Oh, yay! Another one of those amazing chapters that mix humour with really poignant emotion. Wowsers, you make it look so easy!
I was just thinking about how very educational, as well as entertaining this story is. I don't know a whole lot about the years before the Muppet Show, and in fact, if I'm being honest, I don't know much about the years during and after either, so it's really fascinating to read this mixture of reality and muppetational fiction. Again, I'm simply amazed by the scope of the project you've taken on here. Kudos!
Loved the M states and all the travelling Rowlf is doing, even though, as I said, I don't know enough about the actual history to look below the surface of your words. (Am I making sense? Probably not. Oh, well.)
TogetherAgain said:
Chapter Fifteen
One Month and One Week Later
August 3, 1969
“Well,” Don joked as they walked, “Today’s lunch has been brought to us by the letter ‘M’ and the number- Hey!”
“That’s not a number,” Kermit said. He turned. Don had stopped walking.
So Kermity! I like it!
He fell deaf to the conversation. In his mind, he could still see the diner, cream spilled on the floor, a fallen stool… He could see the record store when it was new, on a dark night, with Her in his arms, flowers in Her hair…
Ack, and now for the pain. I still can't get over how sad I am about Melinda and Ray. Pathetic Kermie and Piggy 4evah girl that I am, this story is almost enough for me to change my mind. Poor Kermit, how sad to lose that precious little family. You treat a difficult subject with so much dignity, Lisa, and all these wistful little reminders of what was and what could have been ring very true. Goodness knows I've been through the grieving process too many times, and all of this feels so... familiar to me. Maybe that's why it's hitting me so hard emotionally.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“I’ll meet you there, Jim!” Kermit called behind him as he left the office. He turned and walked straight into a blue furry thing, accidentally knocking it- or rather, him- down the stairs.
“WAH-HOO!” the thing shouted as he tumbled. “LOOK OUT BELOW!” He crash-landed on the ground floor.
And that's when I knew it was Gonzo. Great dialogue here. I can just hear him scream that. Kermit's initial reaction is hilarious and I just love this whole section. Little by little the gang is coming together and I'm so excited about that!
“Neither am I!” Gonzo said enthusiastically. “Just put me down as a Whatever.”
Yay! I love that! And the Camilla conversation is just so sweet and funny!
But then you go and hit me with:
Kermit quickly looked down and away. “I-“ He stared at his flippers for a long moment. “Used to,” he whispered under his breath. “I don’t play that game,” he said.
“What do you mean?” Gonzo asked.
“I don’t date,” Kermit said firmly, still looking at his flippers. He had come to dread these conversations, and the unintentional but hard blow they dealt.
Oh, the pain! "I don't play that game." Whoa. That's so striking, and sad, but it also makes so much sense too. Ah, if only I could hug that poor frog.
Lovely, lovely job, Lisa. Really wonderful writing.
Leyla