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On the Jazz - Vol 02 Issue 16
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The totally unofficial A-Team electronic mail newsletter
***** Now in it's second year of publication !! *****
Reflector submission address: onthejazz
Administrivia: Nicole Pellegrini
PLEASE use the following address for subscribe/unsubscribe
and back issue requests (do NOT send them to onthejazz!!):
*** pellegri ***
Also use that address if you wish to change your subscription status
to receive the newsletters only (or go from newsletter to news + reflector).
The A-Team Homepage: http://www.seas.upenn.edu/~pellegri/ateam.html
*The A-Team On the Web: http://www.xs4all.nl/~jmm/a-team/
*The A-Team Hawaii Page: http://www.poi.net/~dcover
*Homes of the On the Jazz Newsletter Archives
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DATE: May 6, 1996
ISSUE: 16
VOLUME: 2
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Greetings again, everyone.
Got a number of news/info tidbits to pass along this week, along
with another great A-Team story, so let's get started...
COLUMBIA HOUSE UPDATE
Good news to everyone who has been working to get CH to carry A-Team
videos! The following message was posted to the ONJ reflector this
past week:
----
From: "Jordan Goldberg" <jordan>
Subject: VIDEOS
Date: Fri, 3 May 1996 15:57:37 -0400
I just talked to columbia house, and they have gotten all their requests
for the videos. They will carry them BUT they need to find a source that
still makes them. If they do then, they WILL definitely carry them. So,
at this point, they have gotten all their requests. To find out if they
got a source, you will have to call them to see, as requsets will not help
any more.
----
As always I'll keep everyone here posted on any more news on the videos.
A big and well deserved THANK YOU and JOB WELL DONE to everyone who helped
with this campaign. Now let's hope they can find a good source for the
tapes and that they will be available soon...!
NEWS FROM THE WEST COAST
Some more info and news from one of our "non-electronic" members, Rita
Ractliffe this week. First, an update on NIGHTMARE for those of you
who are waiting for copies:
"I'm doing another run of Nightmare as you have generated a lot of
interest in it. Thank you so very much. It depressed the hell out of me
when I only sold a few copies when I brought it out initially. I've found
however that I'm always ahead of time...so when I do something, it will
become topical about 5 years later."
Also, Rita sent me a flyer for a 'zine she propsed doing six years ago but
received no interest in at the time, so it never happened. However, it
sounds like a great idea and I think some of you might be interested in
getting involved in this:
----
"Are there any people left out there who still enjoy the A-Team??
"One such lonesome person is looking for submissions for a new effort, to
be called TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS -- What were the reactions to the "trial" of
the A-Team from all the people they assisted over the years? Did any of them
try to help in any way? At least, try to find out what was happening? Make
any grass roots efforts to help; etc? It's an interesting premise and could
show after-the-facts of what happened to a lot of these people... how the
A-Team's assistance changed their lives.
"Well, this weird person is looking for such stories... more like
vignettes, reminiscences and the like. If enough interest is exhibited, could
even do an adult section; however, no "/" material is sought.
"Stories should be 1-10 pages in length, typed (and if you have Word
Perfect disks or Microsoft Word disks, submit the disk and hard copy.
"I know I'm hopelessly out of date on this. But I just can't quite let
loose of them. Always felt there was more... not always the persona we saw on
the tube, but the possibilities that were never touched on.
"MURPHY'S LAWS WERE MADE AT THE EXPENSE OF THE A-TEAM! So let's see some
of them in action!
Thanks,
Rita D. Ractliffe
15500 Erwin, #297
Van Nuys, CA 91411"
----
As a side note, remember that now's the time to start working on submissions
for "Plans Scams and Vans #3" and "The A-Files." PSV#3 is for just about any
A-Team based stories, articles, etc., and "A-Files" is specifically for
X-Files/A-Team crossovers (although I am considering broadening the concept
a bit to include any A-Team stories with a real supernatural/conspiratorial
twist.) For more information on both of these go to the web page at
http://www.seas.upenn.edu/~pellegri/ateam.html.
FAQ UPDATE
As mentioned on the reflector last week, I'm currently embarking on the rather
heinous job of putting together a real A-Team FAQ (Frequently Asked Question)
List. As a result I'd like help with the following things:
1. I've heard about stations currently showing TAT in DC and North Carolina,
but that's it. If you live somewhere else that is currently showing TAT,
please send in any info you have about the station's ID, what time, etc.
