Heartbreak Vacation

A Surprise on TV

Mr. Hankock closed his folder, turned off the computer and closed the blackboard. The class was dismissed. Dana started to collect pencil, college block and books as Julie strolled over. Her friend had been late to class - what else was new? - and was condemned to sit in the very back of the classroom.

"Dana, are you home tonight?"

"Sure. I have to finish the story I am due to hand in on Friday. Why?"

"Well," Dana's roommate said, "there is this new show on tonight. You know, the one they are filming here? The one I applied for? For being an extra?"

Dana remembered. How couldn't she. After last year's summer break – which she had spent in California with their parents – Julie had told her that she wanted to be an actress. She saw her chance after reading an ad in the local paper that called for extras for a show they were shooting here in Montana. She had been at the rehearsal, but unfortunately nothing came of it. Nevertheless, Julie was totally obsessed with the show, which would premier today, and still hoped that she would be called some day, in order to play a part. Julie's obsession probably had to do with the fact that a guy called Hermes Jones appeared in it. Julie adored this guy. Apparently, he was a well-known teenage-actor and had played in children's movies some years back. But Dana hadn't heard his name before.

At 8.p.m. they took a large bag of potato chips, and some beer, huddled on Julie's bed, and switched on the TV. The series was called Attempts to Tame the West. It was about the life of a woman who had moved from Chicago to the Frontier with her four kids, settled in a smallish, backward town, and had to face the problems of a single mother and antiquate thinking people. It was not something Dana prefered to watch. She did it because of Julie. After all, it was spending time with her friend – if only by watching some stupid show.

"You know what?" Julie asked while suffering through the commercials.

"What?" asked Dana.

"I think we should dress up and go over to Daisy Dukes' afterwards. I have to be at class at ten tomorrow and so do you as far as I know. We could have a sleep in."

Dana thought about it. She hadn't been out for weeks. A bit of partying and getting her mind off her papers would do her good.

"Good idea!", she agreed and got up to check her closet. She hadn't done any washing last week. Her inventory of clothes was quite slim.

"Come on!" Julie jelled. "It's starting!"

"I need to check if I have something to put on tonight," Dana replied.

"If you don't, you can have something from me", Julie offered and exclaimed as the trailer continued: "There he is!!" Dana rushed to see the sensational man, and only caught a glimpse of a longhaired cowboy.

"Mhh!" she said. She had not seen anything, really. She had to wait until this hot-as-hell-guy would reappear. She huddled herself next to Julie, popped the top of her beer.

During the break they started to put on makeup, and to get their clothes ready. When the show continued, they returned to sit on the bed. Ms. Wild – the show's heroine - was looking for a place to stay, but no-one wanted to rent out a room or house to her. But then the half-breed Garrett – half white, half Sioux – appeared, and everything changed. Not only in the show; for Dana as well, for Garrett aka Hermes Jones was Jonathan Lewis. She almost choked on the beer.

"Are you alright?" Julie asked.

"Yeah," Dana groaned. "Got something in the wrong tube!"

Julie resumed watching, and Dana felt her heart racing. She hadn't thought about John in months. After coming back from California, her head had been full with thoughts and questions. By now, John only occasionally entered her thoughts, and she always managed to push him away. She hadn't even told Julie about what had happened, and it seemed more like something she had dreamt about a long time ago.