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New Page #25!
January 29th & 30th, receive FREE SHIPPING! on anything from The Dreamer Tee Shirt Store!
Just use the promo code: FREELOVE
*VOTE to preview the next page!*
Oh Lora, you’re doing the same thing you did to us with Alan’s letter….I cried so hard. Now its hitting me even harder. It’s really happening…..Nathan :(
(it doesnt help that I’m currently listening to Epilogue in the Les Mis soundtrack)
I’ve been listening to the exact same thing!!!!! Ok, where are the cameos for you, me and Caera while singing this???
Haha! I know–Lora totally needs to draw the three of us singing woefully at the end of this issue over the fallen body of our dear Nathan.
Whoa, does it gt any more dramatic than that statement?
Gah! You always update early on the days I can’t get to the computer early. :P
I’m not ready for Nathan to goooo!!!!!!!!!!!!! Nooooo!!!!!!! :(
Well, there goes my plans for studing tonight….I’m just going to crawl under my blanket and cuddle with my Nathan pillowcase…
Man….it feels so drawn out, and yet it’s still happening much too soon.
INCENTIVE CAPTION!!!
Within seconds, Bea’s attempt to perfect the 270 degree sideways cartwheel had been foiled.
Nathan just can’t die and that’s the end of that. I’ve made up your mind for you Lora, DEUS EX MACHINA time!!!!
The full weight of history cannot withstand the sobbing of fangirls. Let’s change it, shall we?
No problem with changing it
Change is good. Change is healthy.
It is for Nathan.
You know, I was okay with this (seeing as how I knew it was coming and all. Didn’t like it, but like Nathan knew there was no point fighting it. ) until I did a dumb thing last week.
I realized I didn’t really know what our boy Nathan looked like. Having The Google in front of me, I decided to look him up to see how closely he resembled this portrayal of him.
Near as I can tell, he more or less looks like my friend Aaron. This is not a good thing. Aaron is the about the same age. He’s sweet, loyal, naive, brave (or crazy, I haven’t decided), guileless,obliviously beautiful, infuriating, and noble. He does things that make you cringe and make you want to hit him with a stick. He surprises you with his honest trust. He’s a good boy that loves his momma and has good, old fashioned manners. He scared the crap out of all of us by enlisting and going off to Iraq.
No, I’m not going to tell you anything dreadful happened to him. He’s home now and we’re all breathing a whole lot easier. And while he was gone, a thousand awful fears went through our minds.
So now, every time I look over here at Nathan, guess who I see? Yeah. I see that sweet boy falling into the hands of terrible people who are going to harm him while we sit here helplessly fearing for him. Seeing the resemblance between our friend and Hale really makes this whole thing terribly personal all of a sudden.
On one hand, I’m sorry I did that. Because now I have a sick feeling in my gut. On the other, why shouldn’t I have that reaction? Someone felt the same way about Hale as we feel about our young friend. And they weren’t so lucky as we were with how their story ended. It’s easy to forget that some of these people aren’t fictitious characters. So on some level, I’m glad to have the reminder.
This is a great story, Lora. How you bring the players to life is just amazing. I know I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating.
I do get that sick feeling. I was centuries too late for Nathan, but I’ve never felt like this happened to “someone else, some other time.” Maybe it’s because I was so young, but I know exactly what you’re saying.
Reminds me of this song I wrote a long time ago:
Nathan
When I was young, I first saw your statue.
I read all about you,
How much you loved to laugh and run.
So full of life, you always were smiling.
You’ll always be smiling, my lad,
And always twenty-one.
So long ago, but I’ll always remember,
Every September I hear
Your proud words ringing free.
You were so young, and I’m growing older.
You’ll never grow older, my lad,
Beneath the apple tree.
So far away, but I’ll always love you.
I wish I could tell you how much
You’ve always touched my heart.
Two centuries gone; I never have met you.
I’ll never forget you, my lad,
And how you played your part.
Standing alone, it must have been lonely,
Around you were only the foes
Who’d come to see you die.
