How It All Goes Down
The First Tuesday We Talk About the World
- So think of the last class as orientation. Now the real thing begins as Mitch arrives with lunch.
- They sit down and start talking just like they did in college: Morrie asks questions, and then coaches Mitch through the answers.
- Morrie comments on how he's coming to terms with his growing dependency.
- He also says that he's grateful because through his own suffering he's able to unite with the suffering of others like he never was able to before. He gets very emotional over this thought.
- He senses that Mitch's guard is up and tells him that he's "gonna show you it's okay to cry" (8.28).
- Before Mitch leaves, Morrie brings up the idea of love again, and tells Mitch to allow love in his life.
- As they leave, Mitch kisses Morrie on the cheek, which he says is "uncharacteristic" (8.41) for him. Looks like someone's softening up a bit…
- And it's flashback time again.
- Morrie walks into the college classroom, but rather than starting a lecture, he instead doesn't say a word. Students start looking around awkwardly and eventually start whispering.
- Morrie is taking the opportunity to start a conversation about silence and why people feel weird about it.
- Unlike most of the other students, Mitch doesn't mind the silence. In fact, he feels awkward talking a lot. As they leave class, Morrie picks up on his student's mood and says that Mitch reminds him of a young version of himself.