Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Recess characters. However, I made up
some characters in Joey's extended family. (Joey himself is mentioned in a
few episodes by Spinelli, but never shown.)
Other disclaimer: I'm not American, and my mother tongue isn't English either. I don't know what exactly Juvenile Hall or Boot Camp are. I hope not too many errors crept into my story.
I. Gain a daughter, lose a son
Free. After three years in Juvenile Hall and several weeks in Boot Camp I'm waiting for my parents to take me back home. No, that's wrong, it will be Flo and Bob Spinelli taking me to their place where I'll live with them and their daughter Ashley.
Seven years ago they were still Mom and Dad, until I went to that Summer Camp, just turned ten and eager to prove that I could live without them, only to discover afterwards I had been replaced. They had made one of their mixed business-holiday trips to Asia and adopted a little girl there. Her parents had died in a fire, they tried to explain. Maybe Flo and Bob had just escaped the same fire and felt they had to pay back a debt by taking her in, but that didn't explain why they forgot me.
To be fair, Bob didn't immediately forget me, he tried to split his attention between me and Ashley and took me to Wrestling fights and other cool stuff. I could live with that, but that ended two years later when my friends dared me to steal the new 3-d-flash-o-matic from Kelso's and I got caught. Then he joined in Flo's complains how they couldn't understand me and why I was doing this to them. One strike, and you're out.
Of course I spent more time with my friends. Especially with those Flo and Bob didn't like. That was wrong, but I don't regret hurting them. I regret stealing from Mr Kelso, striking down Professor Kent - that got me into Juvenile Hall - and especially hurting Rosa who saw me doing it. She was my first and still only true love and hated me for my violent side ever after. But Flo and Bob just plain deserved what they got.
I get back to checking if I've got all my stuff with me, and suddenly he stands there. Bob has come alone.
"Hi Joey", he starts, stretching out his hand.
I'm shaking it. "Hi Dad. Where's everybody?"
"Your Mom's at home and Ashley's probably playing kickball with her friends. I just thought we could have a short talk among men."
That's just great, only a few years late... "Okay!"
"We've been talking with people in Juvenile Hall and they said you were doing absolutely fine and that you're now a first class auto mechanic. We're proud of you. Professor Kent was also impressed."
So he helped getting me out after three years. I expected much more - I was accused for 'attempted homicide to cover a car theft'.
"What I want to say, son... your old debts are all settled, and you've got a new bright future in front of you. Just... don't fall back into old mistakes."
That had to come. I better change the topic. "Whose idea was Boot Camp?"
No answer. "Why do you ask?"
They couldn't break me. "It's just silly. If I had no discipline, I wouldn't have avoided the pushers in Juvenile Hall for three years."
"Oh!"
We put my stuff in the trunk and drive off. When he starts again, it's regular news about what had changed while I was gone. When we're almost home - I mean there - he remembers something.
"You should ask Ashley what you can call her. The other Ashleys in school seem to be airheads."
So Flo's 'popular name' plan backfired. "What do her friends call her then?"
"As far as I can tell, just Spin or Spinelli."
As if she was. "I'll ask her."
The welcome from Flo was cold. She just showed me my room and left. I start putting my stuff into the closet when I hear a rumbling from downstairs coming closer, then the door bursts open.
"Joey." It's Ashley, completely out of breath, and I don't know if I'm more surprised about her happy expression or that she still wears jacket, cap and shoes from the 'tough makeover' I gave her years ago. Her smile is getting wider, and she opens her arms to give me the best bearhug an 8-year- old girl can manage. "Oh Joey Joey Joey you're home!"
Outside the door, Flo and Bob exchange alarmed looks. That wasn't going according to plan.
Other disclaimer: I'm not American, and my mother tongue isn't English either. I don't know what exactly Juvenile Hall or Boot Camp are. I hope not too many errors crept into my story.
I. Gain a daughter, lose a son
Free. After three years in Juvenile Hall and several weeks in Boot Camp I'm waiting for my parents to take me back home. No, that's wrong, it will be Flo and Bob Spinelli taking me to their place where I'll live with them and their daughter Ashley.
Seven years ago they were still Mom and Dad, until I went to that Summer Camp, just turned ten and eager to prove that I could live without them, only to discover afterwards I had been replaced. They had made one of their mixed business-holiday trips to Asia and adopted a little girl there. Her parents had died in a fire, they tried to explain. Maybe Flo and Bob had just escaped the same fire and felt they had to pay back a debt by taking her in, but that didn't explain why they forgot me.
To be fair, Bob didn't immediately forget me, he tried to split his attention between me and Ashley and took me to Wrestling fights and other cool stuff. I could live with that, but that ended two years later when my friends dared me to steal the new 3-d-flash-o-matic from Kelso's and I got caught. Then he joined in Flo's complains how they couldn't understand me and why I was doing this to them. One strike, and you're out.
Of course I spent more time with my friends. Especially with those Flo and Bob didn't like. That was wrong, but I don't regret hurting them. I regret stealing from Mr Kelso, striking down Professor Kent - that got me into Juvenile Hall - and especially hurting Rosa who saw me doing it. She was my first and still only true love and hated me for my violent side ever after. But Flo and Bob just plain deserved what they got.
I get back to checking if I've got all my stuff with me, and suddenly he stands there. Bob has come alone.
"Hi Joey", he starts, stretching out his hand.
I'm shaking it. "Hi Dad. Where's everybody?"
"Your Mom's at home and Ashley's probably playing kickball with her friends. I just thought we could have a short talk among men."
That's just great, only a few years late... "Okay!"
"We've been talking with people in Juvenile Hall and they said you were doing absolutely fine and that you're now a first class auto mechanic. We're proud of you. Professor Kent was also impressed."
So he helped getting me out after three years. I expected much more - I was accused for 'attempted homicide to cover a car theft'.
"What I want to say, son... your old debts are all settled, and you've got a new bright future in front of you. Just... don't fall back into old mistakes."
That had to come. I better change the topic. "Whose idea was Boot Camp?"
No answer. "Why do you ask?"
They couldn't break me. "It's just silly. If I had no discipline, I wouldn't have avoided the pushers in Juvenile Hall for three years."
"Oh!"
We put my stuff in the trunk and drive off. When he starts again, it's regular news about what had changed while I was gone. When we're almost home - I mean there - he remembers something.
"You should ask Ashley what you can call her. The other Ashleys in school seem to be airheads."
So Flo's 'popular name' plan backfired. "What do her friends call her then?"
"As far as I can tell, just Spin or Spinelli."
As if she was. "I'll ask her."
The welcome from Flo was cold. She just showed me my room and left. I start putting my stuff into the closet when I hear a rumbling from downstairs coming closer, then the door bursts open.
"Joey." It's Ashley, completely out of breath, and I don't know if I'm more surprised about her happy expression or that she still wears jacket, cap and shoes from the 'tough makeover' I gave her years ago. Her smile is getting wider, and she opens her arms to give me the best bearhug an 8-year- old girl can manage. "Oh Joey Joey Joey you're home!"
Outside the door, Flo and Bob exchange alarmed looks. That wasn't going according to plan.