2. I need a good bio on what Dirk B. has been doing since TAT.
3. Any burning questions you might have about the Team that were never
answered, send them in.
Hopefully something will be in decent shape in the next week or two and
available for scrutiny on the web site.
MR. T
Someone sent me the following email this week and I thought I would pass
it along to anyone interested:
----
Date: Tue, 30 Apr 1996 01:51:02 -0500
From: Ken Elliott <kennet49>
Subject: Mr. T
I see Mr.T on the 700 Club all the time, he is a devout Christian on
what I can gather. He helps the Ministry pass out food for the under
privelaged families in the U.S. mostly in the ghettos and projects.
----
TRIVIA TIME
Last issue's queston was:
>Name (or give description of) episode where the following movies were
>mentioned:
>(a) Flight of the Pheonix (ANS: HOLIDAY IN THE HILLS)
>(b) Bail out over Borneo (ANS: ONE MORE TIME)
>(c) Chinatown (ANS: WATER WATER EVERYWHERE)
...and the real hard one:
>(d) Bridge on the River Kwai (ANS: DIAMONDS 'N DUST)
(d) Was especially tricky as the scene where it was mentioned has been
edited out of syndicated versions of the episode, so you had to have seen
the original. However, since no one sent in even guesses on any of the
questions, I suppose it was an especially tricky round.
This week's question:
In "Bad Time at the Border," who was the cockroach Murdock had in a matchbox
supposed to be?
STORY TIME
This is a really great one, albeit a little out of season... thanks to
Laura Michaels for transcribing it!
Reprinted from On The Jazz #9 edited by Deborah Okoniewski
If Not For Christmas . . .
by Michele Lellouche
December 1977
Face sighed, staring at the wreck of their finances spread
over the imitation wood table. Checkbook drawn to the limit and
beyond, and a pile of cash. He could stare at the crumpled bills
and tarnished change until his weary blue eyes completely gave
out, but they would never add up to any more than $61.35. He
shivered suddenly, blamed it on the air-conditioned cold of the
mall. I hate being broke, he snarled to himself. He was
beginning to really tire of the endless running and constant
scraping to survive. He shook himself clear of that thought
quickly, recognizing the opening notes of his usual Christmas
depression arriving on schedule. Except this year, he had good
reason. He raked up the money from the table, crumpled his
coffee cup, and was about to get up and find the rest of the team
when Murdock dropped into the chair across from his, elbows
rocking the table. Face looked up, trying to meet Murdock's
bright smile and failing.
"What's goin' down, Faceman?" the pilot asked guardedly.
"Us, if our upcoming deal falls through." Face picked up
the crumpled cup and started worrying the edges. Murdock had
never seen Face tearing at things unless the situation was deadly
serious.
"You're not kidding, are you?"
Face looked up with a half-smile. "Murdock, we have about
62 dollars to our collective name."
"What about our savings? The Swiss stuff?"
"I've overdrawn every account I can get to; hell, I wrote
bad checks to get us here. I move on any of the overseas
accounts from here, Lynch'll be on us again." He turned swiftly
and hardballed the cup into the trash can. The Faceman's smile
was steel. "In a word, we are broke. Merry Christmas."
Murdock slumped back into his chair, tilting his baseball
cap. Merry Christmas indeed; today was Christmas Eve. "Not
gonna be one unless Hannibal gets that deal."
Face nodded, getting to his feet. "Where're B.A. and
Hannibal?"
"Hannibal's down the mall on the phone. B.A. was right
behind me."
"He's being awfully nice to you lately."
"He's too depressed to be angry with me. I mean, I called
him a mudsucker three times this morning and he didn't even
blink."
"You know why."
The pilot nodded, remembering yet another plan gone wrong, a
run to Chicago for the holidays, cut short by Lynch. They had
gone to ground to throw the general off. No chance to get to
Chicago for the holidays, to get B.A. home for his first
Christmas in ten years.
They found him sitting on a bench, watching the kids lining
up to see Santa with an almost peaceful scowl. Murdock resumed
his wild persona, leaping over the outstretched legs and doing a
turn he had copied from John Travolta.
"Hey, B.A.!"
"Hi yourself, fool."
"B.A., you look blue," Face remarked, trying to get at least
a snap.
"Well, you look beige." There was a snarl in it that
relieved both Face and Murdock.
Face grinned, ready to tempt fate. "No sun in here, my
tan's beginning to fade," he quipped, searching for Hannibal and
checking his cigars. The colonel would be wanting one soon
enough. Thankfully, it was one of the few supplies they were not
low on. He spotted Smith coming towards them and tapped
Murdock's shoulder. "Whaddya think?"
