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"Hey, nineteen. No, we got nothin' common. No, we can't dance together. No, we can't talk at all. Please take me along when you slide on down..." Steely Dan, 1980
Tuesday, January 29, 2002
Chicago, Illinois
4:30 pm
"Steven, you weren't a knight in shining armor. You were embarrassing."
Jackie's shrill, demanding voice loudly echoes throughout the Hyde household. Even though the entire family is situated in the living room, mere feet away.
Their raven-haired, blue-eyed son shrugs dismissively. "Dad sounds badass."
Hyde chuckles, and Jackie sends a dramatic death glare. "No, it was embarrassing."
An awkward silence permeates, but James makes his opinion known. "Still, you married him."
"He inserted himself into the situation, when I was handling it just fine by myself," Jackie loudly scoffs, glaring at both father and son, "Jamie, you only know half of the story. He left a lot of other things out..."
*****
Tuesday, January 27, 1981
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
1:30 pm
Ìt may be a typical Wisconsin winter, but the iron is hot. And Steven Hyde, wants to strike.
They're sitting in the El Camino, in the campus parking lot, and through Jackie's incessant chattering, he's cobbled together an unfortunate tale.
To say the fucking least. "Why didn't you tell me your teacher was harassin' you?"
"Because."
It needs no explanation, Jackie surmises. When he defends her in the heat of the moment, it's chivalrous. When he goes out of his way to insert himself into a situation, it's different. It's humiliating, point blank.
But yet, Jackie explains. "You don't need to go out of your way to defend my honor. I can handle it myself. I think I'm just going to drop the class, and take it with Ms Landry next semester."
But Hyde is still seething, balling his fists. Nobody messes with his girl, unscathed.
"It's fucking unfair."
"I know, but..."
"You're used to it?"
Jackie dramatically sighs, an unfortunate admission slipping through her lips. "Yeah."
*****
Thursday, January 29, 1981
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
1:15 pm
It's her final day with Mr Collins, her reckoning.
She has decided, officially. Because even though it'll be a pain to take the class again next semester, she can't take it anymore. She's had enough.
The old man has been looking her up and down, with his beady little eyes, for almost two hours. He can barely stay on the straight and narrow, his lesson plans, without getting all sweaty and flustered.
She tries to hurry out of the room, but to no avail, as Mr Collins anxiously rests her hand on her shoulder.
"I think you made a great point, about the importance of carefully cultivating a certain aesthetic."
What a bullshit deflection. "That was three classes ago."
"It's still pertinent." Jackie's face uncomfortably contorts, and Mr Collins haughtily clarifies. "You know, relevant."
"I know what pertinent means," She loudly declares, "You know, because I'm smart. That's why I'm here."
"Yeah, smart and beautiful," He obnoxiously blurts, "You look like a model..."
Suddenly, the door swings open, and there he is. In all of his attempted glory.
Hyde, like a lion, angrily roars. "She has a boyfriend. She tell you that?"
"That's an unfortunate detail..."
And with that, he thrusts his fist. The anvil, at his head.
*****
1:30 pm
Now, they're back at the El Camino, and both of them are fuming. For different reasons, of course.
"Motherfucker ruined Steely Dan," Hyde angrily deflects, "Think I'll give some tapes to Forman."
"Good," Jackie angrily scoffs, "You were embarrassing."
An awkward silence permeates, and for once, Hyde attempts to clear the air. "At least he didn't ruin Zeppelin."