2008 Woodie Awards
Beyond the Bubble
CLAIRE NIELSON AND LISIE MEHLMAN
Issue date: 2/17/05 Section: Local News
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A heartbreaking thing has happened to our favorite member of the Beyond the Bubble clan. The Roo - the white, charming, somewhat dilapidated Subaru that has lovingly been there when we needed it for those long car rides to discuss philosophical questions, like what it really means when he doesn't call, and also to take us to Starbucks when we just needed that caramel apple cider, died a tragic death over Feb break. After Claire recovered from the initial terror of her accident, she found herself stranded alone on the rural roads bridging Vermont and Massachusetts Strange characters were met over the course of her journey back home, reminiscent of the journey made by Chance, Sassy and Shadow in "Homeward Bound." There was the friendly lady in the midst of making cookies when Claire knocked on the door of her house in tears. She didn't want to leave when the state trooper arrived - she was hoping to get a taste of Betty's cookies. The brilliant state trooper asked Claire if she could just move her car off the side of the road, at which point she broke down in tears. Apparently young state troopers, no matter how sexy, don't really know how to deal with the tears. Nor do they have personalities. Alas, to make a long story short, Claire and Lisie have been living without the Roo for the past few weeks while it is getting fixed up at Junction Subee Center. We have been feeling a profound void in our lives.
The fact that we didn't have valentines didn't really help the whole void situation. But at least Lisie didn't break out in hives this Valentine's Day, a notable improvement from last year. Celebrating the big V-Day properly without the Roo proved challenging, and limited our options for how to create clever Valentines for the loved ones (an inordinate, unfortunate number of female friends) in our lives. We walked into town to buy roses. The saleswoman refused to sell them to us. Apparently even florists make you feel bad for being single. Sheer malarkey. Lisie bought Strawberry Shortcake collated Valentines at Ben Franklin while Claire stocked up on art supplies to make them. Nonetheless, Valentine's Day passed uneventfully and we never even drank the "Love Potion" our friends had bought to celebrate. Instead, Lisie cuddled with the teddy bear her parents sent her. He is clad only in cowboy boots, a cowboy hat and heart covered boxers. Claire isn't sure which is more disconcerting - his outfit or the fact that Markandbar signed their card "Love your hunka hunkas, Mom and Dad."
Without the Roo, we just didn't feel much like celebrating. But there's always something to be thankful for, even if we don't have boyfriends, or prospective boyfriends or even Proctor crushes. Lisie didn't have hives, and who could ask for more?
The fact that we didn't have valentines didn't really help the whole void situation. But at least Lisie didn't break out in hives this Valentine's Day, a notable improvement from last year. Celebrating the big V-Day properly without the Roo proved challenging, and limited our options for how to create clever Valentines for the loved ones (an inordinate, unfortunate number of female friends) in our lives. We walked into town to buy roses. The saleswoman refused to sell them to us. Apparently even florists make you feel bad for being single. Sheer malarkey. Lisie bought Strawberry Shortcake collated Valentines at Ben Franklin while Claire stocked up on art supplies to make them. Nonetheless, Valentine's Day passed uneventfully and we never even drank the "Love Potion" our friends had bought to celebrate. Instead, Lisie cuddled with the teddy bear her parents sent her. He is clad only in cowboy boots, a cowboy hat and heart covered boxers. Claire isn't sure which is more disconcerting - his outfit or the fact that Markandbar signed their card "Love your hunka hunkas, Mom and Dad."
Without the Roo, we just didn't feel much like celebrating. But there's always something to be thankful for, even if we don't have boyfriends, or prospective boyfriends or even Proctor crushes. Lisie didn't have hives, and who could ask for more?