[Karen’s Notes]

New Student:

Shannon Jordan (male)
7^th grade SSMS

Mom: Cathy (394-4409
after 5pm)

Reading Comprehension

Test-Taking Strategies

Application of Material

English (Paper Topic:
Jesse Jackson), Social Studies, Science, Math, Reading

$10/hr.

baseball

Writes L to R mirror
image

Suggest self-correction
with red pen, color-coded index cards

3/1/93 Shannon’s teacher
had him contact me. Tutor 2x/wk (summer too)

3/7/93 Rec’d letter from
Mrs. Webb. Plays in class, brings no homework. Low self-esteem, few friends.

4/14/93 Low involvement.
Transferring out of Mrs. Webb’s class.

5/7/93 Rec’d good report
from Mrs. Emerson. Great attitude in class. Getting organized.

7/1/93 Good work. Excited
about 8^th grade!

New Student:

Brian Freedman 7^th
grade SSMS

Mom: Beth (396-1091)

Reading Comprehension
­ leaving IRR after 7^th grade

Language Arts ­ esp.
grammar (plurals, subj./verb agreement, contractions)

$10/hr.

baseball, basketball,
street hockey

reading ­ very good

great manners!

3/31/93 Met his mom (high
commitment), contract for tutoring 2x/wk.

4/9/93 Set goals.

5/1/93 When focused,
does good work.

5/21/93 No show! (Baseball
game)

6/12/93 Amazing work.
Very “on-target”

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[Letter from Kids]

Good Luck, Karen!

We know you will do great
in California!

We will miss you, but
hope you have fun there anyways. Thanks for everything.

---

[Letters from Karen]

Shannon ­

I’m writing to you from
Los Angeles. It’s crazy out here! I’m not tutoring yet ­ I’ve been
too busy going on auditions! But I wanted to send a copy of my headshot
to you. I hope you like it.

I’m eager to hear how
the 8^th grade is going for you. I think we did so much good
work in getting you prepared for pre-algebra and the term paper class.
Please write soon and let me know what’s going on. You are a very special
young man and I expect great things from you!

Tell your mother hello
for me.

All the best,

Karen

PS ­ I have your letter
up on my wall. It keeps me going!

PS2- I’d love a school
photo. Could you send one?

Brian ­

I’m writing to you from
Los Angeles. It’s crazy out here! I’m not tutoring yet ­ I’ve been
too busy going on auditions… nothing too exciting yet! But I did want to
send a copy of my headshot to you. I hope you like it.

I’m eager to hear how
the 8^th grade is going for you. I think we did so much good
work in getting you prepared for leaving Resource Reading and entering
at the 8^th grade level. How are you doing in that class?

Please write soon and
let me know what’s going on. How’s your game this season?

All the best,

Karen

PS ­ I have your letter
up on my wall. It keeps me going!

PS2 ­ I’d love a
school photo. Could you send one?

---

[Letters from Kids]

Dear Karen,

I don’t look like this
anymore, but this is my school piture for you anyways. Are you comeing
home for Christmas? I don’t have a tutor anymore.

Hi Karen,

What’s up in L.A.? Have
you met any movie stars yet? Did you see the any famous
people on your audition? I don’t have a picture but our team picture is
next week. Shannon’s mom moved him out of 8A2 last week but, our lockers
are still near to each others. Are you tutoring? You helped me alot.

“C Ya” Soon,

Brian

---

[Letters from Karen]

Shannon, Ms. Jordan,

I hope this note finds
you well. Just wanted to wish you both a Merry Christmas and all wonderful
things in the new year!

To catch you up: I didn’t
end up getting into the school system at all out here. Mainly, it was because
of certification requirements and a bunch of other things going on in my
life ­ but it also had something to do with the metal detectors at
the front doors of the schools. Yuck! What a crazy world!

Instead, I’ve been on
stage, on TV, and running from place to place ­ both for my career
and as a mentor in a youth theatre program. I’m paired up with a kid who
used to be in a gang. He’s VERY talented. It means a lot to me to see a
play he’s written make its way onto the stage.

Remember, Shannon, it
means a lot to me that you do well too. I haven’t forgotten all of the
work that we did. You and Brian both showed such improvement last year!
Be proud! School’s tough ­ and you guys stuck with it. Keep it up!

Well, I hope you’ll catch
me up on what it’s like being a big 8^th grader! Brian tells
me you two aren’t in the same homeroom this year. Do you still hang out?

Let me hear from you,
Shannon.

Merry Christmas,

Karen

 

 

Merry Christmas Brian,

I hope you have a great
holiday!

To catch you up: I didn’t
end up getting into the school system at all out here. Mainly, it was because
of certification requirements ­ but it also had something to do with
the metal detectors at the front doors of the schools. Yuck! What a crazy
world! Instead, I’ve been acting and working with a youth theatre program.
It’s fun.

Well, I hope you’ll send
a photo soon. Good luck with your team this season!

Merry Christmas,

Karen

---

[Letter to Karen]

Dear Karen,

I won’t be playing baseball
this year. My momma says I need to spend more time in school. I’m doing
okay, I might go to my Dad’s this summer. If I do, I can swim at his pool
and stuff like that with my half-sisters. I can’t wait for the summer to
get here. I have Mrs. Webb again and she doesn’t like me, but you knew
all about that. I’ll still try to play baseball when I pass reading.

---

[Letters from Karen]

Faith,

Unlike you, I can’t afford
the phone bill, so I’m going to jot this out and then YOU call me (heh
heh)!

