[network] @librarian; Evening 309; video/text [open]

[cahooted]

[Flynn would actually prefer to keep this text only but his disdain for touchscreen applications and his love for talking out loud get in the way, as per usual.]

So I hope everybody is doing okay, in a more or less okayish manner or some variety thereof. We had a bit of a difficult time lately with the memory twists and confusion and, you know, usual side dish of general horribleness going around. I'm just gonna assume that the demand for distraction is high and I am happy to announce that there have been some new additions to the library, especially our somewhat scarce fiction section.

Hello to all our newcomers, too. You have already received the important guides and information at this point, I'm sure. For those of you I haven't had a chance to speak with yet, my name is Flynn Carsen and I'd like to add some of the more leisure-oriented material to your reading list – but please, put a particular emphasis on your immediate survival, thank you.

As you will soon realize the evenings after lockdown can get long and tedious and there is not much going around in terms of entertainment, so: There is a joint effort to compile an e-library of reading material people have found during their travels or have brought with them into the city.

[He switches to text at this point, if only for convenience's sake.]

You can access the current collection here.

Among our newest additions are:

• A story about a seagull. Very post-modern, very disjointed symbolism. For fans of Ulysses, House of Leaves and Dadaism, not necessarily in that order.
• A novel about two rivals, seeking the fountain of youth to claim immortality and infamy. Predictable but fun.
• A story about a haunted house coming alive. Might hit a little close to home in this deathtrap of a city but the writing's of decent quality. Don't read when you're traveling alone.
• A bunch of manuscripts from an unknown Norfinbury author. Particularly happy about this one. There's even some screenplays in the mix. Some are already up, more will be added over the next couple of days.
• A billiard magazine. Lots of pictures. A little depressing, the rooms are very nice. Good for a cry if you miss spacious lounges, velvet couches, scotch tumblers or being rich.

I'm also happy to announce an original tale by our very own Hans Christian Andersen about a [cannibalistic animal murder mystery] badger.

As per usual, stay safe and warm and and try not to die.

Comments

[motherserpent]

...Ask a stupid question....

[Give her a second, you've made her giggle.]

[cahooted]

[Heh. Flynn ducks his head, grinning. Okay, she really doesn't seem very murdery, he thinks he's okay.]

Sorry. That's not what I meant. It just came to me.

[motherserpent]

[Just count your lucky stars you'll never have to meet her dad.]

So what do you do back in the real world? I'm guessing it proooobably begins with an 'L' and ends with an '-ibrarian.'

[cahooted]

[Now it's his turn to laugh and he clasps his hands together in mock shock.]

Wow, you were holding out on me. You must be a detective! Admit it, the whole line cook thing is just a cover.

[motherserpent]

[Oh gosh have the realest laughter; she's absolutely not faking it at all, nope, super real laughter over here.]

No, no, just a line cook. Never really amounted to anything, just ask my parents. Something something wasted potential something.

[cahooted]

[Congratulations, Tess. That totally doesn't bring a frown to his face because that sounded so real and genuine.

Okay, something is obviously up and Flynn searches her face but it doesn't tell him anything. Not for the first time he feels stumped, like he should know there is something that should just come to him by looking at her but doesn't, like he's missing a basic sense.

This stupid city, seriously.]

Oookay. ... Well, I guess your parents and mine would get along. My mother thinks all I do is "put books on shelves".

[motherserpent]

[Don't look at her like that, Flynn. Why is this so hard? She was this person she's describing just a couple years ago -- okay, a decade ago -- and she should remember how to act it. Gods walk among mortals unnoticed all the freaking time; it shouldn't be this hard.]

Is she wrong? I mean, not criticizing; we who enjoy taking books off of shelves salute you. I've just never been that organized.

[cahooted]

[He's used to his mother's jabs at his profession so he just laughs, unoffended.]

It's a little more than that. You don't just "throw food in a pan", do you?

[motherserpent]

[She chuckles, a more real sound than before.]

Fair point. Bet you had to go to school for that, too.

[cahooted]

Kind of.

It's not exactly what I trained for but, you know. Nothing wrong with a lateral entry.

[motherserpent]

Best kind of entry, in my experience.

[cahooted]

Absolutely.

So you travel a lot? What places have you been?

[motherserpent]

Oh, lot of places. Started out in Colorado, ended up in Las Vegas before I was brought here. Spent a summer in Alaska, believe it or not. Liked it a lot better then than I do now. Mostly I've stayed in the states, but I've done the backpacking through Europe thing, too.

[cahooted]

Hey, that sounds great. I've been to Europe. Never done the backpacking thing but I've seen some of the cities.

[motherserpent]

Not gonna lie, it was fantastic. No real responsibilities, no boredom, like, ever. Just one new place after another.

[cahooted]

[Well. He can't really comment on the no responsibilities part but the no boredom makes him laugh.]

I bet. I miss being on the road. And I would kill to see some actual green and plant life again.

[He grins.] Not literally, of course.

[motherserpent]

That's alright, I'm not hiding any begonias in my backpack anyway. I'm not scared.

You travel a lot, then?

[cahooted]

That's too bad. Begonias are wonderful. Very resilient, I mean, probably not resilient enough for this weather but the stem can store a lot of water for the dry seasons of the year. Some are even edible, though large quantities can be poisonous due to high content of oxalic acid in the plant tissues.

[Welcome to Begonia Fun Facts, Tess! Wait, did you ask him a question? Oh, well.]

Did you know that in the past, they were used to polish sword blades?

[motherserpent]

I did not know that.

[She's too amused to even be annoyed at what she perceives as a dodge.]

I'll keep that in mind next time I have a sword to polish.

[cahooted]

Now you do. [And isn't that great, Tess.]

My mom had a whole bunch of them. They're really resilient. Not that she couldn't handle the more delicate types.

[motherserpent]

[It actually super is. Discovery gives her life.]

Far be it from me to besmirch your mother's gardening honor. You're just full of fun facts, aren't you?

[cahooted]

Well, I am a librarian.

[He grins.] But yeah, I guess I'm full of them. Do you like fun facts?

[motherserpent]

I love fun facts. That's why they're fun.

[cahooted]

That's great! Because I have a lot of them. Of the fun facts.

Which is what I meant when I said I am full of them.

... I have no idea how to salvage this moment.

[motherserpent]

You could try telling me another fun fact!

[Keep going, little guy, this is great.]