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?

[withamask]

Trouble in paradise?

[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]

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.

[mallarkey]

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

[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.

[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.

[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.

[reallycute]

Have you actually ever seen a horse-drawn cart?

[why do all the future people have to talk about horses and carts]

Sometimes the cart being before the horse is preferable. Some horses are just dumb enough to push it, not pull.

[mallarkey]

What?

[ What. ]

Well, that isn't the point, it's just an expression. Nothing to do with any real horses, all about getting ahead of ourselves.

[withamask]

[ Ah... Now his reluctance makes sense. ]

You have a lot on your plate. [ A pause. ] I'm sorry for your loss.

[reallycute]

Now you're just complimenting her.

The more you feed into them, the more they become invested in you. It's like the worst relationship you could possibly have...short of marrying a witch just because she saved your life.

[mallarkey]

It wasn't really my loss, he-- oh, you mean my son. I'm sure he's fine, he always... he's-- he's a tough kid. [ Sigh. ] It's his mother that's worried. That's-- well, that's the thing, how am I supposed to leave all that behind? How does anyone?

[withamask]

We don't have much a choice, unfortunately. They don't like to listen to reason.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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]

Sure, who listens to reason anymore? Sometimes I feel like-- I'm not sure I remember what reason feels like.