Hi Everyone, I can’t believe we are knockin’ on the door of season 3, can you!?!? But before iwsod lets us open that door I get to share some swoony good stats from season 1’s ROTP! So get out your drool buckets and helmets and sit back and relax and enjoy the show. (Cue bluesy saxophone music.) Who doesn’t love this episode?!?! Besides Francine anyway!
Hope you enjoy!
BJo
HITS/PUNCHES/SHOTS TO LEE
Let’s jump right into the violence! I mean, let’s face it, without Lee’s fake demise this episode would stink!
Lee gets stabbed! With that bendy knife!!!
Ouch! That really hurts! Lee is in pain!
Then he gets punched – more ouch!
Oh nooooo!!! Say it ain’t so!!! Lee is dead!!! Don’t you just love how Amanda is the only one we can see not wearing a dark color?
It’s wet Lee! Can anyone see the egg on the top of his head? It’s there because Amanda dropped the phone on him! 
We just didn’t get to see it happen.
It’s really not a fair sword fight here – superspy Scarecrow versus that nutter Russell Sinclair. This boo boo here to Lee as he crashes his luscious backside into his desk is caused more by Lee than Sinclair, IMHO. Be careful Lee! Don’t want to damage the merchandise too much 
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Even Amanda sees that it must have hurt! Bwahahahaha! Love that face!!!
Sinclair gets in one final piddly attempt at hurting Lee so he can escape – books to the face. Nooo! Not to his fabulous face! Aren’t you glad we almost never got to see Lee with cuts and bruises to his face? Except that one time when he really deserved it?
Jill Sightings
There she is! It’s our first full-fledged, without a doubt Jill sighting. We continue to see this woman throughout the series. Does anyone know what her name is in real life? We may have already covered this, but I’m too lazy right now to go back and check. In this episode she appears to be playing an innocent byscreamer, I mean bystander.
Amandarambles
This is just a mini-ramble, but it’s such a sweet scene and picture I just had to include it 
Hope you don’t mind.
A: Alright. We know that you’re strong and brave and I’m not. I’m scared and I’m not strong and I’m not brave so, just to humor me, would you please let me drive you home? Pause Please? Pause L & A together: Okay. A: Good.
I love this next Amandaramble to Lee. I’m so glad she let him have it a little bit. He deserved it! But he looks so damn good looking here (and sincerely sorry) that I just can’t seem to really get mad at him. Not even for a second.
A: I have been really upset about this. I thought I’d lost a friend, and that hurts. And I was frightened, too, and uh. . . . Look, I know you don’t like tears, I know they frighten you more than bullets, so I’m sorry about this little scene, but you’ve brought it all on yourself because it would have been totally unnecessary if you hadn’t been killed, which you haven’t been,
and I cared that you were dead, and I don’t care if you don’t care that I care.
Ah-yup…I’m gonna make you wait for that stupendous dimple shot that we all know comes next 
Amanda Boo Boos
Amanda doesn’t fare too badly this episode. Just a few bed bugs, a harmless little attempted strangulation, and more dynamite than even Wile E. Coyote would ever use.
Here we have Sinclair trying to strangle Amanda.
.
.
.
.
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He fails at his attempt before Lee tries to save her, so he throws her against the wall – ouch!!
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Here, Sinclair surprises Amanda at Lee’s apartment…he grabs her from behind…
and then ties her up – each forearm and across the top of her chest. Quick question here…who thinks Lee’s albums are still organized alphabetically??? Anyone think he messed ‘em up? Or maybe just moved his Stones albums to the “R” section?
Look at all this dynamite! I wonder if he shopped at the Acme Corp? He must have – that would also explain his not using the ubiquitous SMK baddie white rope.
There’s even a bundle of dynamite behind Amanda! Is the whole building gonna explode or just Lee’s apartment and maybe the one above it? 9 bundles of dynamite!
