This is what Willis was talkin' bout...

In memory of Gary Coleman, I thought I might answer what has become Mr Coleman's legacy.

So what was Willis talkin' bout? As it turns out, Willis was talkin' 'bout dualism - the belief that our mind has a non-material, spiritual dimension. This view was shared by both Dudley and Mrs Garrett, but strongly opposed by Mr D, who was a fierce materialist. The tension this debate caused in the upper Manhattan apartment was overwhelming, to say the least. In many cases, Mr D and Willis wouldn't talk for weeks at a time, leaving Arnold in the middle, struggling to find peace in what can only be considered a war zone. Mrs Garrett acted as a conduit between them, but since she sided with Willis philosophically, much of what Arnold heard was not necessarily accurate.  Sadly, throughout most of 1985, a bunk bed was just about the only thing Arnold and Willis shared.

Over the years, Willis began 'talkin 'bout less. Politics. Sports. Donna Summer. Rip Torn. Jelly beans. Scatman Cruthers. Dancercising. Big League Chew. Safe, almost juvenile topics that steered clear of controversy. He took a decidedly vague stance on just about everything, making it next to impossible to pin down exactly what he was talkin' 'bout at any given time. An affair will Mrs Garrett also made things a little less clear both in his head and with Mr D, who, disgustingly enough, was also in the midst of a torrid romance with Mrs G. Dudley also had romantic ties to Mrs Garrett, but has chosen not to comment.