Jekyll and Hyde (That '70s Show)

chapter 8 (eric's buddy)

SONG: Positively Fourth Street by Bob Dylan (no shade to Eric intended)

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School started again a week after New Year's, and on the first day, Ida already got so much work and homework that she left the library with four thick encyclopedias on the Second World War because her AP history teacher was insane. She turned in the two essays she had to finish over the break and in return, he gave them one more due Friday on a topic they haven't even covered yet: communism.

'So, you're telling me,' Hyde said, looking at one of the books Ida checked out of the library, 'you will be writing an essay on communism in the same house as your dad lives in? The only person that hates commies more than your dad is Red. He's gonna flip out more than when you told him you're considering becoming an anarchist.'

Ida smiled awkwardly. 'It was worse when I announced that I am an anarchist.' She looked down at the book. 'I'm just gonna have to hide it well. I should also go over to my grandparents' house. I know my grandpa has Marx's book that flew into his trench when he fought in France.' Then she leaned on the Vista Cruiser with Hyde and Kelso, and hugged the books tighter to her chest. It was really cold outside.

'Where the hell is Forman, man?' Hyde asked. 'This isn't like him.'

Kelso was holding his hands in his pockets, shivering from the cold. 'I'm really starting to get worried,' he said and then looked down at Hyde and Ida. 'What if something happened to him?'

'Nothing happened to him,' Hyde answered.

But Kelso kept pushing. 'What if he's lost or hurt somewhere?'

'Calm down, Lassie. I'm sure Timmy's just fine.'

Ida looked around. It really never was like Eric to be late, especially not this late when everyone has already gone home. 'I mean, his car is still here. Do you think he and Donna stayed behind to make out in the bathroom and lost track of time?'

Kelso shook his head. 'Donna finishes one period earlier than us.' Then he thought a bit for a moment and added, 'Maybe we should check the school morgue.'

Hyde exchanged a look with Ida who only shrugged and then told him, 'Kelso, the school doesn't have a morgue.'

'Then what do we pay all those taxes for?'

'You know what kills me?' Hyde asked in disbelief. 'You do better in school than I do.'

Ida leaned back against the Vista Cruiser, looking down at her books and smirking to herself. 'You would too if you flirted with the math teacher.'

'I'm worried, man,' Kelso said, looking around again in the hopes of Eric popping up from somewhere.

'He's right,' Ida agreed.

Hyde started considering the possibility of something actually being wrong. 'Okay, fine. Let's just be logical, right?' He said, looking from Ida to Kelso. 'Forman's not gonna just ditch us. The Cruiser's battery is probably dead or something.' Then he reached towards the car door in an attempt to open it but without any luck.

'You know what? It's starting to get late. Maybe we should just start walking?' Kelso suggested.

'No,' Hyde answered simply. 'I'm not walking. If God wanted us to walk, he wouldn't have given us Forman.'

They waited for another five minutes. It was so cold that Ida could not feel her hands and there was no space in her backpack to fit all of her books and then put her hands into her pockets. Tired of waiting, she said, 'Well, I'm walking. You freeze your nads off but I ain't freezing mine.'