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my-emotional-self · 5 years

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The Mission Chapter 17

Pairings: Ari Levinson x Reader

Warnings: swearing, angst, gun firing

Summary: Ari Levinson tries to recruit you for Operation Brothers. While you weren’t ready for any kind of mission, you obliged after much consideration. You didn’t plan on falling in love along the way. But will Ari return those feelings? Or will his heart only be on the mission?

The months had flown by and it was now the end of summer of 1981; the resort thriving! Over 3,500 refugees had been saved so far and relocated to safety in Jerusalem.

Over the last year, there was always a huge party of celebration after each mission which consisted of a large fire and Sammy playing the guitar, singing as everyone danced around, including the tourists.

But you were starting to get antsy. You had yet to be a part of an actual mission, even though Rachel now went with the men to help out.

Jake, Sammy, Max and Rachel were loading up the trucks as you stood from the doorway of the lobby, watching helplessly. You felt a light smack on your ass as Ari walked back, turning back to give you a wink.

“Can I come tonight?” you asked, catching up to Ari. He halted his steps, moving around to face you.

“Absolutely not,” he declared with narrow eyes. “It’s too dangerous and you know that.”

Looking over his shoulder, you saw Rachel jump down from the truck. “But Rachel gets to go. Why can’t I?” Your own eyes narrowed back at him, hands on your hips as you felt anger boiling in you.

He let out a deep sigh and you could see that he was battling with himself to say something; something you knew he wanted to say but he was holding back. “Look, it’s just too dangerous for you. Rachel can handle herself out there.”

Your mouth opened, eyes growing wide as you scoffed at him. “What, and I can’t? Do you not remember that I survived the Hadandawa?”

“You survived by hiding in the brush Y/N!” he growled through clenched teeth.

You couldn’t believe him! They never had an issue having to deal with physical fighting on these missions. He was treating you like a child. There had to be more of a reason for him not to want you to come out with them, but right now, you didn’t care as you were furious. All you wanted to do was be a part of the mission for once. “Fuck you Ari,” you spat, turning around and storming back into the hotel.

~~~

His jaw clenched as he watched you storm into the resort. He almost told you the reason why he didn’t want you out there on the mission; because he was in love with you and didn’t want to see you get hurt. He wouldn’t be able to live with himself if you joined them one night and something were to happen to you. But his blood began to boil when you told him off; he was just trying to keep you safe. With clenched fists, he paraded into the resort to find you sitting behind the front desk.

“What is your problem huh?” he demanded, slamming his hands on the table.

“My problem? MY PROBLEM Ari? Why was I brought on this damn mission if I’m not going to be a part of anything huh?”

He rolled his eyes at you. “You ARE a part of this mission Y/N!”

“Oh yeah. I just sit here while you five go off and save everyone!”

“You are a part of this team Y/N even if you aren’t out there with us. You celebrate with us every time. You are an important part of this mission, trust me! I just need you to stay here and be safe.”

“Whatever Ari,” you growled as you walked away from him.

Ari slammed his fists on the desk again before heading out to the rest of his team.

“What was that?” Jake asked as he hopped in the passenger seat of the truck; Ari getting in the driver’s seat.

Ari let out a huff as he put the key in the ignition. “She wanted to come with tonight.”

Jake laughed, shaking his head. “Then why don’t you let her?”

Ari placed the gear shift in drive, turning his head to Jake. “Just drop it.”

~~~

You paced Rachel’s room, waiting for the signal. Ever since she had been going on the missions, she showed you how to work the communications technology she had. Once you heard the signal, saying they had the refugees loaded up, you pulled the black hoodie over your head, shut off the lights to her room and shut the door.

The moon was high in the sky, the resort quiet as there were no tourists today; the next bus would come tomorrow. Taking a deep breath, you began to run towards the direction you knew they loaded the refugees up into the dinghies.

Being at the resort, with the workout routines you did with Rachel and the runs you had with Ari, you were able to run the entire couple of miles. Once you reached your destination, you crouched behind a few large boulders and waited for the trucks.

As the trucks approached, you watched carefully to make sure it was Ari and the team. When you saw him, you rushed out from your hiding spot and began to help the refugees into the dinghies.

You felt a strong grip on your arm and you saw Ari’s pissed off face. “What the hell are you doing here?” he growled through clenched teeth, keeping his tone quiet so nobody else could hear him.

