I don't own Sailor Moon, nor did I create it. Naoko Takeuchi created Sailor Moon, this is just my alternate universe version, a sort of "If I created Sailor Moon" story...
Note: Any dialogue written like this is in a foreign language, the language, unless Japanese, will be specified.
ADDITIONAL NOTE: The character Jerry introduced in this chapter is a slightly fictionalized version of the author. I ain't never seen no laws saying I can't insert myself into my own fanfics.
CHAPTER 32: HOW I SPENT MY SUMMER VACATION #3
AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL
JULY 4, 1987
Usagi Tsukio woke up, took a quick shower, and got dressed. She put on a white tube top, blue denim miniskirt, and white leather sandals. She went downstairs, where Ikuko, her mom, was making herself a cup of coffee. Usagi was followed down by Luna, her cat. Morning mom, Usagi said. "Morning, Luna," she added, noticing the feline. "I don't suppose you want some breakfast."
"Meow Mix with a little cream," Luna said.
"It's that good, huh?" Usagi asked, as she put some Meow Mix in Luna's bowl, and added a bit of cream.
"Why do you think we cats ask for it by name?" Luna responded.
"I wouldn't know," Usagi said. "I mean, it doesn't smell all that appetizing, but than again, I'm not a cat. I know you sometimes think of me as one of your kittens, but I'm a human."
"I think of all of you as my kittens," Luna said.
Even Kenji, Shingo, and I? Ikuko asked.
Even Kenji, Shingo, and you, Luna said.
Since it's just the two of us, Ikuko said, what do you say we go out for breakfast this morning?
That sounds good, Usagi said. But where's dad and Shingo?
Shingo's sleeping over at his friend Cliff's house, Ikuko said. "They're going to Disneyland today.
Hope he likes the crowds, Usagi said. I remember what you said after you took me last year for the Fourth of July. Anyways, where's dad?
Pittsburgh, Ikuko said.
What's he doing there? Usagi asked.
Covering the Dodgers, Ikuko said. I know he doesn't normally cover baseball, but it was an emergency.
So where were you thinking of going for breakfast? Usagi asked.
Arthur's, Ikuko said.
Where's that? Usagi asked.
La Habra, Ikuko said. Right across the street from Meltebeke Volkswagen.
Meanwhile, at McDonald's, John McCoy and Molly Hogan met Mina Aino and Adam Park for breakfast, where they all had Sausage McMuffins with egg, hash browns, and orange juice. "Back in England," Mina said, "The fourth of July is just the day between July third and July fifth."
"Well, it's a big day here," Adam said.
"The anniversary of the Declaration of Independence," Molly said.
"I know some people thing the American Revolution was nothing more than a bunch of rich white guys who didn't want to pay their taxes," John said.
"But it was about a lot more than that," Molly said. "The colonists thought their rights were being infringed upon."
"There are people who thought the American Revolution began with the Declaration of Independence," Adam said. "It actually began with Lexington and Concord, and the Shot Heard 'Round the World."
"That's where it officially began," Molly said. "But there are those who think it really began with the Boston Tea Party."
"I never really understood that," Mina said. "I mean, was British tea really all that bad?"
"The Boston Tea Party really had nothing to do with tea," John said. "If you boil it down, it was nothing but a protest against how they were being treated by Parliament. Some people think it was a tax revolt, but the real reason was that the East India Company was pretty much given a monopoly by Parliament, which was equated with a tax. Anyways, the Royal Governor of the Massachusetts Colony refused to allow the ships to leave without paying the duty on the tea, and customs officials were authorized after a certain amount of time to confiscate the tea, and unload it onto Massachusetts soil. In protest, Colonists, some dressed as warriors of the Mohawk tribe, boarded the ships, and basically just chucked the tea overboard. When word got back to Parliament, they passed the Intolerable Acts, and later, the American Revolution. Finally, on July 4, 1776, Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence, and that's why we celebrate Independence Day on the Fourth of July."
"I don't recall learning any of that in school," Mina said.
"I don't imagine you learned much American history in school," Adam said.
"And I imagine if you had learned anything about the American Revolution," John said. "it was taught from the British point of view. I'd be willing to bet the only American history you learned in school directly involved Great Britain."
"Another thing," Molly said. "I remember hearing a saying once, History is written by the victors."
"And like I said," John said, "What you learned about the American Revolution or the War of 1812, for example, was written from the British point of view. That's how it is. And it's not just Great Britain, either. Whenever other countries teach about history, it's written from that country's point of view. I'll give you an example. Did you know that Ami was taught that the attack on Pearl Harbor took place on December 8, and not December 7?"
"Why would they teach her that?" Adam asked.
"She lived in Japan until this past October," John said. "Don't forget, Japan is on the opposite side of the International Date Line, so they're a day ahead of us. That's why she was taught Pearl Harbor happened on December 8."
"What about Usagi Tsukino's mom?" Adam asked. "Wouldn't she have been taught that?"
"She was born in Japan a couple years after the War ended, and emigrated to the United States when she was 6," Molly said. "So she would have been taught history from the American point of view."
