I Can't Go Back on a Deal

Reading: Turnabout Confusion

Right now, work is very busy. Lots of stuff to be done before the end of the month, but I've reached a point where I require some assistance from other people. While I'm hurrying up and waiting, I'll add a blog entry. There! Done for another 24 hours!

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And now, the beginnings of "Turnabout Confusion":

The story begins with Daria and Quinn having one of their usual arguments, which turns into an argument about how easy the other has it in life. Daria claims that all Quinn ever does is suck up to Sandi, and play people against each other. Quinn claims that all Daria ever does is hang around with her single friend, read, and not do anything.

Daria bets Quinn that Quinn couldn't live Daria's life. Quinn is eager for both of them to swap lives so that Quinn can prove her point. Daria has second thoughts about Quinn's eagerness, but is stuck with making the deal -- if Daria were to decline, Quinn would never let her hear the end of it.

Things change rapidly at Lawndale High. Quinn is put on "permanent fashion sabbatical" by Sandi. The cheerleaders begins scheming to overtake the Fashion Club in popularity. The Three Js are devastated.

Daria has to deal with unwanted attention. Her new clothes show off her, uh, upper assets and not only does she find her range of movement restricted -- you don't reach for high objects when wearing a midriff-baring shirt -- but finds herself fending off the advances of both Upchuck and Kevin Thompson, who is now quite willing to go out with Daria now that she's "hot".

Quinn has bigger problems. None of her former Fashion Club friends are talking to her and no one else at LHS is talking to her either. At her locker, she overhears the voices of the cheerleaders. The cheerleaders are making plans to get Daria on the cheerleading squad, but even if the plan fails, having Daria end up anywhere but the Fashion Club will be a big boost for the cheerleaders -- without Quinn as an moderating influence, Sandi Griffin is sure to alienate everyone. Quinn is devastated by the cheerleaders' speculation that the prospect of Quinn returning to her Fashion Club duties is no threat, because if Daria remains "hot" for much longer, Quinn will be unable to return to her status as the Most Popular of Popular.

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Some rather disjointed comments.

1. It seems that there is a large segment missing from the story -- namely, the circumstances by which Quinn was put on "permanent fashion sabbatical". Undoubtedly, this is one of Sandi's power plays to expel Quinn from the Fashion Club. Quinn was ordered to take a sabbatical in "Quinn the Brain" when she started dressing in all-black; it seems that Sandi has decided to make Quinn's vacation a permanent one.

2. Given the above, I don't see why Quinn wouldn't go running back to the Fashion Club on bended knee. It does seem that Daria has the better of the deal. We'll hopefully learn more in future installments.

3. A great line from when Daria gives the reasons why she's turning down Kevin's request for a date. "One: I swapped you for a rat in sophomore year, and I can't go back on a deal."

4. The use of "Dawn" as a cheerleader's name -- I'm assuming that Dawn is a cheerleader; it hasn't been stated explicitly -- is very confusing. Dawn is the name of the silent and very heavy-set girl who wears headphones.

Anyway, an amusing start, even with the quibbles above. Looking forward to more.