Yanking your arm free, you replied, “I’m helping them Ari.” The two of you had a stare down before you turned from him to help the refugees off the big trucks, not bothering to listen to Ari cuss behind you as he soon shook off his angry feeing and began to help as well.

“Ari?” a strange voice called out and you slightly turned to see a Navy Seal running up to him.

“Yeah?” Ari responded as he turned to face the man who called after him.

You were still helping people down from the large trucks, but you kept your eyes and ears peeled on Ari.

“Here. This is for you. It’s from your wife,” the man said, handing Ari an envelope. Your heart dropped, vision immediately blurring with tears as you took in the man’s words. Ari had a wife you thought to yourself. You never would have known as he didn’t wear a wedding ring. Feeling sick to your stomach, you swallowed back the bile as it reached your throat.

~~~

Ari looked down at the envelope, but he could feel a pair of eyes on him. Looking up, he saw you standing there, your hand covering your mouth as he took in your glossy eyes. “Fuck,” he breathed out, knowing how this must look to you, but it wasn’t what it seemed. His wife had left him, taken their daughter and moved to her parent’s house. He had already signed the divorce papers she left him and now it was just a matter of the court signing off on them.

He placed the envelope in his pocket and was about to make his way to you, but Max’s voice came over the walkie talkie.

“Guys, we have company.”

“Say again?” Ari asked to Max.

“We have company,” came Max’s voice over the walkie talkie.

His eyes grew wide. “Go, go, go, go, go, go!” he declared, waving off the Navy Seal who handed him the envelope. “What kind of company?”

“Shit shit shit,” Max responded.

“Can you be more specific?” Ari asked as his eyes glued onto you. You were helping a woman and a small child onto a dinghy, his heart beginning to hammer in his chest as this was exactly what he didn’t want happening with you on a mission.

“Military jeeps approaching from the north, I see three, four jeeps.”

Ari began to look around, seeing a lot of refugees still needed to board the dinghies. “Fuck. Go, go, go, get on the Waverly!”

~~~

You watched Ari begin to scramble, yelling at people to get to the Navy ship and your heart sunk, knowing something was seriously wrong. It was your gut instinct from earlier and you cursed yourself for defying Ari. In that moment, you forgot all about Ari having a wife and you just wanted to be somewhere safe with him.

There was a sudden onslaught of gunfire, the bullets hitting the sand and you froze, memories of the Hadandawa encroaching your mind. But there was also Amina’s voice as well, and her words, telling you to be brave and strong.

You began to quickly help the mother and boy into the dinghy, your eyes watching out for Ari as well as he was doing the same on another dinghy. A Navy Seal was shot and Sammy rushed to his side to help him.

Scanning the horizon, you saw a few military Jeeps begin to approach the beach and once the mother and child were safely on the small boat, you raced to Ari’s side where he was helping the shot Navy Seal.

“Grab a leg,” Ari demanded rapidly. Grabbing the man’s leg, you lifted when the other men began to lift his body and you hurried your feet along with them to get him into a dinghy, all the while invading the bullets that kept coming for you and everyone else.

“Don’t let go of this wound,” Sammy yelled over the gun fire. “Keep the pressure there! If you remove your hand he could die!”

Helping to push the small boat into the sea, Ari gripped your hand and the two of you, along with Sammy, ran for the same boulders on the beach you hid behind earlier, for cover.

There was Sudanese military yelling as you heard them approach the beach. You covered your ears with your hands, not wanting to hear the rapid guns firing as you softly began humming to yourself, needing to drown out the noise.

“No, do not engage!” you heard Ari yelling into his walkie talkie next to you. “If you engage, it’s all over. I’ll handle it!”

You saw Ari begin to bury his walkie talkie in the sand. “What are you doing?” Sammy asked. You were nestled between the two of them behind the boulder.

“Follow my lead,” Ari said as he turned to face you. He cupped your cheeks in his hands, his eyes worrisome as he took in your scared face. “You need to stay here alright? I need you to hide behind this boulder. Wait until the trucks leave and then run back to the resort.”

“But Ari,” you began to say but his lips cut you off. It was the first time he had kissed you in front of anyone else, but you didn’t care at this point. You kissed him back with passion, not knowing what was going to happen next.

His hands released from your face as he gave Sammy a nod. The two of them raising their hands in the air as they moved from the protection of the boulder.

“Don’t shoot don’t shoot!” you heard Ari say as you curled your knees to your chest. “My name is Guy Thomas from the Red Sea Diving Resort. We have tourists on night dive. What are you doing? Where’s your commander?”

