Sime~Gen Roleplaying: Householding Naros Scenario
Episode #115: Chicken Channels and Motherhens (1/12/99)
Anmyn signals at Riyyh's office door.
Anmyn is ~~ distressed ~~
Riyyh: Come in....
Riyyh looks up, concerned.
Anmyn opens the door and slips through.
Anmyn: Do you have a moment?
Riyyh: Yes, of course, what is it?
Riyyh puts down his pen.
Anmyn is terribly afraid that she's interrupting Very Important Sectuibly Business.
Riyyh is desperately willing to be distracted by just about anything.
Anmyn: It's this letter. It's not like the others. Are you sure you want me to answer it?
Riyyh: ~~accommodating~~
Riyyh: Let me have a look at it.
Anmyn hands the letter to Riyyh.
Anmyn: It seems more--serious, somehow.
Riyyh sees it is a letter from Hajene Darrel, the channel who was so generous as to share some of his lobby duty with Riyyh at the Bender Cove Sime Center.
Riyyh reads it ~curiously~
Anmyn: That is, assuming that you really did meet this person on your journey to Bender Cove.
Anmyn: He sounds a little--unbalanced.
Anmyn would never go so far as to diagnose an imminent nervous breakdown at this stage in her education.
Riyyh: [reading] "....having barricaded myself in my room and refused to set foot out of it until somebody has pushed a transfer order under the door..." Hmmm, this does sound rather serious.
Anmyn: He doesn't have a Donor?
Riyyh: Why, I don't really know, Anmyn, this is the first I've heard of him in months.
Riyyh: ~concern~
Riyyh rereads it, particularly the part where Darrel goes on about the "...idyllic paradise that your description made of your Householding, as well as the lack of fear that anyone or anything might pop up and accost you at any time..."
Anmyn: At first, I thought it was just another person trying to make a letter memorable.
Anmyn: You know, make it exciting, so you'd read it.
Anmyn: But this Darrel person didn't sound interested in the same thing that the others wanted.
Riyyh: A shame, but then, not everybody is. [smiles kindly]
Riyyh: How long ago was this...? [turns over the letter and studies the date]
Riyyh: Oh dear, it's been almost two weeks.
Riyyh: The poor fellow.
Riyyh sighs sympathetically.
Anmyn: I hope your friend is all right.
Anmyn: ~~ concern ~~
Riyyh: Yes, I will answer this one, Anmyn.
Riyyh: It was very sharp of you to pick it out as requiring my personal attention.
Riyyh: ~~kindness~~
Anmyn regrets having to foist yet another burden onto Riyyh's shoulders.
Anmyn: Do you think you'll be able to help your friend?
Riyyh: I'll have to consider it carefully. I want to, but....
Riyyh feels a bit helpless as he contemplates trying to finagle a transfer of a Tecton employee to Naros, given his current status with the Tecton right now.
Anmyn: Is he Tecton?
Anmyn: Or is he a Householder?
Riyyh: Perhaps not in exactly the way he wishes, but I may be able to do something for hi... yes, he is Tecton.
Anmyn: Poor man, to not have a House to belong to.
Anmyn is even more sympathetic now.
Riyyh: Many people don't, Anmyn, it's not considered anywhere near as much of a predicament as it used to be.
Riyyh is impressed by the depths of her compassion.
Riyyh: ~fondness~
Anmyn: He seems so unhappy at his current home.
Riyyh: Yes.
Anmyn: Is Bender Cove really "an insane asylum run by the patients"?
Riyyh: To have written, in his moment of desperation, to one who is hundreds of miles a way and nearly a perfect stranger... oh my, yes, Anmyn.
Riyyh: Of course, when I visited I was most distraught over another matter and perhaps was not seeing things in their correct proportions.
Anmyn: Do you understand that bit about the lobby? Don't most Sime Centers have one?
Riyyh: Yes, I believe they do.
Anmyn: He writes as if it were something evil and malevolent.
Riyyh: Paranoia of this sort is actually rather common among those for whom stress has become utterly unbearable. [explains]
Anmyn: But what caused the stress?
Riyyh: I do not know. [confesses]
Riyyh: I do know that many people find the Bender Cove Lower Center, given its location and clientele, very stressful.
Anmyn: He seems to have assumed you would understand.
Riyyh: I am flattered that he would think of me as sympathetic and perceptive, after so short an acquaintance.
Riyyh: ~pleased~
Anmyn: Can you help him?
Riyyh: I will try. [promises]
Anmyn feels ~~ confident ~~ that Riyyh will find a solution.
Anmyn: I'm so glad that he has a friend like you, who cares about him.
Riyyh: Oh dear. [to himself]
Anmyn: It would be very lonely, not to have anybody to care about you, and help you when there's trouble.
Riyyh is beginning to sense that Anmyn was very powerfully affected by this letter and will stop at nothing to see its author freed from his bondage.