"He looks. . ." H.M. paused, searching for an adjective and
Smith got into earshot.
"How's it going with you?" Face asked, offering a cigar.
Smith paused, lighting up, ignoring the looks of
anticipation and desperation given him. "We're 95% on. One more
call tonight should wrap it up."
Murdock did another patented turn from SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER
(he'd already seen it five times); Face and B.A. simply whooshed
in relief. Face relaxed a bit knowing they could spend the last
of their monies if need be. Now, if they could only cheer B.A.
up.
Their lunch was leisurely, but Face spent most of it
brooding, trying to solve some of their problems. His immediate
worry was B.A. The black sergeant had been looking forward to
seeing his mother for Christmas and now their plans had fallen
through so fast he had not even been able to send a card. He
knew B.A.'s mood was part anger, part guilt and he was determined
to lift it, but he was damned if he knew how.
Murdock was craning his head to see from the upper gallery
down to Santa's chair, watching the kids wistfully. He finally
turned from the scene. Face looked at him, puzzled.
"Santa's on lunch break," H.M. explained, then smiled
impishly. "There's a cute elf down there, though."
Face looked himself, seeing a teenage girl in elf green
shutting down the area and putting a camera away. Face watched
her and suddenly an idea walked across his mind. With a grin, he
interrupted the table's conversation, looking at B.A. "I know
how you can let your mom know you're alright for Christmas."
Murdock and Hannibal looked perplexed but B.A.'s eyes were
full of rare thanks.
"What have you got in mind?" Hannibal asked.
Face got to his feet. "C'mon, I'll show you."
Santa's Little Elf Tammi (she hated it -- it was very
uncool) was tidying up the area when one of the best looking men
she had ever seen walked up to her.
"How can I help you?" she asked brightly and was answered
with a smile that took her breath away.
"How much does it cost to have a picture made?"
"$3.50, but you'll have to wait until Santa gets back," she
trailed off, looking for children.
"No, I didn't need Santa, all I need is a picture made of
the four of us," he indicated the three men behind him who smiled
like choirboys, albeit the weirdest group of choirboys she had
ever seen.
"What?"
"See, we were going to get our friend home for Christmas and
we couldn't make it, so we figured we'd send a picture, sort of
like a card," he smiled again and Tammi immediately felt sorry
for him.
"Listen, go ahead and get around Santa's chair and I'll take
the picture for you."
The man's smile grew brighter if that were possible and he
waved his friends over as Tammi began to set up her camera again.
* * *
Mrs. Baracus reached into her mail box, expecting the usual
assortment of bills that always arrived the day after Christmas.
She sighed, thumbing through the mail with no enthusiasm. She
was worried about Scooter, she had been since he joined the Army
really, but this Christmas it was more acute. He had called her,
telling her he and his friends would be there for Christmas, then
had called to say that they couldn't come. She had heard the
tears in the gruff voice.
The last letter was larger than the rest, one of those bulky
envelopes people used to mail fragile things. She saw the
handwriting of the address and smiled in relief; it was
Scooter's. She hurried back to her apartment to open it.
She pulled out a photo/card tied with red and green ribbon.
She remembered getting one every year when she took B.A. to talk
to Santa, but it had been many years since she had seen one.
She undid the ribbon and she could see the picture clearly.
B.A. sat in Santa's chair with a Santa hat balanced on his head.
Hannibal Smith, cigar in teeth, stood behind the chair; Face and
Murdock leaned on either side, the pilot's baseball cap traded in
for an elf hat. All four of them were smiling into the camera
under a cloud of confetti snow. The caption identified the photo
as taken at a mall in Fort Worth, Texas. She turned it over and
read B.A.'s scrawl on the back:
"Don't worry, Mama, I'm not alone for Christmas."
She smiled, choking back the tears as she set the card in
front of the rest of her Christmas cards, knowing she would keep
this one for a long time.
----
That's all for now, everyone. Until next time, stay on the jazz!
nicole
---------------------------------------------------------------
Quote of the Week:
"Now you see, this is why you don't have as many visitors as the
terrorists up the street do."
Hannibal
---------------------------------------------------------------
<*>Jumpgate sequence initiated.<*>
Sockii, aka Nicole
----------------------------------------------------------------
"The slinky of destiny is making its way right on back up to the
top of the stairs." - HM Murdock