Placing your head on your knees, you let the silent sobs begin to wrack your body. You didn’t know what was going to happen to Ari, and you didn’t know why he lied to you this whole time about having a wife.

You truly regretted picking this mission to come storming upon.

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early20thcenturynerd · 5 years

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“Margetta Hirsch Doyle ’45 was a regular student at William & Mary. Her friends called her ‘Getta’ and she was a Kappa Delta. Doyle kept a diary and wrote about her philosophy quizzes, described how much she enjoyed making Red Cross surgical wrappings and mentioned hours spent spotting airplanes from campus buildings. Doyle was a student during World War II.

During the second World War, William & Mary became a predominantly female campus. While many college-age males fought abroad, women kept up the war effort from Williamsburg. In between their studies and social life, students volunteered with the Student War Council and the American Red Cross. Along with other service work, they, like Doyle, made surgical dressings and spotted airplanes, sometimes in groups and sometimes alone.”

Margetta Hirsch Doyle’s Entries for September, 1943:

SEPTEMBER 1

Mother roused us early since Beth and Kay had to go to work - Lou and I trailed sleepily after them. “Goodbyes” were said and Lou and I with Mother, talked and talked about how to improve KΔ. It was much the same stuff, but with new ideas. We finally managed to dress for a late lunch at the Chinese restaurant in Jamaica and seemed to stuff ourselves. Louise hopped a subway and Mother and I met Herbert (a date - hey! Even if he is just 13) and saw “Hers to Hold” with Deanna Durbin and Joseph Cotton (Ah! Such a man!) and “Crime Doctor” with Warner Baxter at the Valencia. Letter from Danny saying she and Fred have made up. I’m so very glad! Nana came this evening.

SEPTEMBER 2

So lazy! I drooped in bed reading and dreaming till it was well nigh noon and my guilty conscience forced me into a more active life. Once I was up I drooped some more and got out my “old faithful letters” to pore over again. They’re all so “cute” and ego-bolstering. Reading them over I can ignore the intervals between, and toss off the carburetor ones as unimportant. Such nice boys! Dad came out, still feeling rotton - and contemplating the date of his operation. Pat called - gave me a message from Bell that he’s rooting for me to go to Hamilton the 11th. Gee, I’d love it, but Mother and Dad are very uncooperative. I spose they’re right. We invaded Italy’s mainland!!

SEPTEMBER 3

I’m beautified - or rather - attempts were made. At 9:00 a.m. Mother and I were down at Robert’s and my hair was going through the mechanisms necessary for a permanent. I was amazingly through in two hours - it looks fairly all right considering……….. Mother stopped at O.C.D. and then we had lunch at the Fish Grotto, And on home. This evening I went into the city up to Victor Chemical’s office to be shown around by Bugsie. We met Mr. Cotton, her boss and he gave us bourbon to sip. Stirred, we walked crosstown to Toffenetti’s where we met Ev for a crazy dinner. Such fun. Then a walk uptown to Radio City. We saw Cary Grant (Mmm!) in “Mr Lucky.” The stage show had no continuity but the Corps de Ballet act was super.

SEPTEMBER 4

The beginning of the Labor Day weekend. It doesn’t seem possible - my, how the summer has flown by!! Today was completely uneventful and unexciting. I drooped in bed once more till just before time for Daddy to come out. He brought cake as usual. The rest of the afternoon was spent in listening to the Dodgers-Giant's game which the Dodgers won in the seventeenth inning. I pored through old diaries and really laughed at them. Admittedly I’m still rather dramatic and I do exaggerate - but - Gad when I was a Senior at St. Mary’s I really laid in on thick. Such gushing! I really ought to turn over a new leaf. I called Bugsie, Joanie and Pat Brennan.

SEPTEMBER 5

I roused myself from my lethargy to be ready when Aud called for me to go to church and communion. The sermon was quite good: cooperation in order to have World Peace. I came home feeling real holy for a change. This afternoon Bugsie came by to laugh over old diaries with me and talk about things in general. Then she and I walked back to pick up Irene - and so a trek to Tildemann’s for gooey calorie-filled sundaes. Our conscience bothered us but we enjoyed them anyhoo and sat smoking and listening to the juke box discussing the Reader’s Digest statistical conclusion that after the war 7 out of every ten girls will be old maids. Cheerful prospect! Gee things are bad enough without thinking of that.