Couple of things right
off: how the Hell did you work this city? I’m assuming that I’m just not
“in” with the whole networking, schmoozing, ass-kissing, plastic-breasts,
no-talent thing. I’m doing the right stuff, or so it seems, but I can’t
seem to connect with anything. My agent keeps sending me out on this crap
that has me bounding around on a beach and I want to do something of substance.
Is it time to change agencies? Try NY? Shift to singing? Do a commercial
or two?

Next thing… like I told
you on the phone, I’m completely baffled by this tutoring kid’s situation.
He just needs a little encouragement but his mom is SO hard on him. I know
she’s doing the Single Mom Thing and that’s not easy, but she’s making
him drop the one thing that gives him any personality (and hope, maybe?)
and now he’s thinking of going to his dad’s. Do I call his mom, write to
her, contact her in some way in an attempt to let her know that she doing
some damage here? Is that my responsibility? I’m really concerned for his
development. You know what a crucial age 13 is! I haven’t been in touch
with him since I did my usual “Xmas Letter.” Is this a good way to reestablish
contact??

Okay, so solve my life
on those two and then I’ll do you. Are you still seeing Jason? You certainly
are mentioning him less if you are…. Whatever happened with the NBC deal?
Fill me in, sweetie. And come out to LA so that I don’t have to be the
only one here panicking with every aftershock. WHY would anyone settle
a town on a fault line??

Love galore,

Karen

 

 

Shannon,

I have news! I’m coming
home!! Yeah, that’s right; LA isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Don’t get
me wrong, I’ve loved being out here ­ most of the time ­ but sometimes
it’s been rough.

Did you hear about the
earthquake back in January? Well, it was pretty awful. I have cracks all
over my walls and most of my stuff is broken. Still, I know that I’m lucky
just for having lived through it, right?

I didn’t want to move
right away because I really did want to give this place a year. But I’ve
gone on fewer auditions and even stopped mentoring ViDonm. I just don’t
like being so far away from home.

So, I’ll be back before
the school year begins (ooh, 9^th grade for you… high school!
Wow!). I don’t know if you need me anymore, but I suppose I’ll be tutoring
again, just the same. Let’s try to talk even if it’s just about baseball
and stuff.

I’m looking forward to
seeing you. Take care & tell your mother hello.

Karen

 

 

Faith,

Well, I made it a year!
Yep, I’m going through with it. I’ve already booked the movers. I’d like
to believe what you said about there being more than the choice of LA or
Home. Yes, I could come to NY and shack with you… God, that’s tempting.
But I don’t know if I can handle rejection on both coasts. I’m thinking
Home is safe and then, once I’m over this whole “LA Thing,” I can venture
out again. Will you still have me?

Call me when you get his
letter (I maxed out the Visa to get a plane ticket… I want a fast arrival
home). You know the story!

Love beyond all,

Karen

---

[Letters to Karen]

K ­

Pack your winter coat,
baby! Have I got a birthday present for you! They’re giving me 13 episodes
and I can have any costar I want! Yes, read that again ­ it’s TRUE!
Why did you deactivate your beeper so soon?? How am I supposed to reach
you with the good news? Just the same, get here. We go up in two weeks!
Call me (212) 834-9207 ­ call collect. Hell, just show up! It’s on,
baby!!

Faith

 

 

Karen,

This slipped through the
postal service and sat in your empty mailbox for awhile. Found it when
we rented the place out to a new tenant (a drag queen!). From the looks
of the show, you’re doing well. But, we miss you out here!

Joe Ferreri

213-466-2313

JF/al

enc.

 

 

Dear Karen,

How are you! I am doing
fine. I’m a nineth grader now. I am sorry I didn’t write back until now,
I hope you’re not mad. I have some very sad news. Brian Freedman has passed
away. He went on a school ski trip in 8^th grade and hit a tree.
He was in a coma for a while then started to recover. He came back to school
to finish the 8^th grade year. In 9^th grade he became
ill again with a genetic decease. In Late November early December he died.
He was a great friend and all who knew him really misses him.

Go #7

Shannon Jordan

---

[Letters from Karen]

Shannon,

I’ve started this letter
so many times, but I can’t seem to get it finished. Maybe I keep writing
things that need to be written but that you don’t necessarily need to read.
Who knows? I’m babbling already.

First off, I’ve moved
again. My old landlord sent your letter to me in January. Your letter,
Shannon, shocked me. I guess that’s to be expected ­ but I can’t seem
to put the feeling away. I’ve read and reread your letter, composed several
letters to you, to Brian’s family, written in my journal, all in an attempt
to finish the feeling. Does that make sense?

I’m so sad about Brian.
I really am. I think what has me even more emotional, though, is that you
wrote to me. I know you are busy with school ­ and you took the time
to write to me and tell me about Brian. Shannon, you are VERY strong to
have done that. I know it couldn’t have been easy for you to start that
letter. Does it hurt to talk about it? Or does it help? I can just see
you deciding that you have to write me about this. You are a remarkable
young man. It means so much to me that you wrote me. I just can’t explain.
It’s weird. I’ve lost touch with all of my students somehow ­ but you
wanted to be sure that I knew. I hadn’t heard from Brian since I moved
to LA. I know losing Brian has been tough for you ­ and probably for
everyone in your school.

I guess I just want to
say thank you for writing.

Fondly,

Karen

 

 

Merry Christmas, Shannon!

I guess you’re in the
10^th grade now! Is that possible? Are you driving yet?! I hope
you have a wonderful holiday and that you and your mother are doing well.

I’m on my own again. The
show didn’t get picked up for next season. So, it’s back to independence
(probably for the best). Maybe I’ll see if I can do some tutoring.

Best,

Karen

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[Letter returned to sender]

JORDAN: MOVED/LEFT NO
FORWARDING ADDRESS.