canon is "the riches"

[mallarkey]

You are not ready for this. You aren't even near ready for this. You've still got a list as long as your arm of things that need to happen before you can afford to start worrying about me, so why are you--

Yes, nice to know you do have a plan. "X" might mark the spot, but it doesn't narrow things down much these days. Popular letter. But that's okay. I am okay with that. I've got more than enough commitments to worry about already without adding on any others. The last thing I... Look, even better idea: forget about it entirely. How about that? Just close the relevant windows and we'll be on our way.

Shit.

Comments

[ennuis]

Question is: where will you go?

[mallarkey]

That's a question I'd love an answer to myself. Home into bed is what I'd love to say, but apparently that's just too damn simple. Personally, I'm in no hurry for that decision to get made.

[ennuis]

Y'know you don't get to do any of that without that brain you're in right now. It ain't up to you anymore.

[mallarkey]

Doesn't mean I can't complain about it, does it? If you're trapped in a bad situation it's the very least you should be able to do.

[ennuis]

[pff.] Well, yeah, buddy. Ain't nobody charging for us complaining just yet.

Yet.

[withamask]

Trouble in paradise?

[mallarkey]

Trouble with leaving paradise, yeah. Terrible timing. Actually the worst timing, not that I'm keeping track.

[withamask]

What's going on?

[mallarkey]

Well--

[ Where to even start... ]

A funeral, the biggest business deal of my life, and my son's left home. Things are a little bit hectic.

[reallycute]

X is probably the most popular letter, actually. I've seen more of them in my life than all the others combined.

And you've just put one on your back, in case you weren't aware.

[mallarkey]

Somehow that doesn't surprise me. It's definitely a convenient one.

Uh -- [ Hah. ] Is that flattery or a threat? I can't tell.

[reallycute]

It's more fact than either. The more you protest, the more they want to do something with you.

It really helps if they like your face, too. That's what does a lot of us in around here.

[mallarkey]

I don't really care who likes my face or not. I've got things to do, she's got things to do... it's your classic cart before the horse.

[nonononono]

Shit is right. Sorry, buddy.

It's kind of scary how quickly they get ready when you're insisting they're not. They, like, kick it into gear like a Formula One driver. You're all the motivation they need.

[mallarkey]

Thanks, kid, that's really a load off my mind.

But I wasn't kidding. Nothing's ready. There's no way anything can happen any sooner than in a month. Maybe by then it won't be an issue anymore.

[nonononono]

A month isn't very long. It'll be on you before you know it, like a shark or something.

But maybe somebody else will come by in that time and you'll go on the back burner. It can happen.

[mallarkey]

At least a month. It's really more like two. Or more. I'm counting on something coming up, personally. A lot can happen. Plenty's happened to me in only three.

[slightlyoffchilt]

One wonders what sort of "X"s you might be spotting, for such a mark.

[mallarkey]

Well, nothing in the triple-digits.

At the moment it's still more like fishing than spotting.

[slightlyoffchilt]

And that makes you, what? An ex-fisherman?

[mallarkey]

Actually, I'm a lawyer.

[infomodder]

Close one window, another one opens.

[Okay so maybe that's supposed to be about doors, but his brain's on fire. Cut him some slack.]

And it's really easy to open windows. Just a click away.

[mallarkey]

There's so many windows open already that I'll take that risk. Sometimes they stay closed if you can do it with enough feeling.

[infomodder]

Or you slam them too hard, the glass shatters, and they're just as open as they were before.

Delicate balance and all that.

[mallarkey]

I've got a light touch -- it helps. Especially when we're not dealing with literal windows.