SEPTEMBER 6

Happy Labor Day! and it was quite happy too, considering - this morning we revived the matter of this next weekend, which had been sort of lying dormant till then and Mom and Dad said I definitely couldn’t go up alone. There was little I could say and I spose I really see their point but I do want to go to Hamilton so very badly. We sit upon the idea of Bugsie’s going with me so I sent a special delivery to Bill and am keeping my fingers crossed till I hear. This evening after Dad left on the spur of the moment Mother & I hopped a bus and went to the Alden to see revivals of Clark Gable & Claudette Colbert's Academy Award Winner “It Happened One Night” and Ronald Colman in “Lost Horizon.” I wonder what my Shangri-La is!

SEPTEMBER 7

I slept late again, getting dressed time to meet Mrs. Brennan and Pats. We went into N.Y. to see “This is the Army” the Technicolor movie version of the army show. It really was terrifically good - the music, acting, vague plot to connect the two wars and color were all grand and I enjoyed it as much as, if not more, than any other picture in a long time. After the movie we went into Dempsey’s and sipped cocktails, and then they came home with us for dinner and to talk and reminisce and plan for awhile. They’re real nice people - I like 'em good inspite of everything. I heard from Dossie and Eddie Damm - also a sweet letter from Freddie enclosing a picture of the girl to whom he’s engaged for me too see!

SEPTEMBER 8

A nice day! I met Lou at Roosevelt Avenue just before twelve and then on to New York to mosey around Lord & Taylor’s trying to get decorative ideas for improving the KΔ house but things were too extreme for our collegiate ways! Then we went to the Gypsy Tea Room for lunch and to have our fortunes told - very interesting! After that we went to the Ambassador theater and saw “Blossom Time” - music costumes and acting were swell - good show about Schubert’s life and music. I met Mother and Dad at Dempsey’s for dinner and sat at the table next Jack and his two children. After that - back to the H.G.C. meeting at Jeannettes for gab - nothing exciting. Italy unconditionally surrendered to the Allies. Best news since the war began! Is victory nearer? I’m so glad!!

SEPTEMBER 9

Today started off pretty well. Mother and I went into New York and bought me my beauty of a red three-piece suit (The pockets on the other had been cockeyed!) and a cute black hat too; so I glowed with it all. We skirted the big Parade (opening 3rd War Bond Drive!), had a sandwich at the Milk Barn and then went to Robert’s where I had my hair shampooed and set (first since after the permanent!) We came home and Nana was here. Very bad news! Bill had tried to call me last night but I was out, as tonight he called again, and the result wasn’t too cheery. It seems there’s a convention in Clinton over the weekend and cause I hadn’t let him know sooner he couldn’t yet a room anyware. God I’m so disappointed. I’d wanted to go so badly. We talked for quite while and he seemed as disappointed as I. We haven’t really talked in so long, and it’d have been wonderful. Oh hell!

SEPTEMBER 10

I turned completely tragically dramatic and sobbed all last night so that this morning my eyes are just slits. I hadn’t really cried in ages and splurted forth all I’d saved up. Silly, but I really cleaned out my nasal passages! Mom decided to pacify me with a program of activity so we went into New York for a Chinese Lunch at the China Clipper and then went to the Roxy to see “Heaven Can Wait” with Don Ameche and Gene Tierney - very amusing and I liked it good. We went to Saks for a pair of jodphur pants - and then to Dr. Weiss for the usual. We met Dad at the Boar’s Head on Lexington Avenue and our mouths watered over good soft shell crabs. Glory came over late in the evening, and spent the night. We talked n’ talked - slept together in the double bed and were real restless.

SEPTEMBER 11

An active day! Fairly early, Bugsie and I dressed in our riding togs, and after meeting Cam, Aud and Irene we trekked to 188th St. and hopped on horses. At least the rest hopped but not having gone in over two years, I was more or less shoved on by an innocently obliging bystander. Once we started posting and cantering through Cunningham Park however it was wonderful and the ride a beautiful one. Irene fell off to lend excitement. We went back to Glory’s for lunch and chatted awhile; then, this evening rather unexpectedly, Glory, Aud, Irene, Cam, Edith and Jean all came in, and we howled hysterically over old diaries of Aud & Irene revealing their “supreme thrills” of grammar and high school days. Jean’s baby’ll arrive the end of February supposedly - it doesn’t seem possible. Anyhoo, the evening was fun!

