[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":3,"doc-seo-142905-105":59,"doc-detail-142905-en":130},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",[7,13,18,23,28,33,38,43,48,51,55],{"id":8,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":10,"show_sort_weight":11,"slug":12},1,"Document","Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":14,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":15,"show_sort_weight":16,"slug":17},2,"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":19,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":20,"show_sort_weight":21,"slug":22},4,"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":24,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":25,"show_sort_weight":26,"slug":27},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":29,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":30,"show_sort_weight":31,"slug":32},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":34,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":35,"show_sort_weight":36,"slug":37},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":39,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":40,"show_sort_weight":41,"slug":42},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":44,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":45,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":47},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":46,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":49,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":50},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":52,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":53,"show_sort_weight":52,"slug":54},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":56,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":57,"show_sort_weight":24,"slug":58},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":60,"data":61},"ok",{"site_id":62,"language":63,"slug":64,"title":65,"keywords":66,"description":67,"schema_data":68,"social_meta":123,"head_meta":125,"extra_data":127,"updated_unix":129},105,"en","falling-back","Falling Back","","A couple sits in a café and spirals through the familiar pattern of breakups, reconciliations, and justifications. Their conversations turn into pointed exchanges about outdated catchphrases, mismatched memories, and how their relationships repeat with increasingly absurd partners. The dialogue exposes an underlying co-dependence, resentment about past marriages, and the painful shock of new proposals. As they argue over evidence and motives, humor masks the fear that their cycle will never truly end.",{"@graph":69,"@context":122},[70,84,105],{"@type":71,"itemListElement":72},"BreadcrumbList",[73,77,79,82],{"item":74,"name":75,"@type":76,"position":8},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":78,"name":9,"@type":76,"position":14},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/",{"item":80,"name":10,"@type":76,"position":81},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/story-novel/",3,{"item":83,"name":65,"@type":76,"position":19},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/falling-back/142905/",{"url":83,"name":65,"@type":85,"image":86,"author":91,"headline":65,"publisher":94,"fileFormat":97,"inLanguage":63,"description":67,"dateModified":98,"datePublished":99,"encodingFormat":97,"isAccessibleForFree":100,"interactionStatistic":101},"DigitalDocument",{"url":87,"@type":88,"width":89,"height":90},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/falling-back/142905.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":92,"@type":93},"Terk","Person",{"url":74,"name":95,"@type":96},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-09-27","2026-08-25",true,{"@type":102,"interactionType":103,"userInteractionCount":34},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":104},"ViewAction",{"@type":106,"mainEntity":107},"FAQPage",[108,114,118],{"name":109,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":111},"Where does the play take place, and who are the main characters?","Question",{"text":112,"@type":113},"The scene is set in a café. The main characters are FRED and GINGER.","Answer",{"name":115,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":116},"What problem does FRED and GINGER keep running into in their relationship?",{"text":117,"@type":113},"They repeatedly return to each other despite knowing the relationship is harmful, and they struggle to break the cycle of breakups, divorces, and reconciliations.",{"name":119,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":120},"What new information escalates the conversation between them?",{"text":121,"@type":113},"GINGER reveals that she has been dating someone new and that he asked her to marry him last week, which triggers FRED’s reaction and suspicion.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":83,"og:type":124,"og:title":65,"og:site_name":95,"og:description":67},"article",{"robots":126,"canonical":83},"index,follow",{"doc_id":128,"site_id":62},142905,1787690760,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":131},{"doc_id":128,"user_id":132,"nickname":92,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":8,"category_name":10,"doc_title":65,"doc_description":67,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":34,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":8,"is_downloadable":8,"audit_status":8,"page_count":44,"language":139,"language_code":63,"site_id":62,"html_lang":63,"table_of_contents":140,"faqs":141,"seo_title":142,"seo_description":67,"update_tm":129,"read_time":143},1099525198933,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_155a257f0dc6eb9ab79c44ca47cae57d","Russin 1  \nFalling Back  \nby Robin Russin  \nSetting: a café  \nCast: FRED, a multiple divorcee  \nGINGER, also a multiple divorcee  \nLIGHTS UP  \nFRED brings two identical drinks  \nover to the table .  \nFRED  \nSorry for the wait--the service in this place has always sucked, huh .  \nGINGER  \nDoesn't that tell you something--that we keep coming back here after knowing the service is always terrible?  \nFRED sits across from GINGER .  \nFRED  \nI wouldn't say we \"keep coming back here . \" We haven't been here in a year . But it's our place . \"America, right or wrong!\" -Right?  \nGINGER  \nOh my God, are you still using that stupid phrase to justify everything you do? It doesn't even make sense--it never made sense!  \nFRED pouts .  \nFRED  \nYou used to say it was cute .  \nGINGER  \nWell, it stopped being cute about fifteen years ago .  \nThey fold their arms defensively,  \nmirroring one another . They suddenly  \nsit forward, each about to say  \nsomething. There's an uncomfortable  \nlaugh .  \nRussin 2  \nGINGER  \nSee, that's the problem . We're too much alike.  \nFRED  \nNo . You have much nicer breasts than I do .  \nGINGER  \nThat stopped being cute about fifteen years ago, too .  \nFRED  \nHey, the truth never goes out of style .  \nGINGER  \nFred- - !  \nFRED  \nOK, OK . Look, Ginger, I know why you think I asked you here- -  \nGINGER  \nIt's why you always ask me here . You're breaking up with your latest girlfriend. So who is it this time, that roller-skating bimbo, Sally?  \nFRED  \nRebecca . Sally was two times ago . And she wasn't a bimbo, she was an actress .  \nGINGER  \nOh, that's right. . .but only in bed, as I recall . Isn't that why she broke up with you? Because she was tired of faking it?  \nFRED  \nThat was Alicia, and she only said it to hurt me. And I'm hurt that you would choose to remember that .  \nGINGER  \nLook, I'm sorry, but they all blend together at this point. They leave you, you leave them . And then you want me to take you back .  \nFRED  \nI took you back after- -who was it last time? Roger something or other? The one you thought was so exciting, \"Mister Extreme?\" The sky-diving, scuba-diving, cave-diving, muffdiving show-off .  \nGINGER  \nThat was Richard, Roger was. . .four times ago? And you should be ashamed, he died!  \nFRED  \nHe deserved it. What kind of idiot tries to swim the English Channel?  \nRussin 3  \nGINGER  \nLots of people have done it!  \nFRED  \nWith their arms tied behind their backs?  \nGINGER  \nHe was being original! And speaking of muff-diving, you should give that a try some time, it might improve your batting average .  \nFRED  \nLook, I'm trying. You got me to eat sushi. It's a start .  \nGINGER  \nI can't believe you actually said that .  \nFRED  \nIt used to make you laugh .  \nGINGER  \nIn high school! That was half a lifetime ago!  \nFRED  \nSpeak for yourself . For me, it was just yesterday .  \nGINGER  \nFred, we can't keep doing this--0h, my God--there, you see? We've been through this so many times, even I can't even open my mouth without coming out with a cliché . I mean, even our names, Fred and Ginger- -we are a cliché - -You and I!  \nFRED  \nIt's \"you and me. \"  \nGINGER  \nNo, it isn't, because \"You and I\" are still the subject, short for \"You and I are a cliché\" --and I hate it when you try to correct my grammar, you always get it wrong .  \nFRED  \nI do that on purpose . It turns me on when you get all hot and bothered . And don't tell me it doesn't turn you on either.  \nCome on, confess!  \nGINGER  \nAugh! All right! It does! But that's what makes me sure this relationship is insane!  \nFRED  \nMaybe--but not cliché! Who else uses bad grammar as foreplay? No one I know has had the kind of relationship we've had .  \nRussin 4  \nGINGER  \nYeah, and what should that tell you?  \nFRED  \nThat we're . . .unique.  \nGINGER  \nNo, it should tell you that there's something wrong here . There always has been . It's not normal; it's not even crazy- -it's--how did Dr . Miller put it? Co-dependent .  \nFRED  \nPlease, no more psycho-babble","cbCaikMuUOCAVRyg","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaikMuUOCAVRyg","pdf",13216,"English","# Falling Back\n## Setting and Characters\n## Recurring Arguments and Catchphrases\n## The Pattern of Breakups and Reunions\n## Counting Marriages and Prenuptials\n## New Proposals and Hidden Dating History","[{\"question\":\"Where does the play take place, and who are the main characters?\",\"answer\":\"The scene is set in a café. The main characters are FRED and GINGER.\"},{\"question\":\"What problem does FRED and GINGER keep running into in their relationship?\",\"answer\":\"They repeatedly return to each other despite knowing the relationship is harmful, and they struggle to break the cycle of breakups, divorces, and reconciliations.\"},{\"question\":\"What new information escalates the conversation between them?\",\"answer\":\"GINGER reveals that she has been dating someone new and that he asked her to marry him last week, which triggers FRED’s reaction and suspicion.\"}]","Falling Back | PDF",14]