CHEEKY LEE
Yowza! His masseter is really flexing here! He is not happy about having protection 24/7! Nice trench, Billy! Much better than the cardys.
Ooooh, check out this cheek shot! Amanda’s cheek…. Look’s like she’s been taking cheek muscle flexing lessons from Lee. She needs more practice, don’t you think? Get yer minds outta the gutter 
Wait, how’d this get in here? Oh, alright, I give up…nice cheeks, Lee! Ahem. Looks like domestic bliss if you ask me!
TOUCHES – Part 1
ROTP is a very touchy episode…we are back up to 25! The only other S1 episode thus far that has nearly that many touches is TGTN.
Lee has Amanda’s right arm at the elbow with his left hand. What a gentleman!
Right hand at elbow here.
Left hand on Amanda’s back.
And finally his right hand on her back, guiding her away from the table. Oh, and I just noticed he’s getting a little cheeky here too! He doesn’t like those reporters!
Left hand on her arm again. Lee’s eyes are too funny here. What do you think he sees? Or maybe Amanda’s has just said something to him??? KC, iwsod, what can you guys do with this one?
A: Can I see it? L: Why? A: Well, just because I’m nosy. Amanda touches his hand while going for the note.
And one last arm touch. I love this quality of Lee’s. Is there anyone out there who would be driven nuts by all this touching? If so, then I think you are reading the wrong blog.
I’m not even sure how to count all the touching parts here, so I’ll just be quiet and let you enjoy…. Which hug do you like better – this one or the one in the golf cart in SBTB? I’m partial to this one. Please explain your choice in the comments – I’d love to hear them!
They both look VERY happy!
He’s really got his arms around here, doesn’t he? LOVE it! But why are her eyes closed and his not? Okay all you deep thinkers, just what does that mean??? I can’t really think when I see this picture, all I see is dimple, hands and happiness
I think their fingers may touch here – her right and his left.
See? It looks like it, right? Don’t you just love the idea of Lee in Amanda’s house being all domestic?
I really think Amanda thinks Lee doesn’t know how to use the dishwasher!
Touhes are to be continued in the next post in a couple of days!
Ok, that’s all for this first stats post. Please et me know what you think about their eyes while hugging and if you think Lee mussed up the order of his albums! Or anything else you’d like to share!!! Post 2 will be coming soon! Thanks for reading – and here is the link to iwsod’s first episode post for ROTP.
"Just walk with me.." 
Oh, definitely this hug is my favorite of the two. It’s the abandon with which they both enjoy this hug that gets me. The one in SBTB is sweet, but this one melts me like a snowman on a hot, sunny day. There are only a few hugs that hit me this way – this one, and a few to come in S3 & 4. Hey, maybe I’ll head over to Ned’s and start a thread on all these wonderful hugs in S1 & 2. That way, we can add/rate them as we head into the other lovely seasons of Amanda/Lee.
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Stats post!!! BJo, you rock!!!
Ah, yes–the bendy knife. It’s a good thing SMK baddies are so bad at being bad! 😀
Awh–poor Lee. Smacked on the head with the telephone… and having to sit in the rain… Life’s tough being our favourite spy!
Ah, yes. The dynamite. Magic dynamite. 😉
I’ll have to file that screenshot in my to-be-memed folder and let my brain stew on it for a while… He kinda looks mesmerised, though. Hmmm…
Which hug do I prefer? Do I really have to choose? Can’t I just enjoy both?!?!? If not, too bad–I’m going to, anyway! 😀
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😆 LOL!!! This is the internet, it’s a free “country”, of course you don’t have to choose! 🙂
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Facial cheeks? Oh dear my eyes were immediately drawn to the lower region. What can I say…..I cut to the chase and I live in the gutter 😉
I much prefer this hug than the one in SBTB. It’s the open arms, it’s a celebration that Lee isn’t actually dead. It’s so joyous whereas the other hug is more for comfort. I just love the happy expressions on their faces 🙂
Loving the pic of the bendy knife, it never ceases to make me snigger.