SEPTEMBER 12

Limping and nursing sore aching muscles, Aud and I practically dragged ourselves to St. Gabe’s this morning and squirmed on the comparatively hard wooden seats. Mr. Condit is back for his first service of the new year and is really a marvelous rector. Mr. Judd has accepted an offer at Christ Church outside of Philadelphia, and will leave St. Gabe’s the end of this month. After church we stopped at Glory’s for a few moments and then home. Mother, Dad and I to celebrate the lifting of the pleasure driving ban, drove to the Triangle restaurant for a good dinner - and then home again! The Germans have occupied Rome and Italy and Germany are now fighting - the quirks of alliances of warfare. Our forces are fighting too and Italy’s surrender isn’t as optimistic as first thought.

SEPTEMBER 13

Yesterday morning’s muscle weariness was eased by a lovely mail today. I heard from Bill Boyd - back from maneuvers and writing again at last. He's still waiting for his transfer orders to the Air Corps, and wrote a long perkish letter while waiting. Then - Floyd - till in San Francisco - wrote a wonderfully philosophic gem expressing his emotions on going overseas. It was really good! This afternoon Mother and I went to the Valencia to see Merle Oberon and Brian Aherne in First Comes Courage (the usual spies-and-commandos-in-Norway stuff) and Donald O’Connor in Mr. Big - a cute jitterbug job. Tonight, Glory, Aud and I went bowling and had a stupid old time again. I bowled 78 - an improvement over last time - but not too good! I blame it on my muscles.

SEPTEMBER 14

This morning was dedicated to a series of “friendly discussions” before I went into the city to meet Cary, back from her two week’s jaunt in Kentucky, Annapolis, Washington, etc. We talked a blue streak to catch up on what had passed in the meantime. Two friends of hers were there from Annapolis. We had a sandwich next door; they left and we spent the afternoon trying to pick up Cary’s bags at Penn Station. I met Mother and Dad at the China Clipper for dinner and talking and so on home. Confusion! I got a special from Bill Brennan enclosing another letter he’d sent me -- addressed correctly -- but which had been returned to me. If I’d gotten that letter in time, the room situation could have been cleared up and I might have gone to Hamilton. Damn the post office!

SEPTEMBER 15

An emotional day! It was cloudy, so we couldn’t go on our boat trip as planned. Instead Mother, Louise and I went to the music Hall to see “So Proudly We Hail,” the epic of the bravery of the army nurses on Bataan and Corregidor. It was powerful! The stage show Minstrel Days was quite good too, though different from the usual Radio City ones. Louise and I met Cary on 29th Street at 4:30 went to the Little Church Around the Corner to see Marty and Tommy, married. We stood and beamed and felt quite parental as we shook our heads, saying it doesn’t seem possible! though we knew they’d really been planning it for ages. They’re both swell. Lou and I came home on the 5th Avenue bus to Jackson Heights. Tonight Mother & I went over to Thompsons to see Jack & Margie. They’re going to Eustis!

SEPTEMBER 16

I should have left for Billsburg today but am extremely grateful for the extra week at home. Excitement came this morning when the radiator leaking from my john made the downstairs hall look as though it had been blitzed. What a mess! This afternoon mother and I went over to Jersey, stopping at Aunt Bert’s and then at Aunt Fan’s. I saw Ruth’s two-year old baby Gail and loved her immediately. She’s a darling! The afternoon was pleasant - tending towards the crazy. We then went over to Brooklyn and met Dad for dinner at the St. George, and so home in the downpour. Nana was here. After awhile I went to bed and dove into the new Good Housekeeping.

SEPTEMBER 17

Once again we’d planned on going 'round Manhattan Island in a boat, but once again it kept raining instead. So I went into Brooklyn (riding on the train with Mrs. Ingold) and met Dad for lunch. It was the first “date” we’d had in ages so we kind o’ talked as I munched on my shrimp curry. We hopped a subway and went back to the office for awhile, stopping to buy stockings on the way, and I generally messed up his business day. It was fun and executivish though! This evening I went over to Glory’s and peeked at the preparations for the shower she gave for Doris De Brodt Deane; and then Mother, Lizzie and I went to see “The Student Prince” starring Everett Marshall. It was very good - another of the epidemic of operetta revivals!