"Anyways, Mina," Adam said, "you're going to experience your first American Fourth of July."
"So is it always this big a deal?" Mina asked.
"No," John said. "Back in 1976, it was much bigger."
"Why that year in particular?" Mina asked.
"It was the Bicentennial," Molly said.
"Everyone went apeshit crazy over the Bicentennial," Adam said. "And I don't blame them, I mean, the American Bicentennial only happens once. And when you consider that there weren't that many people alive for the Bicentennial who were alive for the Centennial, and there won't be that many people who were alive for the Bicentennial who'll still be alive for the Tricentennial in 2076, the Bicentennial was a pretty big deal. Anyone remember the Freedom Train?"
"I do," John said. "I went to it, at Anaheim Stadium."
"Me too," Adam said.
"I saw it in New York," Molly said. "At Belmont Park Racetrack."
"I never even heard of the Freedom Train," Mina said. "Of course, we didn't have anything like that in England."
"It was amazing," Molly said.
"It was a traveling museum of American History," John said.
"I saw Buzz Aldrin there," Adam said.
Meanwhile, back at Arthur's, Usagi and her mother entered. "Ikuko Maeda?" a man who appeared to be the head of a party of 7, said. "I don't know if you remember me. We went to high school together, Valencia High, Class of 1965."
"I think I remember you," Ikuko said. "Tom something, I think."
"Tom Husted," he said.
"I remember having a few classes with you," Ikuko said. "I haven't seen you since graduation, how have you been?"
"Not too bad," Tom said. "Not long after graduation, I decided I didn't want to wait around for my draft notice, so I enlisted in the Army, and volunteered for a tour in Vietnam. I got a medal for repairing downed communication lines under enemy fire, and when I got out, I got a job with the phone company. Anyways, this is my wife Carolyn, my son James, my daughter Jennie, my sister Sharon, my nephew Jerry, and my niece Debra. So what have you been up to?"
"First of all," Ikuko said, "it's Ikuko Tsukino now. I got married a couple years after graduation. This is my daughter Usagi, Kenji and I adopted her, and we also have a son named Shingo."
"You go to El Dorado, don't you?" Jerry asked Usagi.
"I thought you looked familiar," Usagi said. "Didn't we have a couple classes together?"
"I know we had history together," Jerry said. "With the Brewster twins."
"You had twins for teachers?" Sharon asked.
"I think I may have mentioned this before," Jerry said, "but they're Siamese twins, joined by a band of flesh at mid torso."
"That would explain why you had two teachers for one class," Debra said.
"Actually, I think it would have been better if they had been joined back to back," Jerry said. "That way, while one is writing on the blackboard, her sister is keeping an eye on the class. Being Siamese twins joined at the back with someone is the next best thing to having eyes in the back of your head."
"I never thought of it that way," Usagi said.
"How many in your party?" the hostess asked Tom.
Tom counted everyone in his party. "You two want to join us?" Tom asked.
"Okay," Ikuko said.
"That will be nine," Tom said.
"It'll be a few minutes," the hostess said.
"I never knew your mom knew my uncle," Jerry said.
"Placentia's not that big of a town," Usagi said.
A few minutes later, they were seated at a large table in the back room. Usagi decided to sit next to Jerry. When they ordered, Usagi got Polish sausage and eggs, with breakfast potatoes, and white toast, with coffee and orange juice, while Jerry got chicken fried steak and eggs, with breakfast potatoes well done, biscuits and gravy, coffee, and orange juice. "You seem kind of nervous all of a sudden," Usagi said.
"I have a little confession," Jerry said. "I've kind of had a little crush on you since I first started at Tuffree. I just realized this is like the first time I've actually talked to you."
"Why is that?" Usagi asked.
"I'm kind of nervous around you," Jerry said. "I'm afraid of what would happen if you weren't interested in me. Besides, don't you have a boyfriend?"
"You mean Mamoru Chiba?" Usagi asked. "We went on a few dates, but we ultimately didn't click. Tell you what. You have a car."
"Uh, no," Jerry said. "I have a motorcycle."
"Ooh, a motorcycle," Usagi said. "What kind do you have?"
"A 1975 Harley-Davidson SS-350," Jerry said. "A lot of people find it hard to believe it's a Harley-Davidson, it looks like a Yamaha or a Honda. But it's a good bike. Gets me where I want to go, and it's fun to ride."
"Wanna hang out after breakfast?" Usagi asked.
"Sure," Jerry said.
After breakfast, Usagi and Jerry went to Jerry's motorcycle. "So what do you want to do?" Jerry asked.
"Maybe find a place to take a little walk, talk for a bit," Usagi said.
"I know just the place," Jerry said, as he and Usagi got on the back of his Harley. They rode up Harbor Boulevard to Whittier Boulevard, and turned right just past Don Steves Chevrolet, at the McDonald's. They drove up the street, over by Arbolita Elementary School, there was a paved walking path. "I used to come up here with my mom sometimes," Jerry said. "I rarely ever see anyone else here."
"This is fine," Usagi said, as they started walking along the path. "So what's on your mind?" she asked.
"I was just thinking how I can't believe you're here with me," Jerry said.
