The Misadventures of Matthew Van Der Boot

The date is Friday, October 7, 1983. Fifteen-year-old Matthew Van Der Boot is simply trying to survive another day of sophomore year in high school. In our last episode, Matthew decides to tag along with Ruth and her friends who get him to buy beer from the mini-mart in his neighborhood. “Matthew,” the man behind the counter says, “Shouldn’t you be in school?” Now they are on their way to an old abandoned house known as Dead Joe’s. 

The date is Friday, October 7, 1983. Fifteen-year-old Matthew Van Der Boot is simply trying to survive another day of sophomore year in high school. In our last episode, we saw what happens when Matthew decides to remain quiet about the incident in the locker rooms. Instead, he ditches English and follows his new friend Ruth to the parking lot where they smoke out in a car with some of her friends. When they invite Matthew to leave school with them, he must decide whether to go along or get out of the car and go back to class.

The date is Friday, October 7, 1983. Fifteen-year-old Matthew Van Der Boot is simply trying to survive another day of sophomore year in high school. As you recall, Matthew’s decision to tell the principal what he witnessed in the locker room leads to him leaving school without permission and walking home. “You scramble up and crawl through on your stomach, lowering yourself head first onto your unmade bed.” In this episode, we are going to go back a few hours in time and see how his day might be different had he decided to stay quiet about the incident.

The date is Friday, October 7, 1983. Fifteen-year-old Matthew Van Der Boot is simply trying to survive another day of sophomore year in high school. Previously: In episode 2, Matthew feels compelled to tell the principal what he witnessed in the locker room. “Thank you for your cooperation, Van Der Boot. You can go back to class now.” In this episode we find out if Matthew decides to check out the ambulance and see how his bully is doing or take his hall pass and go to his English class. 

The date is Friday, October 7, 1983. Fifteen-year-old Matthew Van Der Boot is simply trying to survive another day of sophomore year in high school. Previously: As you recall, in episode 1, Matthew receives some unexpected attention from a fellow classmate and ends up walking her to class. He later agrees to go on a date with someone he’s never met. “My friend Claudia wants to know if you’ll go to the dance with her.” And finally, he is left with the choice of either going to PE or ditching and hanging out in his art teacher’s room. 

The date is Friday, October 7, 1983. Gas is $1.16 per gallon, the first African American is crowned Miss USA, over 2,736 Americans have been killed by Aids so far, The Police’s “Every Breath You Take” continues to top the singles charts, a Soviet military officer just averted a nuclear war by identifying a U.S. missile attack as a false alarm, Cheech and Chong’s third film Still Smokin’ is probably still playing at drive-ins, and fifteen-year-old Matthew Van Der Boot is simply trying to survive another day of sophomore year in high school.