jkwsquirrel
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Everything posted by jkwsquirrel
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I think Jake feels the same way. "How can we open up to each other like that and not feel the same way about each other?" Mr. Reilly's a pretty good teacher. He always had a way with reading people.
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You can just feel poor Jake's heart breaking during Danny's speech at the end. That tear said so much.
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I enjoyed that scene immensely. WAR readers know far more about that gang than Jake could possibly understand. To Jake, it's just a bunch of adults acting like kids having fun. To us, it's what many of us had always hoped to see. Brett Reilly was always the heart of WAR. As for Dustin, it's nice to see him doing well. Looks like Nate's been good for him! They got divorced for a reason, right?
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I thought of this chapter as the counterpoint to the previous one. There is no one good parent and one bad parent. They both have their moments. They both vent their frustrations to their friends, unfortunately they do it in the presence of their son. Adults think kids don't hear those hushed conversations. As for the old gang, I enjoyed seeing the glimpse of the old Brett Reilly!
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There's good and bad in everybody. Bob and Karen are navigating their divorce in a very unhealthy way. Jake is a kid who has grown so used to disappointment he's surprised when his parents do something that doesn't suck. Yep, he's very sensitive to people bashing his mom or dad. Of course, he does it himself with his "This family sucks" routine, but when other people do it it hurts him a lot. I think that's what he's trying to do, but that doesn't make it any less painful.
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“Finnegan! Get that horn over the bar!” Mr. Reilly shouted at me. Getting the horn “over the bar” was the standard Mr. Reilly expected even in practice which meant you didn’t let the angle of your horn drop below your chest when you were marching. I had to admit I was dogging it on the field that day, but Mr. Reilly had been brutal on everyone that last week of the marching season. “If you think I’m going to let up on you just because it’s the last game of the season, you’re sorely mistaken
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As I was writing, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to bring in Dustin, considering their history. It took them a lot of work to get to where they can tease each other like they did.
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They were married 15 years but they've been divorced for a year as well, so Jake was conceived within their wedded years. Doesn't mean they were ready though.
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Love can turn into hate so easily.
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I love my bowling alley, but it does take a lot of money and work to keep them open.
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I don't think there was an "if" about it. She knew she was wrong, but she doesn't feel sorry for what she said at all, only that Jake heard her.
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Perhaps!
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My streak of creating terrible parent characters continues!
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At least no one threw up this time.
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I awoke the next morning barely able to move. The combination of sunburn and being on a boat all day took all my energy out of me. I hoped I would feel better in time for the first day of school the next day. I threw my feet out of bed and pulled myself upright. I tugged on a pair of sweatpants and went to the bathroom. Then I found dad laying on the couch with a bag of ice on his head. “Buddy…” dad said, his voice barely above a whisper. “Let’s just stay quiet for a little while. Okay?”
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Glad to do it! It's been fun. Perhaps... He's living his happy ever after with Nate! Dustin was more of a sex addict than anything else. He has a strong dislike for drug abusers. Don't think he'd want to get himself wrapped up in that, and Nate kicked the habit long ago.
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I think you're thinking on Amanda, Dustin's sister. Different person, I assure you.
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Yes, I'm sure the story happened exactly as John Lennon told it. lol!
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There's always more than one side to the story, that's for sure!
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Oh yes, Bob's definitely in the running for Father of the Year! Not his finest hour by any means. It might be that he doesn't understand Jake. Jake would have been more excited by tickets to a jazz festival or something like that. He would have rather his dad be at the dress rehearsal and spend the day together in his dad's apartment than go on a trip anywhere.
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You're very kind! I love you too!
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It's the music Jake's grandparents liked! lol This kid was born ten days before 9/11. He doesn't even know what 9/11 was, while Brett was obsessed for months about it. Has there been a scene in this story where Jake's hand hasn't been attached to his cell phone? He was going through withdrawal running those laps for Mr. Reilly. New generation, my friend!
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"He's more alcohol now than man... Twisted and evil..." Not really, but Bob's definitely taken to drowning his sorrows. Not to Frank Smith levels, but definitely not a healthy outlet. Jake gave us a lot of information about his dad's bad choices in this chapter in his accusations. I picture Amber as less than ten years older than Jake, hence Jake's mentioning his dad "banging some chick from my class." Apparently, another of Bob's coping mechanisms has been seeking out sexual comfort from any girl who gives him the time of day. It's toxic, sure. And Jake is absorbing it all.
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Not only does he realize their flaws, he's actively looking for replacements. Even the scene at the very beginning when he sees Danny's parents in the hot tub, it's not just a turn on for him. It's evidence of a couple in a healthy relationship that Jake hasn't experienced in years. He doesn't know how to handle the emotional, so he focuses on the physical aspects of the scene. He's especially growing attached to Mr. Reilly. Danny chafes at Mr. Reilly's disciplinary tactics, Jake absorbs it all like a sponge.
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You've never had a thrown-together-at-the-last-minute oh-that's-right-it's-your-birthday party before? They're the best! You can just feel the love and neglect all mixed together in one big pile of Meh. I wouldn't say Bob doesn't love Jake. He's just... Well... Oh come on! Who hasn't passed out at their kid's thrown-together-at-the-last-minute birthday party before? Huh? 😭
