Legacy of sorrow

[lambertoise]

My dear Nick,

I don’t think you were raised to behave like a jerk, or were you? Because when I saw you going to that cheap motel room, looking furtively around you, I was ashamed for you. Like we are when people we love act as if they had no heart. But I know you can feel for people, we could see it when you took care of the young Ted, cursed by a father gone mad. So why are you doing this to Lulu, to Suzanne, and to yourself?

You think people around you don’t know you and resent you? Then you do every thing you can to push them away so you’ll be proven right in the end? How childish! Burton is so right : you are what you are and you don’t deserve everything you got : the silver spoon education, the job.. and Lulu. Look at Jake : born in a working class family, he works hard to be the lawyer he is, he is rightly proud of his accomplishments and was even ready to support you as managing partner. I like him more and more every week. Which is not the case with you, Nick.

Ok, you were hurt by Lulu’s rejection of your serious proposal. But why didn’t you tell her that instead of a dismissive I don’t care if you don’t want to marry me? Why people your age act so politely to each other ( it’s OK, I don’t mind, etc.) never telling what really is on their mind? Love isn’t about having everything you want, at the moment you want it. Love is about sharing good and bad moments, and so becoming vulnerable. Why you and Lulu aren’t able to do that with each other though Lulu showed how much hurt she was by your cheating. For once, she showed her true feelings!

Now we know you are worried that Lulu will go away with your kid. And, doing so, with your dream of a family life. And that’s why you screwing Suzanne Pell? Please, explain… There is something I’m missing here. You want to hurt her too? You’re doing a good job since she told you that, after all, she is just a girl, and that means she is expecting more than sex, despite her first proclamations. She and you should really be scolded by Laurie. She would speak her mind and tell you some truths you need to hear.

Now what is going to happen? You’ll go a little more downhill? You’ll pity yourself, avoid the hard look you should have on your behaviour, or will you be helped by an unexpected hand to redeem yourself?

My own expectations are very high, because during these last three years, I’ve been able to see, through your I- don’t- care- attitude, the frightened child you still are. But now it’s time to grow up. Please do before I don’t like you anymore.



That is, I think, what Nick’s mother would have told him, has she been alive.

[cloud9]

Thank you lambertoise for saying it so well....May I sign your letter too......sigh.....cloud9

[cecilia]

Lamber, you are my hero! ;D


you found a beautiful way to say what (I guess) a lot of people think about yesterday's episode and Nick's behaviour!

cecilia

[lambertoise]

Thank you , Cecilia et Cloud9.

Nobody around me watches TG, so the boards are nice places to read and write comments. Since the discussions on the other boards are already about the next episode, let me share here some more thoughts about Legacy (TG is the only TV program I really watch, so I need and take time to think about it! Sorry...)

About Nick’s flaws : how many times have I said that these flaws were part of TG’s appeal? I guess there are flaws and flaws. Some are worst than others. And the cheating is one I have a hard time dealing with. In real life, confronted with that kind of behavior, we have two choices : we still speak with the person, especially if she is a family member or we don’t. In front of our tv set, there is no problem, but we can think about it.

Another thought came to my mind after I wrote spontaneously on Nick’s mother behalf. I am not old enough to be Nick’s mother but it felt easier to do so in the disguise of an older woman. IMO, Burton was totally entitled to say the harsh words he said, to judge his son’s conduct. Burton will still speak with his son and that gave him a reason to tell him the truth. Which is very rare in our modern and so-called tolerant society where there can be no bad, no good conduct, where we should admit anything because, hey! Who are we to judge? Moral judgement has very bad press nowadays so I presume that’s why I felt more comfortable to borrow Anne’s character to say what I had to say.

I appreciate David Hollander’s talent to make his characters real and as a writer, he skillfully avoids judging them but gives us opportunities to reflect on our own values.

[cloud9]

Lambertoise:
Once Again your observations have echoed my thoughts:
Nick's flaws, as revealed in this recent eposide, go way beyond acceptable behavior that friends and family could excuse with a shrug and smile and the remark 'oh, that's just the way he is!'

No, OMHO, these flaws are very, very disturbing because they are so seriously hurtful to other people and dangerously self-destructive to Nick himself that they must be confronted head on and dealt with. I was so glad to hear Burton doing just that.

Will Nick face his problems and deal with them?---- Well, obviously the man needs some indepth counselling. ----The confession and subsequent apology to Lulu is a sign that Nick may be ready to learn a little about himself and take measures to change. Let's do hope he'll follow through because, otherwise, he's a very lost man.----And wouldn't that be a shame.

I don't know if you have read posts on this same episode on other mbs as I have but it seems to me that many women posters there seem inclined to excuse Nick's behavior and lay the blame on Lulu's failure to accept his marriage proposal. That viewpoint absolutely mystifies me. I certainly hope it doesn't mean that those women would tolerate Nick-like unfaithfulness from their men. I'm afraid they're in for a lifetime of hearbreak if they are. ----JMHO---cloud9

[lambertoise]

Here I am, reading Cloud9 ' s reply when I see them, again, in my posts. Mistakes... OMG, My hair is still bristling! #!*##!?!!!