Great job BJo 🙂
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Thank you for the compliment, Jenbo, but I am afraid you give me much too much credit about that cheek shot 😉 What can I say other than the power of the keyboard beckons me to visit the gutter often and am glad you’re there with me!!!
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You seriously think most of us aren’t already in the gutter and enjoying it?!?! Or am I speak only for my filthy-minded self? Nawwww, can’t be just a few of us rolling around down here!! 😉
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I think the Rabbit Hole has a huge gutter… and plenty of us gutter girls to live there. 🙂
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😆 jule…I do know many of us are well acquainted with the gutter, I just try to be careful and not assume that we’re all as equally comfortable there or that we’re all driven there by the same things 😉
As much as I love the story of these two and enjoy hearing everyone’s deeper thoughts on their journey, I must admit I’m a sucker for Lee Stetson’s charms and appearance. Someone said in another recent comment about a melting snowman on a hot, sunny day – or something to that effect – yep, that’s what Lee can do to me with just one look. blush
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Checking in from the gutter. It sure is crowded down here! 😉
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Billy looks like Inspector Gadget in that trench coat and hat.
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Yes he does!!! LOL, Valerie!!
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Ahhh yes I never tire of seeing the bendy knife! Hilarious!!
I tend to forget that Lee did actually get stabbed in this episode.. he recovers soo quickly! 😉
that’s too funny.. yeah just a little strangulation. no biggie! Hey are you calling Lee a bed bug here? 😉
I think this episode needs a ‘perks of the job’ category: Amanda hears these magical words from Lee: ‘get in the bed!!!’ and.. she gets under the covers with Lee – as BJo’s fab avatar constantly reminds us! Can I have a copy of that pic?? I’ll put it in the sidebar when you are finished with it tee hee..
Ahh BJo you’ve captured some wonderful Amanda expressions!!! KJ does the best faces!
It’s a bit of a shock going back to this episode – because look how different Lee’s apartment is!!!! the one he is in now has very few personal momentos.. and seems more errr.. impersonal? Whereas this apartment is full to the brim with mementos and objects that tell a story about Lee’s life. IMHO!
Rofl yes Lee was not happy with 24/7 protection.. maybe that’s why Billy said that was what he was gonna get- and then proceeded to umm you know – leave him alone! 😉
Oh my!!! BJo!! With prose like that I am helpless! Helpless I tell you!!! My eyes went straight to those cheeks.. waiting.. hoping to see them do some flexing 😉 and then you tell me to get outta the gutter? you tease you BJo!!!! 😉 tee hee!!
ROFL a meme challenge! Hmm I’ll have to think on that one! 🙂
Gosh.. would anyone be driven nuts by all this touching?? from Lee???!!!!! me thinks not! 😉 haaaaa yes very true BJo! if you answer yes this probably isn’t the blog for you haaa! good one!
Gosh.. which hug do I prefer the SBTB golf cart hug or this one?? Hmm I notice you don’t tell us which you prefer BJo! 😉 sneaky!! come on tell us!!!
I think I like different things about them- as they are very different hugs. one is sitting down, one is standing up… one is a joyful hug and the other is a comforting hug.
If I had to choose I go with ROTP hug. I don’t care that Lee’s eyes are not closed. he closes them a second when she first hugs him ( I went and watched the hug with the volume turned down!) – I think he isn’t shying away from the hug at all – it is a full body hug.. their whole bodies are touching (hoo haa) and Lee wraps his arms the whole way around Amanda- completely enveloping her in his arms- he didn’t have to respond that way when Amanda put her arms around him. He could have kept his arms down at her sides to hold her, but instead he completely wraps her up. He’s loving this hug.. it’s kinda strange and new.. but it’s genuine, natural and I think he is genuinely happy here that Amanda is so happy to see him. So it’s like he is welcoming Amanda’s care for him- which is lovely.
