Author's note: My apologies if I sounded like your history teacher. Come on, look at the brightside, at least you get to learn something new :) And... oh yeah, this chapter contains some spoilers for the movie Saving Private Ryan. So, if you haven't watch it yet, I suggest you to do so.
Legal junk: I don't own Hey Arnold, but Nickelodeon does and Mr. Craig Bartlett created it. But this fic belongs to me. Clear? Good.
Chapter 6: The Continuation.
On the next day - nighttime…
"Dad, if I may ask; why are you letting me watch this movie?" Arnold inquired to his father, who was watching Saving Private Ryan with him.
"Well, I saw your assignment paper lying around the kitchen yesterday and I thought this movie would be a great help. 'Sides, I think you're old enough to handle this kind of movie."
"So there's where I put it…"
"But the movie is rated R." Arnold argued.
"You sound as if you never saw an R-rated movie before. C'mon Arnold, be honest with me. You have watched an R-rated movie before, haven't you?"
"Okay…" he nodded in defeat at Miles question, "I watched the Friday the 13th movies when I was eight." Arnold said, which Miles replied with an "m-hmm…"
"And, when I was ten, I watched The Exorcist." Arnold continued, which made Miles' eyes wide in shock. "And there's that time I watched Alien…"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa… The Exorcist?" Miles said in disbelief as he looked at his son incredulously. "And it didn't screw your brain? Who the heck gave you the permission to watch that movie anyway?"
"Well… nobody, actually. Gerald's brother dared us to watch that movie at night with the lights off. So, being two stupid kids we were back then, Gerald took the videotape from his dad's stash and we watched it together. Heh, we didn't sleep that night, and Jamie-O got grounded after that." Arnold chuckled at the memories.
"I guess that served all three of you right." Miles said with a snicker, and he watched the screen again. "Aw man, I love this movie. It has guns, explosives, bloodshed, limbs flying and most importantly, it's educational. It's a perfect father-son bonding movie!" he exclaimed.
"Dad, I think this movie wants us to respect the thousands of men that died that day, and to portray how brave these soldiers were."
"Okay, if you want a constructive and intelligent view about it. Plot wise, it's good, although it used the same recycled theme: a guy is lost somewhere in the haystack and they sent some other guys to find him. It has great character development and excellent acting, especially Tom Sizemore. The direction and cinematography deserves praise as well. Although it's not entirely historically accurate, but the sense of authenticity is there."
"Dad… you're droning. Let's just all be quiet and - try to enjoy the movie." Arnold said with a smile.
"Oh, okay. Sure, fine." Miles said back, but they never did kept quiet. If they were at the theatres, the ushers would've kicked them out from the building by now. Throughout the movie, they sometimes made comments on the one of the many interesting scenes in the movie, criticize some of the actors' acting and poked fun at the continuity. In the end, they thoroughly enjoyed the movie and they both agree that the movie was one of the best modern war movies yet.
"Arnold, could you please take the DVD out and put it on the table? I need to return it to the boarding house tomorrow."
"The boarding house? I thought you just bought it," he said as he ejected the tray.
"Actually this DVD belongs to grandpa."
"Since when does grandpa know how to play DVDs?"
"He doesn't. Remember two years ago on his birthday, I bought a DVD player for him?"
Arnold nodded. Miles continued, "He thought it was a newer version of the record player. So I explained to him, gave him the instruction manual and even bought this movie for him to test it out, but he still doesn't know how to use it. So the darn thing is a permanent staple of his living room, but seems like only the boarders are happy with it."
"Why did you pick Saving Private Ryan?" he asked as he put the DVD on the table.
"I thought he might appreciate modern realistic war movies, since he used with watching the old ones like his favorite, The Bridge on the River Kwai."
"I think it's a bad idea, dad." Arnold thought, as he remembered the D-Day letter that grandpa wrote to grandma. "Well, thanks for the history lessons, dad. Now I need to go back to my room and continue my research."
"You do that. And now, I want to enjoy the NHL." Miles said as he changed the channels. "Presidential debate?! They rescheduled the most important game of the season for this?! ARRRGGHH!!" he exploded disappointedly with his hands clenching.
As Arnold walked up past his parents' bedroom; he could hear her mother still on the phone.
"No, I don't think they should go out with each other. She should've dump him and go with her ex. They used to be so cute together." His mother said to someone through the phone.
"Must be an office gossip or something," Arnold muttered. "And a new record too. Three hours non-stop." Eventually, he arrived in his room, and closed the door behind him.
"Now where are the letters?" he said as he scanned the room. "Oh, there they are." They were on the study table. Although he had been flipping through the letters numerous times since yesterday, he still thought that the information he obtained was not enough. He took a seat and starts to read.
July 4th 1944,
Dearest Gertrude,
I am fine. At least I think I am fine. I got shot in the butt, on my right leg and on my shoulder. But the worst one is at my shoulder; a bullet hit it, tore the flesh out, pierced through it and hit a guy behind me straight in the chest. I try not to think about that day again, since it really gives me nightmares. I am now in some city hall where they converted it into a temporary hospital. My wounds are healing just fine, and I'm expected to rejoin the frontlines again in the next couple of weeks. I just hope that the next time around, I'll be more careful.