Riyyh: Yes, indeed.
Riyyh tries to think of who he can pull strings with to get Darrel transferred without making it obvious he was involved.
Anmyn: Well, I still have to answer the other letters, so I won't keep you longer.
Riyyh looks up at Anmyn.
Riyyh: You've been doing a wonderful job. Thank you.
Riyyh: I really appreciate it.
Anmyn: Oh, dear. I've interrupted your thoughts again.
Anmyn: ~~ chagrin ~~
Riyyh: I don't mind. [smiles gently]
Anmyn: And here you have enough work to keep you busy until supper.
Anmyn: Is Wolfa any better?
Riyyh: Tictoc has gotten her medication stabilized again, but.... [sadly]
Riyyh: Well, we will have to see.
Anmyn: ~~ sadness ~~
Anmyn: Shall I have Vissera send up a snack for you?
Anmyn: It would be no trouble, really.
Riyyh: Why thank you, Anmyn, how kind of you.
Anmyn feels she should do something to cheer Riyyh up, after bringing such a troubling matter to his attention.
Riyyh smiles at her.
Anmyn skips off for the kitchen.
Riyyh studies the letter again, giving in (in Anmyn's absence) to his curiosity as to where Darrel might have bought his purple ink.
Riyyh sniffs the letter cautiously, confirming his suspicion that it was Concord grape juice.
Riyyh smiles.
Vissera hurries down the hall to Riyyh's office, carrying a large tray.
Vissera tucks a stray lock of hair behind her ear, dusts a bit of flour off her sleeve, then signals.
Riyyh straightens up abruptly from where he was searching on hands and knees amongst mounds of paperwork, sending various papers fluttering here and there.
Riyyh rises and quickly dusts himself off.
Riyyh: Yes? Enter.....
Riyyh sits at his desk.
Vissera opens the door and enters.
Riyyh: Ah, Vissera, hello. [smiles]
Vissera: Sectuib, that sweet Anmyn said you were about to faint from hunger.
Riyyh: She did? My, look at all that food.
Riyyh certainly hopes Vissera is planning on staying and eating most of it herself.
Riyyh: How perfectly delightful of you to make a special trip for me.
Vissera: I brought you some sandwiches and fruit, and fresh tea, of course.
Vissera looks for a spot of clear desk large enough for the tray.
Riyyh generally coos, flutters, and makes a fuss over the meal in a way that he has found turns cooks on.
Riyyh clears a spot for the tray.
Vissera sets the tray down.
Vissera lifts the teapot and pours a fresh glass.
Vissera: Here, eat while the tea's hot and the fruit's cold.
Riyyh: Thank you.
Riyyh accepts the tea, and nibbles on a piece of fruit.
Riyyh: ~pleasure~
Vissera is happy at Riyyh's obvious enjoyment, and continues to fuss over the tray.
Vissera: Where is your Companion? Isn't he hungry also?
Vissera: Or have you been working him so hard that he fell asleep the moment he had a chance, you naughty man?
Riyyh: Oh dear, no, nothing like that. [smiles]
Riyyh: He went home to eat because he cooked last night and there were leftovers.
Vissera: I wondered when you didn't come down to the cafeteria last night.
Riyyh: Cooking for him is very therapeutic. I encourage it in him.
Vissera had thought that the current food emergency was the effect of prolonged starvation.
Vissera: Is he doing better, now that he's settling in?
Riyyh: Yes, I think so.
Riyyh picks up a corner of sandwich.
Vissera: He seemed so... jumpy.
Riyyh ~enjoys~ Vissera's company.
Vissera: As if he was expecting someone to jump out of the shadows and say "boo".
Riyyh: His past has been so tragic. It may be a long time before he will be perfectly comfortably anywhere.
Vissera: The poor man.
Vissera: Still, I can tell he cares for you.
Riyyh smiles.
Riyyh: He is very gentle, very possessive.
Vissera: A good Companion for you?
Riyyh: Oh, yes. [with feeling]
Vissera: I'm so glad.
Vissera smiles happily.
Vissera: You deserve someone to look after you.
Riyyh returns the smile, basking in the delightful feel of her friendly nager.
Vissera: After all, you spend your days looking after Naros.
Vissera looks at the stacks of papers piled around the desk.
Vissera: And now you have poor Wolfa's job to do as well.
Vissera: I don't know how you can cope.
Riyyh: Oh, dear.
Vissera: ~~ admiration ~~
Riyyh: Well, it's... [smiles at the admiring nager]
Riyyh: I do the best I can.
Vissera: Naros couldn't function without you.
Riyyh can't believe the amazing run of praise he's getting, and beams with pleasure.
Riyyh looks astonishingly good looking when he looks embarrassed/flattered/pleased.
Vissera: A House without a Sectuib would be like, well, like a kitchen without knives and spoons....
