#75 Jessi's Horrible Prank, Chapters 11-15

[soundfurious]

Okay, finally, the conclusion of Jessi's Horrible Prank. Next time I'll make sure I have the whole book snarked before posting at all.

My real-life adult version of Jessi swooped in, demonstrated a flawless Downward Head Up Ass position, and swept away. It was the best possible inspiration for finishing this up.

Comments

[kakeochi_umai]

Jessi hastens to inform us that the rehearsals were a disaster, with Ben Abbott kicking both of his Top-Siders (What the hell are these? I know they're shoes, but what does the oxymoronic name mean?) into the audience.
But did he run home crying?

Mr. Trout walks in and sits down with a book.
It's entirely possible that he's just reading until the show starts, but I'm taking it as a burn against Jessi - he finds the Follies too boring and/or inane to sit through, Jessi apparently single-handedly directed the entire thing, ergo he thinks Miss I-Know-Everything-About-Show-Business's show is too boring and/or inane to sit through.

turns out Mr. Trout called the principal from a pay phone in Vermont to say he wasn't coming back.
I remember Ms Bernhardt saying "VERMONT!!! Can you believe it?" or something and thinking that Vermont must be really far away from Connecticut, rather than in the same part of the US. Then again, they think New York City is far away, so.

[soundfurious]

I can see the kids feeling like Vermont is far away, because they can't drive yet and it's a hassle just to get downtown on their bikes. But someone forgot that adults don't think like that.

Then again, if someone I worked with suddenly called out from Florida, I might be like "Whaaa...I just saw you yesterday and now you're calling from FLORIDA to say you're never coming back?"

[lippian]

It's not that I can't empathize, but... he was so humiliated by a school play that he sold his house, disconnected his phone, ran away to Vermont and only then made a pay phone call that he was quitting? I generally defend people the BSC don't like, but I think Mr. Trout might have some issues.

[kakeochi_umai]

This, plus OF COURSE he was that devastated over something Jessi did. Never mind that the toupee prank and resulting laughter was more malicious, Jessi and the other BSC members are the centre of the universe, so of course when SHE makes fun of Mr Trout he runs away to the State of Broken Hearts. And of course he can't quit in a normal way because that's not a sad enough reaction to not being liked by one of Ann's protagonists.

[soundfurious]

Now I'm picturing him coming back like Blind Ralphie from A Christmas Story and Jessi asking him, "Was it something we did? What brought you to this looooowly state?"

Trout: "It...it...it was..."
Jessi: "Yes?"
Trout: "The...Follies."

[shatisarockgod]

I LOVE IT! lmao, "A Christmas Story" is one of my favorite movies. :D

[stevema]

[shatisarockgod]

I simplified steps.--Shouldn't you have been doing that to start with? Everybody's not an expert dancer like you are, Jessi