But thankfully, I can walk now, and my usual place to go around is at the theatre hall. Well, it's not a theatre hall per se; it used to be a meeting room that they converted it into a theatre. Almost everyone who's able to walk gather around here to watch movies that they brought from Hollywood. And each and every time, they either show a Clark Gable movie, or a Charlie Chaplin movie. Don't get me wrong, I love their movies, is just that I feel I rather want Bob Hope to entertain me at this time of the day. And I think I can't eat raspberry pies anymore - maybe forever, because the last five I had gave me the worst diarrhea I've ever had.
"Hmm, grandpa's reaction might be reflecting of other soldier's feelings post D-Day… so that's where his stomach got the raspberry rejection."
Your last letter at first came to me as shock. I didn't know what to say. After all these years, you really do like me, and I being the foolish oblivious person I am, didn't even noticed it! How could I be so inconsiderate to your feelings? I apologize, whether intentionally or not, for any pain, suffering and torment I may have put you through. Your mail sure came fast; it's either the Postal Service is darn efficient nowadays or you just follow your feelings to write one before mine reaches your hands.
As I lie on this little piece of bed in this dingy, morbid looking place, I try to reminisce and search my memories about you, and they are the sweetest thing that I can think of. Really, just by thinking of it I feel like it really makes my wounds heal faster. Hey, I know the years past that you never actually wanted to get along with me well, but when I think about all the things we've been through, I laugh. All your scorns, scowls and hatred actually are my sweet and fond memories.
Your last letter changed my perception of you forever. All the years before, I could only speculate and guess about your real personality, but after that there is no denial about it. You are the most loveable, sweetest and the most caring person that I've ever met. I just hope that I will make it out alive from this war and hopefully I will see you again… my love.
"And finally grandpa acknowledges grandma's love. Aww, how sweet…" Arnold said with a smile.
P/S: Happy Fourth of July!
Love,
Phil.
"Now where did I put the reply to this letter?" Arnold wondered, as he searched the table for the letter. It wasn't on it, so he went beneath the table and search for it, and finally he found it, stuck in between two cables. He grabbed it, sat back again leaning slouchy with his two legs on the table.
July 27th 1944,
My sweetheart Phil,
Thank goodness, I am so relieved that you are alive! When it first came to my hands I actually ran to Marie's house and showed to her your letter! She was too relieved to hear the news of course, but she thought I was crazy because she had always thought I don't care much about you, let alone write letters to you. So I think the cat is out of the bag now, and I feel it is useless and futile to deny it anymore. I am in love with you, Phil. And when I received the letter that you sent a day before the Normandy Invasion, I was euphorically blissful to read that you actually like me from the beginning. I was also worried when you said that you're not going to make it, so in hoping for your safe return, I pray everyday so that you'll make it out alive. I guess my prayers have been answered, thankfully.
"And I am thankful for that too, grandma," Arnold said, as if he was there with his grandmother.
I am in dismay and disheartened to hear that you are wounded, Phil. I hope that the wounds are not as bad as I think it is and you will recover soon. But I believe by the time this letter reaches your hands, you're up and ready and healthy as a horse. I too also hope that this war will end soon, because I am so eager to see you again. I can't wait to see you again, my dearest Phil.
I know entertainment is scarce there, so I thought I should tell you some stories that happened to me and to our friends to cheer you up. Remember the baseball match that I told you earlier? We won! Thanks to Diane, our team is going to the finals at Atlantic City. I don't want to follow them of course, as I have a job to do and an ailing mother to care of. Yesterday, Cindy actually got the 'privileges' to do the job that most of us at the shipyards dread , becoming the engine welder. I know you are going to be disappointed and all, but when I saw her covered in oil and grease from top to bottom, I laughed my head off. I know I've made peace with her, but what's wrong with old time's sake, huh?
I don't know whether your family has told you this, but your sister Mitzy came back home after nearly a year of disappointment living in New York. I met her at the diner, feeling forlorn and dejected. I asked her about her welfare, and I actually asked her about you. She said she was too embarrassed to return home to her family, and she didn't know anything about your whereabouts. So I told her almost everything what you've told me in your letters. Don't tell her that I'm telling this, she was actually proud of you. You were right all along about her, do so you wanna rub it in her face?
I am increasingly getting worried about my mother; the doctor said she is going to be fine, but I think otherwise. What's worse, she is becoming very weak and it is hard for me to take care of her and go to work at the same time. What's even more worse, my father is nowhere near here to help. I've called him and even wrote letters to him, but he didn't even respond. Can he be more neglectful than he is now?
"Man… that's terrible…"
My brother's last letter said he may come back home seeing that the military deemed him too physically unfit to rejoin the war, because he was heavily wounded from a battle he was engaging in. It's great to hear that he's coming back, if I might say so myself, and mother is happy to hear it too.
Well, that ends my letter, Phil. I hope that this letter brings comfort and ease your pain a little bit. Reply back to me as soon as possible, my dearest.
P/S: I let Mitzy stay in my house for the time being. And as of now, she is contemplating whether she should work at the shipyards or not.
Love,
Gertrude.
And Arnold smiled as he read the last paragraph. "Grandma sure had a change of heart."
And Chapter Six ends. Chapter Seven will be up when I'm done and satisfied with it. Any mistakes please point it out in the review.