SEPTEMBER 18

“London bridges falling down….. Falling down…..!” Where we had Niagara Falls in the downstairs hall, the plasters are today pulling the whole darned business down, till the ceiling lies in chunks on the floor and dust from it floats throughout the house choking us off as we try to breathe. Ah! for the well-ordered peace of a boiler factory! This morning Mother and I went to Jamacia to buy last minute powder puffs, toothbrushes and emory boards, and pick up a pair of moccassins and a pair of black non rationed shoes, which I treasure as a good bargain. We were s’posed to go to Connie Korn’s wedding today, but being the last weekend home and all, we didn’t, so I thought hard about her instead. And so have two KΔs bit the dust in the same week!

SEPTEMBER 19

The last Sunday at home! Aud and I went to St. Gabe’s where Rev. Condit preached with a voice which kept failing him on account of a cold - the service was usual We had roast lamb for dinner and then discussed the pros and cons of driving down to Billsburg with Marjorie Thompson since Jack needs the car at Eustis. It would be exciting to take a long auto trip legally in gas ration days but it might be complicated too. I think we’ll do it though! Afterwards, Glory and Aud came over and we trekked to Tiedeman’s for sodas; rehashing the problem of “So Little Time - and so much to do - and so many friends to want to be with.” Dad should have gone into the Waldorf for a convention (W.S.J.A.) but stayed here instead. - I wrote Danny, Colby, Bill & Bill.

SEPTEMBER 20

A lovely mail, being as how I heard from Bill Boyd (enclosing a cut cartoon from Yank, the army newspaper) whose transfer orders have come through, but who doesn’t know where he’ll be sent yet! Then too, I got another real nice letter from Bill Hughes - still in Australia! This morning, I went to the dentist for a checkup and for the first time in really ages, I have no cavities. My teeth have passed the adolescent stage! Then I moseyed around Jamaica, after which I came home and baked cookies (sending most of the better ones to Bill Brennan) Cary came out this afternoon and to spend the night - Glory and Aud came for dinner too (steak - how dreamy!) We hysterically played bridge, being interrupted by a blackout and then all walked Audrey home.

SEPTEMBER 21

Such a beautiful day! I woke early to keep my 9:00 a.m. dentist appointment and had my teeth cleaned till they sparkle. I hopped into riding clothes - saw Cary on her bus - and met Joanie for a wonderful ride in Cunningham Park. Peter Pan cantered like a streak of greased lightning and we flew along. It was really swell! Joanie treated me to a coke too and after awhile came over to the house to buy me a War Bond. (I’m crazy - I mean “sell” me a War Bond!) so I backed the attack! Mother and I went to Robert’s where I had my hair set for the final time, and then came home waiting for Nana’s arrival. Dad’s still at the convention. Surprise! Bill Brennan sent me 16 American Beauty roses with a really perky card enclosed. Gosh I’m so very thrilled!

SEPTEMBER 22

Being my last day at home, it was a busy-beaverish one. When I awoke, I wrote Bill Hughes and a perkish thank you note to Bill Brennan - also answered the letter which came from Corporal Eddie Damm. After that we packed suitcases and then drove over to take my ticket to Louise, stopping for a lengthy chat. We ate a Chinese lunch at a restaurant by the Queens Bors Hall, and then went to Jamacia and bought several pairs of pants and a pair of pajamas. Dad came out early and told us of his troubles a la business world. He’s really doing the job of three or four men plus the Post War Planning and National Bond, etc committee stuff he has to do. I went to a H.G.C. meeting and said “Goodbye” to all the girls.

SEPTEMBER 23

The official end to the summer and a real wonderful one it was too. Mother, Marjorie (both of her), Cary and I sent ourselves down in the ’41 Packard snuggled in with suitcases, boxes and the like. It was blissful to ride in a car after the years of gas rationing. We stopped on the road and ate a picnic lunch, which Aunt Bert had made. Most all the way, Cary and I burst forth into song and the time passed quickly. We reached Billsburg at 8:00 and had dinner at the Lodge - then, real excited - we came back to the house and saw everybody. Doggone, I do love it so good! It’s super being with all the gals - specially Beth and Punchy! So very much fun! A stupendously perky letter from Bill Boyd

SEPTEMBER 24

We slept and talked in bed still after ten really catching up on the news of each other’s summers. This morning Beth, Punchy and I went downtown to buy grapefruit juice for improvised breakfasts of the future and to look into the bank account and cafeteria book situation! I met Mother and Marjorie for lunch and spent the evening with them too. I wrote postcards and read Life and the Saturday Evening Post. I met Chuck Gondak and talked familiarly with him for quite awhile. He wants Punchy and me to work for the telephone co again this year at the U.S.O. It’d have been fun but we’ve got too much else to do. Fun tonight in the room!

