The Map:

Simone’s Notes:

Analysts of interpersonal relationships may view a relationship as focused or as unfocused. People traveling to a football-match share a relationship — whether they support the same team or opposing teams. The significance of the relationship may not become apparent until they cheer or boo. In each case culture will tend to define the forms of both accepted and unacceptable interactions. Interpersonal relationships vary in their degree of self-disclosure, feedback, power and respect — to name but a few aspects. They vary in the extent to which culture and language define or construct them. They vary in the degree to which people can question, challenge or change relationships of relevance to themselves; and that degree of changeability itself can demonstrate power-differentials in a variety of interpersonal relationships and settings. Relationships vary in the degree to which both intimacy and sharing occur — implying the discovery or establishment of common ground over time. They may or may not center around things shared in common.

Molly’s map had become a hit. All of the soldiers were interested about who they were with now and had they been with in the past. Some were itching to add there relationships to the great map. Molly found herself busy every other week adding to the map. The first pages of her notebook were full now. She proudly showed them off to Alphonse. Her crush was impressed.

“See?” the young journalist asked him. “I told you it was a great idea!”

“I see!” Al said. Molly smiled brightly as she nodded. However, with the popularity came some hang-ups. 2nd lt. William Howard was humiliated by the map revealing all of his past relationships. Karen was enraged by all of this.

“You’ve been with that many people?!?” she snapped at him.

“Sweetie!” he pleaded with her. Karen locked herself in the bathroom. William pounded onto the door.

“Karen!” he yelled. “Hear me out! I didn’t tell you because I was afraid that you couldn’t take my sexuality!” There was silence behind the bathroom door. William drew in a heavy breath. He knew this would happen. “Damn you, Tina!” he thought. “I knew this would happen!” Now, he had to bite the bullet and tell it all. The man drew in a deep breath.

“Okay, Karen,” he went on. “I am bisexual, my first love was a boy I called Jules. I have been with many men and women since then. Including Tina!” Then, the door opened wide. Karen stood before him looking blankly. William waited for her to speak again.

“And Tina…” his wife demanded. A pause came over them.

“It’s all over for her and me!” William replied. “You are my future!” Tina didn’t seem to me believe him at first. Then, she stepped forward and kissed her husband on the lips. William held her close to his body. However, he wasn’t the only one with problems. Syd was still pissed off at Ella for putting his relationships up on the map. Molly’s map was causing so much of a stir that Roy had to call the creator into his office.

In the morning, Molly sat in the office waiting. She felt like she was in the principal’s office for doing wrong. In fact, the girl was confused. She was wondering what this was all about. Roy looked at her with his usual narrow eyes and serious look on his face.

“Molly,” he spoke up. “Do you know why you are here?”

“No sir,” the young journalist replied. The lt. gen. took in a steady breath.

“It’s your map,” he explained. “It’s causing many problems.” Molly looked at him confused.

“What do you mean?” she asked. “Everyone loves the map. It’s like a tabloid for the military!”

“That’s the thing,” Roy tried to reason. “It’s too distracting.”

“How so?” the girl asked.

“That’s all everyone talks about here,” he said. “Everyone needs to be working.”

“So?” Molly asked innocently. “Gets life to the office and the map is a great talking piece.”

“You’ve also caused problems with this map,” Mustang went on. This really threw Molly for a loop. She clearly wasn’t expecting that one.

“Problems?” the young journalist asked. “What problems?”

“You nearly caused Lt. Howard and his wife to divorce,” Roy replied. Molly just shrugged.

“I just wrote down what Master Sergeant Newman told me,” she said. “I’m not responsible for what comes next.” Mustang sighed.

“I hate to say this Molly,” he said at last. “I mean I like the map myself, but for the good of the military, I have to order it to be taken down.” Molly looked at him with wide eyes.

“WHAT?!?” she asked in shock. Mustang looked away in disappointment.

“I’m so sorry, Molly,” he replied. The young journalist tried not to cry at all. She knew tears were unless now. Nothing could save the map now. Boy was she wrong!

After the meeting, Molly ran into Alphonse in the hallway. Her crush noticed that she was crying.

“Molly,” Al said as he stopped her in the hall. “What’s wrong?” The young journalist looked up at him with tears in her eyes.

“Mustang’s taking down the map!” she wailed out. Her beau looked at her surprised.

“What?!?” he asked. “Are you serious?” Molly nodded at him with tears.

“Awww, come here,” Alphonse said softly to her as he lightly hugged her to his chest. Molly just cried up against his chest. He took her outside to the court and sat her down on the ground with him. The boy waited until Molly got calm enough to talk to him clearly.

“Now, talk to me,” Al said to her calmly. “What happened?” His bunny broke down and told him the whole story about her meeting with Mustang and his decision to take down the map. Alphonse listened for throughout the whole story.

“So what are you going to do now?” he asked her when she was finished. Molly shrugged at him as she lightly dried her tears.

“I was going to post my map on the internet,” she said. “But since no one will give me new information since the map is going down, I don’t know.” Alphonse lightly held her hand.

“Well,” he said. “You want to take a walk with me while try to figure things out.” Molly thought about that for a second, then she nodded at him.

“Okay,” Al said softly to her. “Let’s go.” Then, the couple got up and walked into the city.

By lunch time, Molly, Mustang, and Al were all in for a HUGE surprise. When Molly and Al made it back to the lobby of the apartment, there was a blank space where the map once was. But next to it was a small stack of papers. Mustang was reading the papers to himself quietly. Curious, the two teens walked over to him and the board. Roy turned around to them when he heard their footsteps.

“Oh Molly, Al!” he exclaimed. The young couple looked at the first page of the stack.

“Lt. Gen!” Alphonse greeted. “What’s going on?” Roy shrugged to the young couple.

“Apparently, Molly has some supporters here,” he replied. “All of the soldiers, WAGs, and tenants here have signed a petition to keep the map up.” Molly stared at him with wide eyes. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing! Her map was that popular? So popular that everyone made a petition to keep it after all. Molly blinked hard at the petition, but the image didn’t change. There was *actually* a petition to keep up the map on the board. But still, there was only one thing left.

“So will you let Molly keep the map?” Alphonse asked. Roy sighed and shrugged as he shook his head. He was clearly stuck now.

“I don’t know,” he said. “It’s going to be distracting to the men and everyone’s dirty laundry will be out in the open…” Molly looked at him like a sweet little puppy. The lt. gen. was really in a jam now. On one hand, he would have anarchy if he took the map down. On the other hand, he would have more problems with men like Lt. Howard if it stayed. Molly’s sweet little eyes weren’t helping him either.

At last, Mustang broke down and said, “Fine! The map can stay! But if I have anymore problems from it, the map is going down, popularity or not!” Then, Roy walked away to his office. Molly and Alphonse stood there in complete belief. Did they just… win? There was a heavy silence for a long time between them. Then, Molly rushed forward and hugged Al wildly. He hugged her back smiling.

“I get to keep my map!!!” his bunny cried out.

“I’m so happy for you!” he said back. They hugged like that for a while longer. It was official: the map was here to stay!