"Believe it," Usagi said, taking his hand in hers. "I don't know why you think I'm this unapproachable person. Most people who know me say I'm one of the kindest people they ever met, they say I have a big heart."
"I know," Jerry said. "I don't know why I never talked to you before today, except I was too chicken to say anything. Either that, or I didn't know what to say to you."
"You could have started with hi," Usagi said.
"True," Jerry said. "To be honest, the first thing I could think of to ask you was what bands you like."
"Ooh, a "get to know you" question," Usagi said. "Anyways, I like David Bowie, the Cure, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Duran Duran, Howard Jones, Pet Shop Boys, stuff like that. How about you?"
"Mostly rock and metal," Jerry said. "KISS, Judas Priest, Beastie Boys, Van Halen, Mötley Crüe, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, John Mellencamp, stuff like that, although I like classics, like the Beatles, the Who, the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Motown, stuff like that. But I do have a confession to make. I like bands like the Pet Shop Boys, Duran Duran, the Cars, stuff like that. "
The two of them walked for a few minutes, not saying anything. "You've been quiet," Usagi said. "Too nervous to talk?"
"Not really," Jerry said. "I've actually been composing a poem about you in my head."
"Ooh," Usagi said. "A poet. Let's hear it."
"I have to warn you," Jerry said, "it's a little corny."
"I like corn," Usagi said. "And no matter how corny it gets, I would be impressed if you managed to make something rhyme with Tsukino."
"Ok, here goes," Jerry said. "I call this one What I Like About Usagi Tsukino. I love your chin, I love your nose, I love the polish on your toes. I love your hair, I love your face, I love your charm and love your grace. I love your eyes, I love your legs, I want to make you scrambled eggs. I love your polished fingertips, I'm just not sure about your lips."
"I like it," Usagi said. You're right, it does sound a little corny. But at the same time, it came from your heart. But the only problem I have is that last line."
"I'm not sure yet if I love your lips," Jerry said.
Usagi took his head in her hands, and drew him to her. She then kissed him. "What do you think about my lips now?"
"Still not 100% sure," Jerry said. "Maybe one more kiss will do it." He took her head in his hands, drew her in, and kissed her. "Oh yes," he said. "I definitely love your lips."
"Here's more of them to love," Usagi said, giving Jerry a kiss.
"I changed my mind," Jerry said.
"What do you mean?" Usagi said.
"I don't just love your lips," Jerry said. "I love all of you. I love you."
"And I think I love you," Usagi said.
The two of them then went back to Jerry's mom's house. On the way back, they stopped for gas, at the gas station on the corner of La Habra and Harbor, right by Jerry's mom's house. At the gas station, they ran into Ikuko, who had also stopped to get gas. "We need to go home for a bit," Ikuko said, "but we're coming back tonight. Tom invited us to the Angels game tonight, all of us, you, me, and Shingo."
"Who are they playing?" Usagi asked.
"Milwaukee," Ikuko said.
"Brewers," Jerry said.
"We'll see you later tonight," Ikuko said. "We're going to meet you at the game."
"I definitely will see you again," Usagi said. "Until tonight," she added, kissing Jerry on the lips.
"I'll see you," Jerry said. "Want me to pump your gas?" he asked Ikuko.
"If you don't mind," Ikuko said.
Jerry pulled his motorcycle out from in front of the tank he was at, and parked it in front of Ikuko's car. He then got his change for his gas while Ikuko paid for her gas. As she paid, Jerry pumped her gas for her, put her gas cap back on, and rode back home. When he got home, he was floating on air, something that didn't go unnoticed. "Someone's in love," James said, when he saw Jerry.
"Of course I'm in love," Jerry said. "I've had a crush on Usagi since I first laid eyes on her.
Later on, everyone met up in the parking lot at Anaheim Stadium for the game. They got there early, to get autographs. Jerry had a ball he had been using for the past year to collect autographs, one that was given to him at a game the previous season by Dan Plesac, a pitcher for the Brewers. Shingo got a few autographs, as did James. Debra and Jennie also got a few autographs, as well. Jerry and Usagi even got a couple, Usagi had a ball, and got a few autographs, while Jerry was a little more selective, as he had several autographs on his ball. While Usagi got more autographs, Jerry was a bit more selective, as he already had several players autographs. However, Jerry did get Don Sutton, Brian Downing, and Wally Joyner from the Angels, as well as Robin Yount, Paul Molitor, Cecil Cooper, and manager Tom Trebelhorn of the Brewers.
Unfortunately for the Angels, they lost the game 2-1. However, since it was the Fourth of July, they had fireworks after the game. It was a good show, Usagi sat next to Jerry, and held his hand during the fireworks. After the fireworks, as they were leaving the stadium, Usagi got a slip of paper, on which she wrote her phone number, giving it to Jerry. "Call me", she said.
"I will," Jerry said, putting the slip of paper with her number in his wallet. "I'll call you tomorrow. I don't work, maybe we can go grab lunch somewhere."
"I'd like that," Usagi said. "Anyways," she said, giving him one last kiss, "good night."
"Good night," Jerry said.
À SUIVRE...