SEPTEMBER 25

A busyish day! This morning I tiptoed around not to wake the fair roommates as I dressed for my 8:20 appointment with advisor, Dr. Marsh. Surprisingly I had no conflicts and am now officially taking Money & Banking, Statistics, Accounting, Marketing Principles & Problems, Introduction to Business Enterprise and General Psychology plus gym of course. It sounds kind o' stiff but after all, I’ve come to college, essentially to exercise my gray matter. I spent the morning with Muggy Pratt and trying in vain to locate my trunk - I still have no shoes - and ate with Beth & Punchy at the dining hall - this evening I went to the Lodge with Mother and had dinner. Hell! Wouldn’t you know! Bill Hughes wrote me from Boston - he wanted to come see me in New York this weekend. Two days too late!!

SEPTEMBER 26

Sunday, and a busy one too! This morning we trekked over to Chandler and picked up our little sisters to take them to Bruton - mine, Gin Tunstall, is darling! After the service, we went to the dining hall for the traditional southern fried chicken and ice cream - and then back to the house to prepare for the influx of freshman girls making a tour of the sorority house. The same things were said over and over again - with slight variations of course, and our jaws aching from smiling sweetly as we said them and as we listened. It was fun, in a boring sort of way. Beth, Punchy and I went to the Lodge to meet Mother for dinner. We laughed a lot and were most unsophisticated.

SEPTEMBER 27

School bells chimed again and I am officially a Junior - it’s so impressive being respected for a change! I only had three classes. Dr. Foltin stood us up for Psych and after standing around in the hall for awhile we left for the Wigwam to buy books. I became nasty when I discovered I had to pay $24 for beatup secondhand books too. Marketing sounds fascinating - full of merchandising and advertising, the sort of stuff I want. Rhythms only lasted five minutes, which was a lovely sort of gym class. Mother came to the house this afternoon and offered ideas on redecorating our room. It sounds dreamy! May they materialize! There was a W.S.C.G.A meeting tonight with the usual welcomes & news about a German Club dance for the A.S.J.U. boys. House meeting afterwards and then bull sessions about rushing and sex

SEPTEMBER 28

Right about now we’re in a mad dash of enthusiasm - we’re all out for studies, all out for extracurricular stuff, and all out for improving the house, and KΔ in general. Such a busy little year as it’s gonna be! Money and Banking, Business Enterprise, Statistics and Accounting all involve scads of work and I groan under the weight of it. Oh, for just one snap course - it’d be so refreshing! Mother, Holly Miller and I had dinner together at the Lodge and then I went to the Flat Hat Business Staff meeting. We were assigned ads to get so I will merrily trek around town having people sign contracts and pay money - I hope! We get commissions too. Sorority meeting, though informal, was inspiring in its plans. I hope the spirit lasts! Letter from Edith and Evie

SEPTEMBER 29

A busy day, with classes from nine till 4:30P.M. with time out to see Mother off on the morning train. It seems odd not to have her around anymore. Classes were still interesting except for Statistics lab which really is a stinker. If it weren’t required for my major, I’d gladly toy with the idea of dropping it, but grin 'n' bear it, say I. At 5:00 Beth, Punchy, Lou and I went to a Social Committee meeting for the War Work at college, where plans were made for various affairs to be given for the chaplains, their assistants, etc. After a cone at the Wigwam we watched the review of the A.S.J.U boys out on the football field. It was impressive - a far cry from the football rallies of a year ago. This evening, Midge and I went to chapel at which Dr. Foltin spoke and then I came home, washed my hair, did homework and went to a house meeting.

SEPTEMBER 30

Such a rainy day - I’ve never been so wet - honest! Life perked up though when Mr. Nuguist decided to make our introductory approach to statistics more simple and when I discovered that I like accounting a lot. We walked in the pouring rain to dinner across campus and were drenched to the skin. After our good vegetablish dinner we waded through the flooded paths with the wind blowing the rain in streams upon us to the Colonial Echo meeting - and got ourselves on the Editorial Staff. We were supposed to go to a Big-little sister party in Barrett but by then water was seeping through our rubber boots even and we gave ourselves alcohol rubdowns instead. A letter from Dossie and a card from Bill Boyd from Kansas City “en route to Mississippi”

#1943 #1940s #history #diary #diaries #journal #William & Mary #long post #margetta hirsch doyle

