First mate's log:
January 29, 1974
Wow, Jan is doing a lot better than she was a few weeks ago! She still doesn't have a job, but she's enjoying her art classes and she got nominated for Miss Popularity. I'll admit I was surprised when Alice told us yesterday, after we got back. Not that Jan is unpopular, but she's a lot more insecure than Marcia. I'm rooting for her of course, but I hope she won't be too upset if she doesn't win.
The election's on Friday, for the Most Popular Boy, too. Yeah, they don't give the kids much time to campaign, especially compared to something like Class President. But maybe something like popularity is easier to decide.
Carol Brady's diary:
January 30, 1974
Jan was nominated for Most Popular Girl in her grade! I know, that sounds a bit shallow compared to something like President of her class, but I don't think it's just about popularity. Or rather, popularity doesn't have to be based on shallow things. If they could choose an intelligent, sensitive, creative girl like Jan, who's also very pretty of course, then I have higher respect for her peers.
Another, very different surprise is that Mike wants to take me on a romantic trip next weekend! Yes, that combination of spontaneity and practicality that I love about him, even when it frustrates me. He doesn't want to go the weekend after that, because it'll be impossible to book anything so close to Valentine's Day.
Obviously, we don't have much time to decide and then book, but we're going to try. And we don't want to just go to Blenford, like the Skipper and Joyce, and Gilligan and Mary Ann, went to for the elopement. We want to really get away, as we seldom get to do on our own. (His high school reunion was somewhat of an exception.)
January 31, 1974
Peter told me that he's managing Jan's campaign for Most Popular Girl. She needed someone who's also a student at the junior high, and he's in the grade above.
"I was going to help her rival, Kathy Williams, who's beautiful, brainy, and built. Kathy said she'll go with me to the Early Valentine's Dance on the 8th, where the Most Popular Boy and Girl will be crowned. But Jan convinced me that blood is thicker than water."
"Um, you're not related to Jan by blood. She's your step-sister."
"Gilligan, it's just an expression. Besides, Jan agreed to loan me and Bobby money. Bobby will be my assistant, even though he won't start junior high until the Fall."
"Oh, OK." That sounded more believable.
"The girls are helping Jan with posters and stuff, like when Marcia ran for Study Body President, but I don't know what she offered them."
"What's Greg doing for her?'
"Nothing, he's too busy."
I guess Jan is taking this all pretty seriously, which at least shows she's not giving up like she did with dancing and acting. Again, I just hope she doesn't take it too hard if she loses to Kathy.
February 1, 1974
The Most Popular election is today. Yes, it was a very short "campaign season." Peter was nice enough to manage Jan's campaign, and most of our other kids pitched in, even though they don't go to the junior high. (Greg was too busy this week, but he wished her luck of course.) Oh, and Alice made fortune cookies with a cute slogan inside.
I'm afraid I've been too distracted to do more than help Jan pick out cute outfits to wear to school. Mike and I have been discussing our vacation options, and we finally decided on the beach. I know, that probably seems a bit silly, considering we've been spending most of the past decade living on a small island, and we traveled to Hawaii with the family a year and a half ago. But we're going to a different South Pacific island, an hour from Blenford by helicopter. The resort we'll be staying at caters to couples rather than families. We love the children dearly, but this will be a nice change, and good for our marriage. And it's only for three days after all.
February 2, 1974
Jan won! Peter is proud of her, although Kathy's kind of mad at him. They're still planning to go to the dance together on Friday though. And once Jan loans him $5, he can buy a transistor radio. He has to act fast, because the sale will be over in a week. (Yeah, of course he has his busboy salary from the Pizza Parlor, but it's hard for him to save up, especially since he'll need a corsage for Kathy.)
No, I don't know what Bobby will get with the $3 Jan promised him.
February 3, 1974
Good news and bad news. The good news is that Jan was indeed voted Most Popular Girl. (Billy Garst is the Most Popular Boy.) It's nice to see her gaining confidence and coming into her own.
