Davey and Brian's plans for moving back to Modesto. That said, Davey wouldn't have it any other way, and Brian proves the perfect, understanding spouse, almost predicting their conversation. And the finale: "'You always manage to do it right, Davey Jones.' Brian whispered as we lay there together, the way we were meant to be, now and forever." While I realize that there is one more book in the Do Over series, this one has ended so well, with our characters all in such a good place, that I am tempted to stop reading right here...not! (DK actually provides a coda for the Do Over universe at the end of the chapter: "The End of Doing It Right, and the story of Davey & Brian." I wonder what ultimately decided him to write another book…. 🤔)

I don't know why, but my comment boxes (including this one!) do not provide an option for coloring the text (or altering the text in any way, for that matter. [I do not have an A in the option line]). If anyone else has had this problem, or found a workaround, please let me know by pm. Thanks.

The law allows for pardons, as the law can get it wrong. (In at least one of the states, the Court cannot free a convicted murderer, even in the presence of factual innocence, just because a time limit has passed for post-conviction relief. The governor has to intercede with a pardon.) For David, Sr. to state that Davey is "right" but then refuse him a pardon shows a lack of understanding as to why pardons exist (special circumstances); and David would certainly be working within the law to provide one.

I understand that Davey would have more credibility with the reporters, making sure that they would write the article (even with Davey running the show, they were sceptical at first). That said, the facts (against Bush) speak for themselves, so I am not convinced that revealing Davey as the source is necessary to convince the public, though it probably helped. If Davey were giving himself up as a sacrifice, this act is so monumental that it bears explicit mention from the author, but no such mention is forthcoming. The presumption that Davey does not request anonymity remains a presumption (though I am not adverse to this interpretation); and credibility is discussed only between Davey, Sean, and Jenny themselves before the information is leaked.

Bush knows that Davey and his father have information revealing his lies about 9/11. What does he do about it? Absolutely nothing, at least for two years, affirming an arrogance that the president can do what he wants without fear of reprisal. However, with the upcoming election, and after discussions with Brian, Jenny, and Sean, Davey releases this damning information regardless of the consequences. (That Jenny and Sean would even consider releasing the documents instead shows the depth of their love for him.) Woodward and Bernstein may have protected Deep Throat's identity, but the LA Times, Wall Street Journal, and New York Times throw Davey to the wolves. (Admittedly, they don't promise to protect his identity in the vignette we're offered, and he may not have even requested anonymity, but we are never told.) What happens to Davey now (what consequences will he face), especially as his father has stated that, if elected, he would refuse to grant Davey a pardon? (While admitting that his son has done the right thing, David, Sr. fixates on the fact that he broke the law to do it. Well, David, it's time to rethink your priorities: Which is more important in this instance-- blindly obeying the law or doing what's right? [And I'll give you a hint if you need one! ]) Wow, David, Sr. is running for president! (He'll be the only sitting president ever who inhabits the White House while his son inhabits a jail cell!) With such powerful rhetoric, and with Bush exposed as a liar involved in a cover-up (courtesy of son Davey), he's a shoo-in for the presidency. (And we won't have to hear Bush mispronounce "nuclear" ever again!!!)

DK portrays the Bush administration as vindictive--more interested in holding grudges and punishing its targets than keeping the American people safe. By suppressing information just because of the source, Bush and his cronies have just become complicit in the worst act of terrorism ever perpetrated on American soil. There will have to be a reckoning. Kids! It may have taken a few timelines, but Brian and Davey, not to mention Jenny and Trevor, have all found their way to the Pampers isle. As for Sean and Brandon--they're still working on it. 🥰 I love the way DK juxtaposes the deaths of 9/11 with the new life and new hope represented by the children.

Congratulations to Davey for winning the 1992 bronze for baseball! (Even if you don't win a bronze, silver, or gold at the Olympics, you receive a souvenir medal for participating. The 1984 Los Angeles participation medals show either a torch or the Coliseum.) I remember Dan Quayle! He was my favorite comedian from 1989 to 1993! All he had to do was open his mouth. When David, Sr. gives support to his son by helping address the "Gays in the military" issue, he has to promise his party not to run for reelection as a Republican. The solution? Davey says, "I guess now would be a good time to congratulate you and welcome to the Democratic Party." Dad responds, "Don’t rub it in." 😂😂😂 Wonderful (not): David and Brian are now DoD liaisons to the U.N. Weapons Inspection team in Iraq, putting them "in the middle of a major show-down between Saddam Hussein and the United Nations." I am now biting my nails over the beginning of a story arc which may explain the need for a new Do Over (but hopefully won't!)....

Chet has no idea how lucky he is to have avoided Sebastian's wrath--this time. Why do I feel that a direct confrontation between the two is destined for the near future? (And I can't wait! )

