7:35 AM on an autumn day in 1983. A yellow school bus pulls up to the
side of Westmoreland High School. The bus door opens. A junior with frizzy
red hair steps onto the sidewalk. The girl, named Grace, is currently in a
bad mood because her mother was up late rehearsing for the starring role in
the musical Oboist in the Window. Her face- and mood- brightens up when she
sees her best friend, Will. She waves to him, and he motions her over. He
is with his friend, Jack, and they appear to be in deep conversation.
"Will, the nerve of that guy!" Jack exclaimed.
"Well, he does have a point, Jack," Will replied. "I mean, look at all the detentions you managed to get. Not only is it just October, you're also just a freshman. What did you do that was so bad, one may ask? You were having one of your bathroom escapades with the foreign exchange student from the Soviet Union!"
"Hey, for your information, Vlad started it. He just couldn't say anything because he couldn't speak English very ell- Oh, hi, Grace," Jack said.
"Hey, Jack, Will," Grace greeted. "What's all this about?"
"Well, my idiot of a-" Jack exclaimed, but Will stopped him. "Grace, Jack has gotten so many detentions, his guidance counselor is urging him to make use of the time he would have normally spent cavorting with- with- what was his name?"
"Vlad," Jack replied.
"Yes, Vlad," Will said. "So Jack and I were thinking of things that he could do to make himself more appealing in the eyes of colleges. Will gently nudged Jack.
Very gloomily, Jack said, "Will thinks I should do mock trial."
"Shouldn't he?" Will said. "Mock trial is a fun activity. It's educational, enriching, all of that fun stuff."
"I- uh." Grace pulled Will aside. "You honestly think mock trial is a good idea? For Jack McFarland?!"
"Hey, it was either that or sports," Will retorted. "And you know of Jack's fascination with jockstraps."
"Point taken," Grace said. "Oh, look! There's Karen!"
Sure enough, a raven-haired girl stumbled over to where Jack was. A tall, good-looking, varsity-jacket wearing guy was perched on her arm. Will and Grace walked over.
Karen said, "This is my new boyfriend, Hancock. His dad owns Caddy's."
"Caddy's? Jack said. Clearly, he was falling in love with Hancock.
"Yeah! You know, the lingerie chain?" Karen replied, her breath smelling faintly of vodka.
"Hey listen, Karen. I gotta go" Karen and Hancock kissed, then he left.
"So, what's up," Karen asked.
"Will wants me to join mock trial," Jack said.
"And you know what?" Grace said. "Will's right. It's a really good idea. Besides, you may meet some guy. Take Will. He met David there, and they went out. I mean, sure, they got into an argument a few weeks later about Reaganomics- and Will's cleanliness was a bit much- but still."
"That is such a coincidence," Karen remarked. "Because Hancock- the guy who was just here- he's in mock trial too."
"I knew he looked familiar!" Will exclaimed. "Didn't he lose every competition?" Karen gave him a nasty look.
Jack then knew his purpose. In his loud voice, he said, " All right. Mock trial, here I come!
"Will, the nerve of that guy!" Jack exclaimed.
"Well, he does have a point, Jack," Will replied. "I mean, look at all the detentions you managed to get. Not only is it just October, you're also just a freshman. What did you do that was so bad, one may ask? You were having one of your bathroom escapades with the foreign exchange student from the Soviet Union!"
"Hey, for your information, Vlad started it. He just couldn't say anything because he couldn't speak English very ell- Oh, hi, Grace," Jack said.
"Hey, Jack, Will," Grace greeted. "What's all this about?"
"Well, my idiot of a-" Jack exclaimed, but Will stopped him. "Grace, Jack has gotten so many detentions, his guidance counselor is urging him to make use of the time he would have normally spent cavorting with- with- what was his name?"
"Vlad," Jack replied.
"Yes, Vlad," Will said. "So Jack and I were thinking of things that he could do to make himself more appealing in the eyes of colleges. Will gently nudged Jack.
Very gloomily, Jack said, "Will thinks I should do mock trial."
"Shouldn't he?" Will said. "Mock trial is a fun activity. It's educational, enriching, all of that fun stuff."
"I- uh." Grace pulled Will aside. "You honestly think mock trial is a good idea? For Jack McFarland?!"
"Hey, it was either that or sports," Will retorted. "And you know of Jack's fascination with jockstraps."
"Point taken," Grace said. "Oh, look! There's Karen!"
Sure enough, a raven-haired girl stumbled over to where Jack was. A tall, good-looking, varsity-jacket wearing guy was perched on her arm. Will and Grace walked over.
Karen said, "This is my new boyfriend, Hancock. His dad owns Caddy's."
"Caddy's? Jack said. Clearly, he was falling in love with Hancock.
"Yeah! You know, the lingerie chain?" Karen replied, her breath smelling faintly of vodka.
"Hey listen, Karen. I gotta go" Karen and Hancock kissed, then he left.
"So, what's up," Karen asked.
"Will wants me to join mock trial," Jack said.
"And you know what?" Grace said. "Will's right. It's a really good idea. Besides, you may meet some guy. Take Will. He met David there, and they went out. I mean, sure, they got into an argument a few weeks later about Reaganomics- and Will's cleanliness was a bit much- but still."
"That is such a coincidence," Karen remarked. "Because Hancock- the guy who was just here- he's in mock trial too."
"I knew he looked familiar!" Will exclaimed. "Didn't he lose every competition?" Karen gave him a nasty look.
Jack then knew his purpose. In his loud voice, he said, " All right. Mock trial, here I come!