See now I could write a 10 page essay on these two hugs.. but ahem.. I won’t! I’ll stop here!
Thanks for sharing your stats fun with us BJo – so needed after Vmothers… smk has been a bit intense these last two or three episodes huh!!! we are moving away from the light-heartedness of season 1 aren’t we.. your stats for ROTP and the fabulously funny baddie Sinclair make this difference stark to me… oh well.. season 3 and 4 has it’s own err ‘compensations’ right?! 😉
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Actually, I’m not calling Lee a bed bug. I was thinking of how Amanda flapped her jacket immediately after she got out of the bed with Lee. Remember that?
Perks of the Job! Haaa – that’s a good one! I’m not so sure Amanda would call that a perk though…you’ll see what I mean in post #2 😉
And yes, you may copy my pic – don’t you already have it from when you covered this episode?
One of the things I love best about KJ is ability to make all those faces that she makes. It gives her the ability to be such a versatile actor, IMHO.
I wonder why they did that to Lee’s apartment – why they took “Lee” out of it – I agree with your assessment. I really don’t like his apartment in the short hair episodes, or really until we get to S4, actually.
Glad you liked the cheek shot. Amanda’s cheek shot, that is 😉 😆
I think I mentioned this in my reply to ebineez, but I prefer this hug. I think I like it because it is such a happy hug. The SBTB hug is wonderful in that there is so much angst before it that completely melts away with their embrace, but here they are both just so dang happy to see each other and celebrate Lee’s being alive. That and Lee looks delicious in blue. 🙂
And thanks for sacrificing and watching that hug scene with no sound – you’re a strong woman, iwsod :wink:. I missed his eyes closed, I think I was most intrigued by the fact that they were open most of the time and hers weren’t. I figured it was more than a male/female thing.
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I was thinking about the hugs again. I think what I like most about the SBTB hug is that is the first time we really see the depth of Lee’s care emotions/connection (whatever you want to call it) expressed to Amanda at such a level. I think that is significant. But this ROTP hug is mutual, maybe that is what is so enjoyable to watch.
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It’s true they are both wonderful! BJo made us choose!!! 😉 tee hee..
You know, Amanda is wearing an Amandaband for both of these hugs! 😉
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I wonder if her response would have been different without the Amanda band on?
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ROFL!!
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Yep, I did! And there’s an assignemt for you, iwsod. Which hug is the first hug they share when she has pretty hair? I don’t know the answer…
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Gosh.. I did do a recap of hugs in one episode.. maybe odds on dead pigeon?? -I’ll see if I can find it
off the top of my head the one in playing possum maybe..
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LOL I found the hug recap! it was over two posts in OOADP… I think they deserve a post of there own if anyone would like to go for it.. If you write it- I’ll publish it! 🙂
Here
and Here
I notice there’s a hug in IANNNHIEBAS – and she’s still wearing a flippin Amandaband! she must have been especially vulnerable to them when she had lack of blood flow to her brain!
Maybe Filming Raul is the first hug with pretty hair..
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“the one he is in now has very few personal momentos.. and seems more errr.. impersonal?”
To try to get a little serious here–which I haven’t been managing well, lately, maybe that’s part of Lee’s journey? Maybe he filled his apartment with crazy stuff before to (a) wow the Randi-babes, and (b) fill the emptiness inside him (outward manifestation of inner pain). Now he’s learning that he doesn’t need to impress people by being anything other than his true self, and he’s not feeling so empty now that he’s opening himself to Amanda.
shrug Just my two crazy cents…
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I read once that “A hug is two hearts wrapped in arms.” Love that! And I love all of the analysis here, well done! All I have left to say is Arglbargleujnathupdcrtg! with a swoon and a thud added in for good measure!
