Video; open (edited)

[not_as_i_do]

[most have had a pretty chill experience with Martin, so far: laid-back, easy going, friendly. easy to talk to. generally surprisingly adaptable to this whole Different thing. but the video feed clicks on to show him leaning away from the webcam in his office. he's in a plain white tee, having shed his soiled scrubs, and his eyes are wild as he licks at his lips, waving .... a spoon dripping with melted lemon sherbert]

Alright. I demand to know what or who is responsible for this bullshit. I just nearly lost a patient in the middle of a cabbage [at least it sounds like he said cabbage?!] procedure because I needed a scalpel and picked up THIS.

[he paces back and forth, reaching up to scrub a hand through his curls. in his anger, confusion, and grief he almost looks a bit feral] It was a goddamned scalpel until I touched it. My nurses didn't know what the hell to make of it, thought someone had played a practical joke. Not. Fucking. Funny. It's a wonder one of them managed to pick up another scalpel in time, or he could have died on the table. I'm going to face some sort of inquiry now because someone thinks I was fooling around! I'm lucky it's not a malpractice suit!

If that happened .. you'd better believe I'd be in touch with the Bureau. I'm not going to lose any lives over this. It's one thing for them to put us all together in support groups and all this. But ... this is too much.

Oh, and apparently at some point I'm stuck in the middle of a riot? And cheating on a wife I don't have here? Or something. I don't even know what was really going on, but she was tearing me a new ass, and that was sure what it sounded like.

Sherbert.

I don't even LIKE lemons!

[another drag of his hands through his hair and he throws the spoon to the floor]

Fuck!

Comments

video

[inquiryguqin]

Any luck contacting the Bureau? Because nobody is picking up the phone.

[not_as_i_do]

Not so far. [he huffs out a sigh] I take it you've been trying too. ... How long?

[inquiryguqin]

Since this morning. Nobody picks up the phone.

I guess they knew what is happening and they're trying to fix it.

[not_as_i_do]

... Or they're trying to see how much of it we can take.

[he's thinking specifically of the message that he, Fell, and that other little guy decoded a couple of weeks ago, but it's not safe to discuss over the public network. either way, this guy is pretty trusting of the Bureau, all things considered]

I don't think I've seen you on here very much, are you new?

[inquiryguqin]

Not new much really. I attended the support group. I had seen you in last month's support group, but I was very busy.

Anyway, you didn't happen to eat any of the sherbets, have you?

[not_as_i_do]

No, I haven't, I can't stand the stuff. Why, does something happen if you do?

[inquiryguqin]

Well, it turns out its real ice cream and it's edible. I lost a mug that way. It had me worried for a while but my mug is truly gone.

But it is annoying when my car turn into a lemon sherbet.

[not_as_i_do]

Well, when you put it that way, I suppose I should be grateful I haven't caused whole subway cars to go the same route...

[inquiryguqin]

That's kinda terrifying to think about it. Good thing I don't use buses to get around the city either.

Anyway, your patients. Are they all right?

[not_as_i_do]

Yes, thank goodness. One of my nurses was able to salvage the situation ... but everyone seems to think it was a prank. I may have to claim some sort of illness or a hand sprain until all of this clears up, or I shudder to think what may happen.

[inquiryguqin]

That sounds like a harrowing experience, trying to save a life. I'm studying to be a teacher, so I don't know anything about medicine or working in hospitals, but thank goodness. [He is relieved for him]

Do you work in the ER?

[not_as_i_do]

You're the second teacher I know who's one of the Different, then. What sort of teaching?

I did some work there while I was going for my doctorate? But no, I'm a cardiothoracic surgeon: all my surgeries are heart or throat patients who need very specific surgeries. Adjustments to things so that they can breathe properly, or have better circulation, or to repair damages.

[inquiryguqin]

I recently graduated. I'm a professor in history and social studies. I haven't start working yet, but I'm debating whether to teach children or just write books and deal with antiques or work in a museum.

[So, a very academic sort. Color him impressed, that's a high degree]

Cardiothoracic. A heart and throat surgeon. Goodness, I can't stand the sight of blood, needles, and a scalpel, so kudos to you.

[not_as_i_do]

History and social studies, that's a fascinating combination. Knowing the past to study the imprint on the present. I'd say just follow your heart - but then again, I'm biased.

[heart puns. they never get old]

I tend to think of it this way: my family wanted me to be an Army doctor. I could be seeing far, far worse.

[inquiryguqin]

Army doctor? That's a good career. Is there a reason why you didn't pursue the path?

[He's only curious. He wouldn't join the military due to his physical fragility and his own family wouldn't let him if he tried]

[not_as_i_do]

[it's a bit of a personal question, but then again, he sees no reason not to share: they're all talking about getting foreign memories back after all, and that's even more personal]

I was just finishing training when my father died of heart failure. It ... redefined my focus a little. I thought ... if someone had caught it earlier, maybe something could've been done. But since you can't change the past, maybe I could make that difference for someone else.

[consortofalderaan]

That is alarming. Both, actually.

I'm going to assume you're talking about two different things here?

[not_as_i_do]

Hello ... yes, sorry, I'm a little too addled to be coherent, apparently. I've started getting memories back, on top of all this nonsense.

Sorry! I did not get this notif

[consortofalderaan]

That is unfortunate.

How are dealing with both?

Tis OK, it happens!

[not_as_i_do]

At the moment I'm more immediately concerned with the sherbert nonsense. The memories I can sort out in my own time, but they might have to do an inquiry into the office if someone reports what happened. My attending nurses and assistants at the surgery all thought it was some kind of elaborate prank.