Brave Men Run Podcast - Episode One Chapts. 1 - 4
It’s the debut episode! Reply to this post with your comments… and now, let’s go behind the curtain, eh?
Chapter One:
– “So it’s just as well that Abbeque Valley’s gotten so crowded over the last few years they have two lunch periods, and my friends happen to have the other one. I can concentrate on eating.”
That’s how it was when I was in high school… except I was always bummed because some of my friends were in the other lunch period. Or some girl..!
– “…I heard the distinctive, sloshing, whoosh of a partially open carton of milk flying through the air.”
I’ve seen it done. I don’t think I ever did it myself. I do know I was never unfortunate enough to be the target. (whew!)
– “…Byron Teslowski standing over in the jocks’ corner…”
In my school, there were four great big planters on each corner of the indoor common area. The punks had one, the jocks another, the break-dancers another, and the nerds and misfits the other. The stoners hung out on the edge of the parking lot, and the band and drama geeks hid in the band room. Guess where I spent most of my time?
– “…wearing spandex tops and leggings since “Flashdance” came out.”
I saw “Flashdance” in the movie theatre, folks. In 1983, when I was the age Nate Charters is in “Brave Men Run.” It really did make a difference when it came to what a lot of teen-aged boys got to see around school…
Based on a real person:
– Ms. Elp
– Terrance Felder
– Gaby Samson
Chapter Two:
– “…Abbeque Valley was a closed campus…”
As was my high school… but that didn’t stop us from walking down the hill to “Hora’s Ski and Arcade,” where you could play any number of great table-top arcade games like PacMan, Galaga, Defender, or Star Castles… and buy ski clothes and accessories. Weird combination, I know, but there it was.
– “…and still dependent on the school bus.”
Sad to say, Nate’s pain was my pain… for my entire high school career. I didn’t have a car until I was eighteen. But that’s another story.
– “…the little hole in the fence that led to Claire’s neighborhood.”
Taken from real life. I had a couple of friends who lived in the neighborhood behind the school. The mischief that led to is, again, another story.
– “I can hear her stereo.”
When you walked to the real-life girl’s house, you didn’t need enhanced hearing. She blasted that stereo!
Chapter Three
– “Dude! She’s got, like, all three “Synchronicity” covers!”
Greg Fonseca, slouched on the couch like he didn’t care about anything, least of all Claire, muttered, “There’s five covers.”
They’re both wrong. There were 36 different covers of the Police’s “Synchonicity” LP.
– “…a Molly Ringwald pout.”
For the best example of that, see “Sixteen Candles.”
– “…a shock of blonde hair done short and curly on top of her head - more Madonna than New Romantic.”
Recall that it’s 1985, so you can’t look at any recent pictures of Madonna to get the image. Try the cover of her first album. And here’s a definition of “New Romantic” or “NuRo.”
– “…Sting’s hollow tenor crooned “Walking in Your Footsteps”…”
It’s a song about dinosaurs. You can’t go wrong.
– “I’m doing home study, as of last month.”
Often considered a punishment by the school, and a boon by the student. Back in the day, it was called Independent Study. I did it for a quarter and got a semester’s work done!
– “The chiming keyboards and “Hey, hey, hey, heys” of Simple Minds’ “Don’t You Forget About Me” rang forth.”
I first remember hearing this song in my Journalism class. Loved it as much as Claire does, but it did get tiring after a while, especially considering Simple Minds had so much other great stuff.
– “‘The Breakfast Club.’” Claire bopped her head in time to the trotting bass line.
Yeah, we all loved this movie. Y’know, it actually still holds up, too! Perhaps the best of John Hughes “brat pack” films.
– “Yeah, uh, I guess. It’s got that kid from ‘The Outsiders.’”
That would be Emilio Estevez.
Based on a real person:
– Jason Talbot
– Greg Fonseca
– Claire
– Lina Porter
Chapter Four
– “…if Jason’s ratty, strategically ripped wardrobe was any indication.”
We all did this. I can’t tell you anything about that… except that it was the eighties!
– “…Toto Coelo’s “I Eat Cannibals” came on.
“Ugh!” Lina jabbed at the pre-selects on the dashboard. “I’m so tired of that stupid song!”
“I saw the video,” I said. “They look like something out of “Sigmund and the Sea Monsters.”
No kidding. If anyone can find a still from that video, we’ll see if that’s just my memory talking. This album cover doesn’t quite do them justice. Compare to Sigmund.
– “I wear my su-hun glasses at night…”
One hit wonder from Corey Hart. Irritating like a piece of food in your teeth you just can’t leave alone.
5 Responses to “Brave Men Run Podcast - Episode One Chapts. 1 - 4”
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Two things:
1) Corey Hart actually had two annoying hits, at least. The other that
springs to mind is “Never Surrender”.
2) But of more pressing importance, at least to me (because it’s
bugging me), the show notes for this episode mention Lina’s home
study, but I can’t for the life of me find this in the episode
itself. I recall this really bugging me when Nate’s mom mentions
Nate doing home study like Lina does, much later, and thinking,
“Huh? When did we learn she did that?” (And how did Lucy know,
anyway?) So, I mean, did it accidentally get edited out but left in
the show notes, or what? Or should I just leave it alone and enjoy?
But while we’re on continuity, how come Byron’s wingmen mention seeing
his car when he only has his learner’s? (OK, maybe he drove to the
park and counted on not getting unto trouble?(
Hi Buddy!
1) Y’know, I can’t remember a note of “Never Surrender.” I could probably find it on YouTube, but… why put myself through that?
2) Lina mentions home study to Mel when he mentions she’s from O’Neil High. As for Lucy’s knowing it later on — we don’t see every moment of every day in the book, just the stuff that moves the story forward. We can assume Nate filled her in at some point.
And yeah, Byron drives on his learner’s permit without adult supervision… this has actually been pointed out by others as a continuity gaff, but I guess those folks weren’t teenagers in the eighties. I had a number of friends whose parents treated that learner’s permit as a release from having to take their kids everywhere. So it goes!
Thanks for commenting!
2) Lina mentions home study to Mel when he mentions she’s from O’Neil High.
Hmm. My copy of paet 1 doesn’t have that. I’ll have to redownload it–very odd.
As for Lucy’s knowing it later on — we
don’t see every moment of every day in the book, just the stuff
that moves the story forward. We can assume Nate filled her in at some point.
Which is what I would have naturally assumed, except for my copy of
part 1 missing that bit about home study right in the begining.
As for the driving on a learner’s. I wouldn’t know nothin about
that. I’ve never driven antthing except for driving everyone else
crazy maybe.
But I mean, if these are the only things we can come up with to nit
pick over, well, it’s all right then, isn’t it? Famously famous
authors leave holes big enough to drive a Volkswagen Gulf (if not a
Ford Econoline van) through.
Yep, just redownloaded episode 1, and the home study bit is definitely missing!
I’ll be damned — I just re-listened. I guess it got cut! Might have been one of those things where it reads better than it reads out loud… which is entirely my fault for not being a better writer!
Kudos to you for being the first person to notice it (or mention it, at least.)