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Hey jule – how sweet is that saying! Hope you had your helmet on 😉
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Regarding the eyes open/eyes closed part, I wonder if it has something to do with how emotionally healthy and mature each is. Amanda is the healthier in this regard and is comfortable expressing her emotions in a healthy way. Her comfort level and trust in Lee, even at this point, is such that she throws herself into the hug without reserve including closing her eyes while they hug to savour even more the beating heart, the warmth and life she thought was lost to her forever. This for her is sheer joy that her friend that she thought was dead is alive. She then has no trouble making him realise how much hurt and grief she has endured at the thought of his loss – I cared that you were dead, and I don’t care if you don’t care that I care – these words come from her heart too and they are tinged with humour which takes the edge off the scolding for Lee.
One thing that she may not be dwelling on is that she has probably never before hugged a man with such unchecked emotion, even Joe. I’m sure this gets tucked away in her subconscious where it will lightly tap away at her over the coming year.
For Lee, trust and comfort don’t come easily to him. I agree, he’s happy that she’s happy. Whilst I think he enjoys every second of it, this type of emotion and hug is unknown territory for him. I think he genuinely hugs her as a friend and to comfort her, and to show her he is happy to be with her. However, his life story so far and his occupation means he is hardwired now to remain alert and watchful. He’s probably never been hugged like this since he was a child. The embraces he has experienced since have been as part of the seduction ritual, a means to an end for both parties. I think he wouldn’t have closed his eyes much during those encounters either – intelligence operatives who don’t maintain a level of alertness and watchfulness end up as dead intelligence operatives. (I always imagined there would be very few women he would actually “sleep” with – he would be one to slip out of the bed when she fell asleep and stealthily make his way home, perhaps leaving a note/flower on the pillow. There would be very few women he would trust to sleep the entire night at his apartment.)
There will come a time when he closes his eyes with Amanda – completely trusting her and his emotions. Hmmm, sounds like a good reason for me to revisit the JWWM episode posts to see if/when Lee closes his eyes through S1 and 2.
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I agree that whether or not Lee closes his eyes could be a trust thing with him. I was also thinking that Lee having his eyes open was a sign of just how surprised he was at Amanda’s reaction to his sudden reappearance. He knew that she was going to be surprised, but Amanda is completely unselfconscious with her reaction. As you said, he’s not used to receiving this type of affection from people. He’s probably not quite sure how to respond to it, at least at first.
Something I’ve always wondered when watching Lee and Amanda’s reunion scene is exactly where Lee was hiding during the last few days when everyone thought he was dead. Was he in the hospital all that time, recovering from his knife wound? It occurs to me that Amanda’s probably the best thing he’s seen in the last three days. 🙂
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I love both of the analysis you have laid out here Kiwismh and Jestress. The uninhibited emotion from Amanda and the surprise and delight from Lee.
I will be interested to hear when you discover Lee closes his eyes Kiwismh. That could be very telling.
Maybe the two hugs, the SBTB and ROTP hugs are two sides of a mirror. Lee had the angst in SBTB and Amanda has it here. I don’t know just a thought.
BJo, love all of the cheekiness, yours, Lee’s and “Amanda’s” 😉
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:lol:, Morley! I think you’ve got me pegged…I see you’ve put “Amanda’s” cheekiness in quotes 🙂
Do you think Amanda has angst here? I think I always saw her as just being sad and grieving – for Lee, for herself and her future or lack thereof without Lee. And by that I mean her job, not a personal thing.
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I guess angst is too general a word. It was Lee who was concerned about Amanda’s well being in SBTB and Amanda who was relieved that Lee’s well being was still intact in ROTP. Not sure how else to describe it right now.
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I wonder what Lee was thinking right before he walked into Amanda’s room to pronounce that he was still alive. And I wonder how much of her conversation with Dotty he heard. I would think that maybe Scarecrow was out there steeling himself for a possible negative reaction – or at least not one so enthusiastic as this. Maybe when he overheard the conversation right before Dotty left, he became less Scarecrow and more Lee and softened a bit and felt a little bad about having to deceive her and put her through this. I do cover this scene a bit more in post #2, and you can see he does feel badly.