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plounce · 6 years

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People don't trash MCR they usually trash middle schoolers and their deification of Gerard Way that is everywhere on the Internet if you're so much as a little bit interested in MCR's music

1. Who R U. you’re talking about this post right. i made that post because literally half of my ocs are based off of different gerard eras (teal roots revenge, touring party poison, helena revenge) and also because i love my lesbian mother gerard way, who is nb and dresses like a lesbian. i like to tell Joaks about one of my fave artists

2. mcr aimed to be “deified” by young people going through hard times. mcr was a band with a Mission that gerard way very fervently believed in yet doubted; in the aftermath of 9/11 (he was a new yorker at the time) he quit art and started a band with the mission to “save lives.” all of mcr were raised catholic and had complex relationships with their faith, especially gerard, who saw mcr as a “mission from god.” mcr included a lot of christian imagery in their music - black parade especially, with the patient/gerard being a christ allegory. many mcr songs are about gerard way’s apparent martyr/messiah complex (see esp heaven help us) and his struggle with it. he belts out lyrics about inspiring the youth as well as lines like “you wanna follow something, give me a better cause to lead” (along with the rest of thank you for the venom) as well as the entirety of blood. this culminates in danger days, where gerard implores his audience to “save yourself, i’ll hold them back.” mcr mythologizes itself very deliberately.

young people, such as middle schoolers, feel their hurts very rawly and deeply, often for the first time in their lives. gerard way especially set mcr up as heroes and inspirations to guide them and be their voice in their darkest times. members of mcr struggled/s with personal problems: addiction, eating disorders, mental illness. many of them still do. they were and are open and vulnerable about these problems. young people aim to be understood, and mcr provides that. mcr’s music and lyrics are raw and bleeding with emotion and honesty. and also allusions to horror movies. that’s what i meant by calling them overdramatic: it was a bit self-effacing due to how often i lip sync along and snarl along to gerard’s yowling in the mirror, but it’s a fair adjective. mcr’s music was goth rock opera! brian may himself played with mcr and compared gerard to freddie mercury. stylistically, “welcome to the black parade” and “bohemian rhapsody” have a lot in common. it’s emo! emotional! it’s meant to be overdramatic, and that’s what makes mcr so great!

mass culture hated mcr. there were of course the people who branded them satanists who caused suicides and gun violence. but greater than that was a disdain for mentally ill youth, mcr’s counterculture and often effeminate aesthetics (this was 2005: “gay” was still widely used as an insult), and, as you mentioned, their fanbase of teenagers, many of whom were teenage girls, who love very passionately. there was also an element of homophobia: mcr was brashly emotional, and men aren’t meant to show emotion; mcr wore eyeliner and skinny jeans and dyed their hair and wore Outfits and were seen as “pretty boys”; stage gay; etc etc. and that was the scene they were in. “emo” was widely reviled and mocked. pop culture in the mid 2000s was littered with jokes about self harm, guyliner, and bands that were seen as trash largely because they had a fanbase of teenage girls.

i refuse to blame teenagers for mcr being hated by pop culture. i was a teenager when i first got into mcr: i listened to teenagers in the back of a marching band bus to give myself strength at the beginning of an intensely stressful time in my young life. culture sees teenage girls as the lowest rung of the fan ladder; many bands are praised when they shed the “teenage girl band” label and become “mature” and “real music.” mcr refused to do that. til the end, they were there for their fans. and young people today still get into them, post breakup, because the music still speaks to the parts of them that hurt. i roll my eyes at the dumb “sassy gerard” memes i occasionally still see, but that’s just my personal reaction. teenagers are teenagers. leave them be.

gerard way is still a martyr for the “beaten, the broken, and the damned” beyond the figurative grave. the music video for SING ends with all four of them being gunned down, by forces that seek to destroy art and expression, while The Girl they taught, nurtured, and kept safe is swept to safety. they sacrifice themselves for her. in the killjoy comics, which were published around the time of the breakup, all the girl has left of them are fuzzy memories, mannequins with costumes, and her life. and a mission: to go save the world.

mcr’s deification was intentional, and to blame vulnerable teenagers for the hatred, misogyny, homophobia, and ableism of greater society is shit. that’s not how you respect mcr’s music, because you would be disregarding what drived it.

3. the only music by mcr ive ever listened to is that all i want for christmas is you/black parade mashup

#chirps #my chemical romance #ok to rb #mcr

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