If I know, through time I would go.
It might help you to know, my lad,
A friend was standing by.
If I knew how, through time I would bring you,
I’m longing to show you a world
You only dreamed could be.
Look through my eyes, and see with my vision.
Your courage and wisdom, my lad
Have taught me how to see.
When I was young, I first saw your statue.
I read all about you,
How much you loved to laugh and run.
So full of life, you always were smiling.
You’ll always be smiling, my lad,
And always twenty-one.
Karen Deal Robinson
1998
PS I’m not going to share the songs I wrote In 1970. They’re pretty embarrassing now :-D
HAHAHA! 1970? Win.
I wrote a song too. It’s been shared to death already but I’ll go ahead and share it again since we’re on the subject:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fe0ZmrsbUOY&list=PL3E1037D6012E7711&index=8
Okay everyone. I want you to all take a deep breath…in through the nose…slowly, counting to five, remembering that you knew this was coming. Now exhale through the mouth…again slowly, counting to five, remembering and appreciating that Lora is too much a historian to alter the course of history for the sake of crying fans. Now breathe in again…through the nose…and out…through the mouth. Wash. Rinse. Repeat.
This “How to Avoid Hyperventilating While Reading The Dreamer” service announcement has been brought to you by the U.S. History Enthusiasts Association. :P
P.S. I don’t know if there actually is a U.S. History Enthusiasts Association. If there is, my apologies for speaking on their behalf without authorization. :)
Also, are the blog pages and comments loading really slow for everyone…or is that just me?
They have been for me too, the past several weeks.
Not slow, per se, just….slow-er
I’ve noticed it too. I wonder if there is an upgrade we need to install for WordPress. Mike has been working overtime this week but I’ll have him look into it as soon as he can.
*inelegant blibbering and flailing* Why must you hurt me this way, Lora?
Great. Now I get to go off to class with red eyes and a runny nose. And even if I explain to people why I am a sobbing mess no one will care, after all, didn’t these people die centuries ago? BUT THEY DON’T UNDERSTAND. THEY DON’T UNDERSTAND HOW NATHAN IS JUST A BABY AND THEY DON’T UNDERSTAND THE FEELS.
lol you made me laugh in spite of myself. only someone who’s read this comic can actually understand this. I tried to explain it to my sister, and all she said was, “If you knew he was gonna die from the beginning, why did you let yourself like his character?”
IT JUST HAPPENED. He’s too awesome _not_ to like, and not to cry about his death.
HOW CAN ANYONE NOT LIKE NATHAN? It would be INCONCEIVABLE.
Inconceivable? That reminds me of another quote from Princes bride:
Me to Cunningham: You killed my Nathan, prepare to die!
That’s making me think of something else….
Rabid fanbase: “WHERE IS HE?”
Lora: “He’s fine, just like I promised. He’s all set to hang, just like history promised, and he gets to die for his country, just like HE promised, so we’re all people of our word really…..except for history, which I suppose is more of an immaterial proper object.”
Brilliant!! :) Thank you Brent for once again bringing hilarity to an otherwise depressing comic update. :)
See, that’s what I’m saying. It’s been driven home to me just how young and naive and undeserving of all this he is.
Last week, the guy was a historical war hero. This week, he’s a living, breathing fresh faced boy in over his head in a pack of wolves.
That personal spin makes it hard to take.
That’s when history starts to hurt. When we see these guys as people and not events or dead guys. The spark is in whatever that connection is that brings their life to life for you. Like your friend.
…or a comic book character. :)
When I knew I was going to be a “witness” at… the event that’s coming up, I was also struck by some personal experience, and I wrote a little essay about it. Made me cry while I was writing it, made me cry when I re-read it. I’ll share it here (it’s short) when The Time comes, so the rest of you can cry, too.
I cannot wait to read this.
I don’t want Nathan to go!
While I was bored, I was on Doll Divine and made Betsy Loring http://fav.me/d5tb17z
She looks so sweet and not at all sinister. She’s lovely!