Vissera blinks at the handsome sight.
Riyyh: You are so kind to me, Vissera.
Vissera blushes charmingly.
Vissera: Speaking of knives and spoons, have the new utensils I requested been ordered yet?
Riyyh's expression flickers.
Riyyh sighs.
Riyyh: Oh, dear. Well, yes, as a matter of fact... the ones we can afford this year have been ordered.
Vissera catches the flicker.
Riyyh: They should arrive within four to six weeks.
Vissera: ....the ones we can afford?
Riyyh: As you know, [this is always a safe phrase with a Narosian] there has been this emergency with purchasing a rotary cultivator in time for the spring plowing.
Vissera: Which ones were they?
Riyyh: I beg your pardon? Oh... I have the order here.
Riyyh searches for it.
Riyyh retrieves her original requisition.
Riyyh: These items here, that you put the star next to, were all ordered. These ones over here, that say "would be nice", were omitted.
Riyyh regrets that the "would be nice" category was the bulk of her order.
Riyyh: I realize that this is less than you were given for a budget, but you see, we were forced to rob Peter to pay Paul to finance the cultivator.
Riyyh: ~~very apologetic~~
Vissera slowly takes in the extent of the trimming her requisition was subjected to.
Vissera: ~~ oh dear ~~
Riyyh had actually thought everybody had been told about this, and feels very guilty for having let Vissera fall through the cracks.
Riyyh: I should have told you sooner. I apologize. The order was such a rush - the order for the cultivator, that is -
Vissera: But I won't be able to do weddings and birthdays and such credit, without the cake decorating set.
Vissera: A simple hole in a pastry bag just won't give a decent affect, and you can't do rose petals and such with one, either.
Vissera: ~~ sorrow ~~
Riyyh: Perhaps you could speak to Mega in the metal shop? ~hopefully~
Riyyh begins to feel rather desperate at the zlin of her sorrow.
Riyyh wrings his hands apologetically.
Vissera: Can she do that kind of fine work?
Riyyh: I think so, but you'd have to ask. I'm sorry.
Riyyh thinks the parties have really taken a hit this year, what with the paper decorations and now this.
Vissera: Well, I suppose it's worth a try, although it really takes about a dozen different tips to do a good cake, with flowers and trim and all.
Riyyh nods.
Riyyh: I hope she can help you.
Vissera: Oh, I do hope so, too.
Vissera: Can she manage some of the other items on my list as well, do you think?
Vissera: The apple corer and the lemon juicer?
Riyyh: There is the difficulty of the quality of the metal required....
Riyyh has just summed up his total knowledge of metalwork.
Riyyh: You will have to ask her. I am sorry.
Riyyh frowns.
Riyyh: Lemon juicer?
Riyyh: You should be able to borrow that from anybody's home.
Vissera: Well, it can be used for oranges and grapefruits as well, but mostly I use it for making lemon meringue pits.
Vissera: Do you suppose that somebody borrowed one from the main kitchen, and forgot to return it?
Riyyh: I suppose it is possible. [patiently]
Riyyh: Would you like to have the one from my house?
Riyyh thinks he can talk Rapol into squeezing the fruits by hand.
Riyyh thinks it's so much easier for Gens, who don't have to worry about a stray squirt of citrus running up a tentacle sheath.
Vissera: It would be nice to have one, but you said your Companion cooks?
Vissera: Perhaps if we ask around, we could find one that's not being used as much.
Riyyh: I fully encourage you to do so.
Vissera: Perhaps I should post a list of items wanted by the main kitchen?
Riyyh: Yes, yes, of course, whatever you think would be good. [smiles]
Vissera: Thank you. If people respond well, next year's want list may be shorter.
Riyyh thinks actually people will just add the items to their personal want lists next year, but simply smiles.
Riyyh: I do apologize for the inconvenience.
Vissera: I'm sure the farmers require this cultivator thing, and that we will all enjoy the outcome.
Riyyh nods.
Riyyh: Thank you for your understanding. [sincere]
Vissera: You're quite welcome. I'd hate to add to your difficulties in these difficult times.
Riyyh smiles at her.
Vissera was not at Naros during the paternity difficulty, or the Snake difficulty, or the Zeor guests difficulty, and so has no sense of proportion on the matter of the budget cuts.
Riyyh has considered the entire thing to be one long "difficult time", himself.
Vissera: I do hope you will let me know if there is anything I can do to help out.
Riyyh: Thank you.
Riyyh: I will. [smiles]
Vissera starts gathering the used dishes back onto the tray.
Vissera: Will you and Sosu Rapol be down for dinner?
Riyyh: I think so, yes.
Vissera smiles.
Vissera: Good. Don't work too late; I baked a special dessert, and I wouldn't want it to get eaten up before you've had a chance to taste it.
Riyyh will be thinking about dessert for the rest of the day.
Vissera picks up the tray and departs.