There is some fanfiction out there about what Lee was doing during those three days. I bet if you went to Petra’s website, you’d find the links. Or perhaps folks here could point you to them directly. I’ve not read any of them.
And I agree with you 100% – I bet Amanda was the best thing he’d seen in 3 days 🙂
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Hi kiwismh! I like your idea of their eyes open/closed thing being related to their emotional maturity. Amanda does seem to be way ahead of Lee in that category, especially at this point in the series. I also think that Lee’s known for three days that he’d see Amanda again, but she thought she’d never see him again and was really upset about it.
I’m very intrigued by your idea that she
Do we know at this point how long Joe’s been gone? I know we find out in TWWH, but it’s been a while since I’ve watched the scene where she gives Lee the facts. Do you remember off the top of your head? That has got to make her wonder, I would think and after this case was wrapped up and things were back to normal, I wonder what she thought about it.
Oh, an assignment for you!!! Yes, please report back to us if you find out if and when Lee closes his eyes in their hugs in S1 and 2. Cool idea!
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“Whilst I think he enjoys every second of it, this type of emotion and hug is unknown territory for him.”
All of your hug thoughts vis-á-vis Lee are top-notch possibilities. I just want to toss in an added nuance to your above sentence. Since Amanda is giving Lee a very enticing full-body embrace, perhaps he’s at risk of losing himself in her and needs to keep his eyes open so he doesn’t overstep where they are in their relationship.
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Love the stats! I like the “cheeky” comments and I am loving wet Lee. I’ve got a towel right here! I think I am partial to this hug as opposed to the SBTB hug. While I like them both (a lot!!), I like the joy and enthusiasm expressed in this hug. In SBTB, Lee was afraid for Amanda’s life and knows he has the ability to save it. He didn’t think she was dead but is happy that she is back, however Amanda has no idea what has transpired but is realizing she could have died. Lee’s hug was a source of comfort, probably for both of them. In a way it is a sad sort of hug. In ROTP, Amanda is grieving for a lost friend and is rejoicing that he is alive, whereas Lee is rejoicing that someone cares enough to grieve in that way. It’s a more spontaneous hug and filled with more unguarded emotion. They are sort of wrapped up in each other which indicates how they are becoming more wrapped up in each other’s lives. There is just a lot of happiness here. And I love a good happily ever after. Not sure if that is a good explanation as to why I like it, but that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
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Hey Valerie! You’ve got your own towel for wet Lee? Haaa – love it! Has he ever stopped by to use it? 😉
I definitely share your thoughts on this ROTP hug showing a lot of joy and enthusiasm. The SBTB hug is a relief hug mostly to me. Amanda doesn’t really seem to enjoy that hug, but here in ROTP she is just so unbelievably happy. Until she tells him off 😆
And I’m glad you’re sticking to your story 😉 After all, it’s yours!
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Hi there to everyone.
Reading this fantastic stats post just now and trying really truly hard not to smile too hugely about all the cheek comments so my other half sitting near me won’t think I’m a crazed weirdo (although really he probably already does!)
As far as their eyes while hugging goes – he’s happy that’s she’s happy, but I think she’s really ecstatic that he’s alive, so his eyes open & hers closed makes sense to me thinking of it that way.
Albums? Definitely mixed them back up as soon as Amanda left that night!
And Lee’s eyes when they are in the alley behind Neds near the car? It really looks like Amanda’s asked him an incredibly uncomfortable question that he’s really struggling to find an appropriate answer for.
Like maybe “Were you checking out my rear end when we were climbing the stairs just now?” Any other possible question suggestions?
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Hi ebineez! So glad you like the post! I like what you say about their eyes while hugging – I can see what you mean. And I agree with you on the albums – haaa! I would have done the same thing!
ROFL for your meme!! Have you ever made one for SMK? I haven’t looked at that thread on Ned’s in a while.
This is too funny!!! 😆 Very cheeky, ebineez! 😉
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