"It was a dark and stormy night" (with apologies to Bulwer-Lytton and Snoopy), and David, Sr. has urgently summoned Davey and Brian to Modesto: The trip from Stanford University to Modesto is usually around 1.5 hours but more probably 2 hrs or more in a deluge--plenty of time for Davey and Brian to "speak of many things" (my apologies to walruses and carpenters everywhere. [I guess I'm in a literary mood tonight!]). "It was funny, really, how Sean and I had always ended up with Brandon and Brian respectively, but Trevor always seemed to meet and marry someone new in each timeline." So, are certain events fated while some are open ended? I'm not touching that one with a 10 foot pole! Interesting to see that both Brian and Davey have pursued pre-law and have been admitted to their law schools of choice. Davey promises to decide by evening whether to become a lawyer or a trading card, and I am frustrated that we will never know what he would have decided (as the decision is basically made for him ). Also interesting to hear that Brian turns out to be a financial whiz and that Sean and Brandon--brilliant in their own right--have launched a tech company while still attending college. ("Demmed" overachievers! [with apologies to Baroness Orczy].) Maria says, “Oh, you’re wet!” Brian responds, “Well it is raining.” I love snappy dialog! 😂 Uh oh, Davey and Brian are outed in Seymour's bid to discredit David, Sr. "It was a good picture, and despite the horror I felt as I looked at it, I couldn’t deny the tightening in my pants." (Oh, Davey, you little devil! I love that he actually wishes he had the original, as it is clearly suitable for framing! ) The mailer containing the picture is entitled "Jones Family Values?" and turns out to be a vicious attack ad. Of course, the Jones clan will fight back! Their secret weapons-- Barbara Walters (hard to believe she's almost 92) and DK's beautifully crafted dialog. The interview is a set piece (where Davey once again assumes the role of a Gay apologist), but it is done so well I don't mind that we cover some old ground, especially as it is told in a new way. Most importantly, from Davey's point of view, "...My parents had gone on national television and told the nation that they loved me, and my being gay did not matter."

Pepin touched his arm. “Who did this to Conrad?” “A suspicious hooded figure,” Kai said promptly. Uh oh, suspicious hooded figures are never good, and this one turns out to be an assassin with a poisoned dagger. I admire Kai's courage in wishing to confront a dragon alone for its tear, but I have to ask--has Kai gone crazy! (Or maybe he's developed a crush, which could be the same thing.) Luckily, Pepin is going along after all, so at least there'll be sandwiches. Of course Milo belongs to Sebastian (was there doubt?). "At least Milo appeared to be a lustful creature," so at least he has one redeeming feature! 😉 "A smartass? What did his behind have to do with his intellect?" I feel the beginnings of another ballad! 😂😂😂 Surrender The Phone? (I can feel Sebastian's panic from here!) Yes, Sebastian, detention does involve torture! 😱

In the last chapter, we find out that the Rules have terminated their parental rights (I'm still in shock) allowing Sean to be adopted by the Jones clan! The universe is indeed a strange place when your erstwhile attempted murderer becomes your friend and brother. 🤗 (When I saw Davey and Sean laughing and teasing in the present chapter, their changed circumstances seemed such a stark contrast that I just had to comment.) In another apparent paradox, Davey, a dyed-in-the-wool Democrat, becomes an apologist for Reagan (serving again, I presume, as a mouthpiece for DK). That said, his affection for Reagan is apparent through the timelines, though his arguments do not seem biased on that account. I love where Davey says, "...It was harder to tell him I was a Democrat than that I was gay and in a relationship with Brian." The Brian in this timeline continues to differentiate himself from the other Brians: "Brian had wanted to travel, but he’d wanted to travel to places I’d never been before with any other ‘Brian.’" I love that the present Brian is trying to create a future uniquely theirs. Hmm. Brian may be driving, but Davey's the one using the stick. (I didn't say that. ) "'You ready, love?' Brian asked softly. One day, we’d have a ceremony with rings and all that, but we’d both already shared what we needed as far as vows." As Davey and Brian consummate their love, the world seems "perfect," but there are several more chapters to go….

I was ready to see a knock-down, drag out fight with the Board of Education to keep Jeremy in school, but apparently, Davey et al are able to sway enough people with logic and science to allow his continued attendance (or so I presume. Actually, this chapter never states directly if Jeremy was readmitted, but the use of a school auditorium for the memorial is suggestive). As an aside, the Indiana Department of Education overruled the local school superintendent and demanded Ryan White's readmittance, but the school refused, prompting a 1.5 year court battle. In the end, Ryan had to move to a more enlightened school district before he could go back to class. The good: The intense reporting around Ryan made him the poster boy for AIDS and caused people to realize that the disease is not a moral issue. The bad: Too much of Ryan's short life was used in addressing a problem created by bigotry and hatred. Ryan died at age 19, and Congress passed the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency (CARE) Act several months later. I urge anyone born after these events (or who was too young to remember them) to consider watching The Ryan White Story (Ryan makes a cameo appearance!) or reading Ryan White: My Own Story. It will be time well spent. I think it no accident that DK juxtaposes Sean's personality death and Jeremy's physical death in the same book. The difference is Jeremy's awareness of his fate: He, his friends, and his adoptive family have more time to prepare. However, the basic approach is the same--to give him the best possible life for as long as possible. I love that Papa's view of Jeremy changes, especially after getting to know him personally. (Once you see how nice someone is, it's hard to see him as a demon.) Brian's heart to heart with Davey is a life changer: Rather than following Davey's lead and acting as support, this Brian wants to make a difference in the world, and he wants to do it with Davey by his side--"together." "I knew then that this Brian was something more than I’d ever expected. He was my partner." Davey's insight allows for new possibilities--a new life plan--and I can't wait to see what they decide!

Jeremy and Ryan White--Do their stories demonstrate any shared circumstances? Jeremy is 14 when diagnosed with HIV, and Ryan is 13. They are both diagnosed in 1984 (as Davey is 7 in 1976, his 15th birthday puts the year at 1984). They are both infected by the transfusion of tainted blood products. They both face local bigots who want them expelled from school, and they both endure a media circus. Jeremy is facing an emergency school board meeting regarding his expulsion, while Ryan is expelled before he even has the chance to return to school. Unfortunately, we'll have to wait until the next chapter to see if there are any additional parallels between the literary character and the true historical figure.