The bad news is that the beach resort was completely booked. So we've changed our plans to going skiing in Colorado. (Obviously, there's no snow anywhere nearby.)
I bought a really cute bikini, because I'm proud of my figure and I knew Mike would appreciate it. I can't bring myself to return it, especially since I'll probably have other opportunities to wear it, although probably not in front of the children, since it would embarrass them. Anyway, now I'll try to find a cute ski outfit on Blenford, although that won't be as easy.
February 4, 1974
Peter told me that Jan isn't keeping any of her campaign promises. Not just the ones she made to him and Bobby but the ones she made to all the voters. I know that there are crooked politicians out there (the Skipper and I have agreed not to discuss Nixon), but I never thought Jan would be one of them. I don't think she's a bad person, but she actually told Peter that no one believes campaign promises.
And it's not just things she promised to do herself. She promised her classmate Herman that Greg would help him with algebra. Greg didn't even know about it until Herman called him. So Greg is at least as mad at Jan as everybody else is.
February 5, 1974
The ski lodge was over-booked, so they cancelled our reservation. (Yes, I bought a ski outfit for nothing, and I have no idea when or where I can wear it.) So Mike and I decided to go to a dude ranch in Arizona. Unfortunately, we belatedly found out that the dance where Jan and Billy will give their acceptance speeches as Most Popular will be on Friday the 8th! I'm sure she never mentioned the exact date, or that we're expected to be there as her parents to hear her speech.
Of course we have to go, as we went when she "won" the essay contest but then admitted that she actually lost to Nora Coombs. The thing is, Jan, after giving into temptation, redeemed herself then. This time, well, it's another case where one of my children has gotten a swollen head from too much flattery.
She practiced her acceptance speech on me and Mike, and, well, it was just awful. Instead of graciously thanking the people who voted for her, she talked about how wonderful they must think she is. We tried to discourage her from giving that speech, but she didn't understand what was wrong about it.
So, yes, Mike and I made all these romantic getaway plans and it ends in us having to stick around to go hear a speech we don't want to hear. Maybe we just should've picked Valentine's Weekend to begin with.
February 6, 1974
Peter is even madder at Jan than he was before. Not only isn't she keeping any promises, to classmates or family, but Kathy Williams is now going to the dance with Billy Garst, the Most Popular Boy. It's "traditional" for the Most Popular Boy to take the Most Popular Girl to the dance. (I don't know how traditional it could be when these titles didn't even exist when Greg and Marcia were in junior high. But I guess that's how it works at other schools.)
Billy doesn't want to go with Jan because of how she's been acting. And Kathy doesn't want to go with the brother of "a super creep," as Peter called Jan not only to me but apparently to her face. I don't know what I can do to fix this mess, but me talking to Jan probably wouldn't help. Mostly I just try to listen to Peter, who I see all the time at work of course.
February 7, 1974
My goodness, now Jan isn't even going to the dance! Billy Garst doesn't want to take her as his date, like she was expecting, and she feels like everyone is mad at her. So Mike and I have truly had to cancel our weekend getaway plans for nothing. At this point, it's too late to even book a nice motel on Blenford.
February 8, 1974
Peter can't work this evening, even though Fridays are one of our busiest. He's taking Jan to the dance, since neither of them has a real date. Yeah, he's forgiven her. She read her acceptance speech to her whole family, and she said she appreciates everyone's support and she'll fulfill all her promises, even if it takes her a lifetime. Hopefully, her classmates will forgive her, too. Unless these are more empty promises.
February 9, 1974
Well, Jan realized how she had changed for the worse, and she's doing her best to make amends. So Mike and I were actually proud to hear her speech, both at the dinner table and at the dance. Yes, she went, with Peter as her "date." And, yes, Mike and I danced a little, not the modern dances, but the occasional slow dances.
I figured that that was the most romantic date we'd have for awhile. Mike has promised he'll take me somewhere, but he doesn't know where or when. Then this morning, Alice brought us breakfast in bed, and a "Do Not Disturb" sign that the children made! It's not the same as a true getaway, but it was sweet of them all.