I apoligize to all of you who are offended by this unperfect use of the English language and to remind
you ( and me) of my weaknesses, please accept my new motto Errare humanum est... which is good for Nick and me...

To calm me down, I repeat to myself Le ridicule ne tue pas, and it is my consolation prize.

[Lindatheeditor]

Lambertoise, I liked your letter from Nick's mother. Do you suppose she was speaking from experience? To hear Burton tell it, as he did in "Family", her infidelity and pill popping led him to leave the marriage. It's possible that were she still here she'd also tell him to try to learn from her mistakes.

[cloud9]

Lambertoise:

Sorry about my mistakes. (Is my face red! )

They're the result of lazy proofing and a life-long habit of 'creative' spelling. I get so caught up in what I want to say that the words drip out the ends of my fingers without first passing through the dictionary and grammar critic in my brain.---It's very rude of me to allow that to happen. ---cloud9

[lambertoise]

Dear Cloud 9, I was speaking about MY mistakes, not yours!!! I read again my own post after reading yours and that's when it hit me again, all these mistakes, MINE.

I'm so sorry you thought that I was speaking about your post!!!

[lambertoise]

Lindatheeditor said:

Do you suppose she was speaking from experience?

Yes, indeed, I do. That's exactly what I was implying. You see much more clearly other's flaws,when you have the same problem. We don't know much about Nick's mother, but we can guess that she was maybe unfaithful and had drugs problems. Yes , she would probably tell him to be careful before hurting those who love him.

[cloud9]

( Hehe, Lambertoise re mistakes in posting:
Sometimes we're our own worst critic! I didn't notice any of your mistakes ----still haven't---but upon re-reading, mine jumped out at me like search lights!----- (Isn't that just the way? Often I only notice a typo as I'm passing out my materials to my fellow workers at a meeting!)

But I digress:

Linda & Lambertoise:
Good points you guys made in your speculations about problems perhaps shared by Nick's Mom. Maybe that's one reason that Burton feels so strongly about Nick's recent missteps. He doesn't want history to repeat itself.----Certainly, he has tried to shield Nick from anything that would sully his mom's memory but now may be the time for Nick to learn from her mistakes, if he'll try to.----cloud9

[Lindatheeditor]

cloud9, I've been annoyed with Burton ever since he started playing the fool over Shannon Gressler, but I can see what a really tough spot he's in this time and I feel for him. If he blurts out "You're just like your mother!" to Nick he'll open a whole can of worms that will probably end with Nick hating him passionately. On the other hand, perhaps the only way to turn Nick around is to hit him over the head with this. However it may happen, the way things are going, there's beginning to be not much room for finesse here.

Does this posting function have a spell check feature anywhere?

[iconicsoup]

Dear Nick

And I don't mean "dear", man, ya know? I mean, you're my pal, dude, so don't read anything into that "dear", okay? It's just a societal convention for god's sake. I'm NOT gay, okay? I'm NOT GAY!

Okay, listen up, buddy. This Lulu chick is a waste of time. I mean, she looks hot, but what has she ever done for you? Think about it, man. What has she ever done for you? Name one thing.

I don't know much about love, but I know this: love is meant to make you feel good about yourself. Better than you felt before. This chick makes you feel like shit, and that's all there is to it. She has no idea about who you are - and let's face it, none of us has a clue - but the point is, she doesn't even try. She's never tried. She judges you and dismisses you, and that's when she even notices you. Most of the time she doesn't know you exist.

So here's my advice, bud, and I know you didn't ask for it. Dump the popsicle and move on. I applaud you for cheating on her. I mean, what else is gonna make her wake up? Not two years of taking care of her. Not your declarations of love. Not your desire to be the father of her child. Not your proposal of marriage. What does it take? It's never gonna be enough with this one. Never.

High maintenance chicks are the worse kind, man. They never give. They can't love. But they love to see you running around trying to please them... "Send me flowers! Take me on a date! Get me a new bed! Buy me a new house!" Sheesh. No wonder her hubby gave up. You don't want to be that guy. You don't want to be another Brian Olson. You will never be enough for her.

You have one life, friend. Spend it with someone who cares.

Your friend
Jake

PS. I AM NOT GAY!

#nosmileys

[lambertoise]

Hey, I'm not your buddy!

Don't try to steal her from me! Because you think she would make a good mother doesn't mean you can easily become the dad.

Go get your own love stories, with whatever you want, but don't touch her : she's mine!

Nick

[juliana106]

To : Jake Straka
From: Nick Fallin
RE: Terminus

You're right -- I didn't ask for your advice, nor would I ever knowing this is the type of response I could elecit. Some friend you claim to be.

I am not proud of what I did, and seek no applause for my actions... I know what I did was wrong.

You're right, you don't know me -- and really no one does. I like it better that way. If you had any inkling to the type of person I am, you'd know that I do whatever the hell I want... regardless of what anyone else thinks or says. My father says I am selfish that way, I say that's the Fallin charm.

You just wouldn't understand the way that I feel, no one does.

As you said, I have one life -- and I have done a damn good job of screwing it up so far.

Nick Fallin