Sime~Gen Roleplaying: Householding Naros Scenario
Episode #175: Hairy Scene (11/13/99)
Riyyh is on the 343th (of 500) stroke of brushing his hair for the morning when he turns to Nick.
Riyyh: Nick, [pausing in his grooming activity, which means he has had a really gripping idea]
Nick is sitting in a chair, trying not to look bored with the ritual, with some success (although he'd never have fooled Arat or Snake).
Nick: Yes?
Riyyh: You mentioned having talked to Buggfa Lube the other day.
Nick has long since finished his own grooming ritual, even with the extra bits he's put in to pass the time.
Nick: Yes, I did.
Riyyh skips the bit about Nick suggesting they follow Buggfa into Gen Territory and join the tour as ambient consultants, because he still can't quite suppress the shock of horror that goes with the thought.
Nick is a bit surprised at Riyyh's expression of interest; he'd thought Riyyh wanted nothing to do with Buggfa.
Riyyh: Well, I was thinking. Wouldn't a nice talk by him be the perfect inspiration for some of the younger folks in the program?
Riyyh means the Narosian outreach program dealing with alcoholism, which they are currently visiting in town.
Nick: ...a talk by Buggfa?
Riyyh: It's done all the time, with these sorts of programs - it's a sort of community service. Of course, usually one arranges for celebrities through their agents, but in this case, since you seem to have formed a bond of sorts...?
Riyyh might be the farthest thing from a TBT fan, but he can't deny the band's hold over the younger set, and lack of enthusiasm for sobriety among teenagers is one of the outreach program's main difficulties.
Nick: I don't think Buggfa indulges in anything more exotic than coffee, although his followers aren't so picky.
Nick: Which is just as well, considering his medical problems.
Riyyh: Well yes, but isn't that good? If they knew that one of their heroes remained sober, it might inspire them to try it themselves.
Nick considers the argument.
Nick: Well, it might be worth a try.
Riyyh beams happily at Nick's capitulation.
Nick: I don't know if Buggfa would be willing to be a favor for me, though.
Riyyh: Certainly it wouldn't hurt to ask. [encouraging]
Nick: He's scared silly of Grandmother, you see, with some reason.
Nick: I told him that she's off trying to track down Roosle and his editor, and whoever of the publishing staff she can find, but I'm not sure he believed me, really.
Riyyh: Dear me. You don't suppose she'd break in on the program, do you?
Riyyh has hitherto considered their time with the programs to be inviolate, because Prunida has never showed much interest in them in the past.
Nick: Not unless she thinks she can find Roosle there.
Riyyh: But we're miles and miles away from them.
Nick: Well, for the moment.
Riyyh is starting to pout somewhat as it appears Nick is willing to use Prunida as an excuse to avoid just about anything.
Riyyh: Well, I thought it was a good idea.
Riyyh turns back to the mirror and continues brushing, trying to remember if he was on 343 or 243.
Nick suspects that Roosle, like most people, would be willing to run a long way to avoid Prunida in a bad mood.
Nick: It is. He might even agree, unless his managers overrule the idea.
Nick: They apparently weren't very happy last winter when he donated to Snake instead of the Tecton channel. Now, there's a candidate for a sobriety program.
Nick: Although I'm not sure he could have handled Buggfa, even sober.
Nick: Snake said his nerves are a mess.
Riyyh can't remember if he was on 249 or 229.
Riyyh sighs and stops, remembering the number 229 for future reference.
Riyyh: It is a terrible tragedy, what happened.
Riyyh can't help but be somewhat less than 100% sympathetic now that Buggfa has become a multimillionaire based upon commercial exploitation of the accident.
Riyyh of course could easily convert to 100% sympathy though, if he were to come face to face with the actual accident victim, commercialism or no.
Nick: Yes. And with his managers flatly denying him treatment for it, at the time and since....
Nick: You'd think he would have insisted on proper care.
Riyyh: Perhaps he is not in a position to.
Riyyh reluctantly begins to feel some of that sympathy.
Nick is partly indignant at the label's offhand treatment of their cash generator, and partly indignant at the idea of such an interesting technical challenge being unavailable for the entertainment of channels.
Nick has still not quite come to grips with Riyyh's non-Farris work requirements.
Riyyh twiddles with a curl of hair, hoping that Nick isn't going to try to talk him into anything he can't handle.
Riyyh would hate to have to try to pit his thoroughly inadequate sense of self-direction against a stubborn Farris-grade Donor's wishes.
Riyyh has a hard time saying no to little kids, much less superDonors.
Nick: Snake scared him silly--she has that effect on some people--but a channel who had the skill to work with him, and wouldn't intimidate him too badly....
Nick looks at Riyyh speculatively.
Riyyh: Oh, dear.
Riyyh: Nick, you know I must work on these outreach programs.
Riyyh's voice takes on an unmistakable whine.
Nick looks at Riyyh sternly.
Nick: If Buggfa is willing to help with the outreach program, shouldn't you be willing to help him in return?
Nick: Shen knows the Tecton has failed him.
Nick is pretty sure that a Controller or two leaning on the band management types could have gotten Buggfa treated.
Riyyh cringes appeasingly.
Riyyh: Well, of course, that is... er....
Riyyh: Of course.
Nick lets a bit of ~~ approval ~~ show at this acquiescence.
Nick: What he requires most is a channel that he can trust to work with him.
Nick: Someone who doesn't scare him.
Nick is pretty sure that even the pre-Snake Linn would have had a hard time being scared of Riyyh.
Riyyh looks grovellaciously grateful for the approval.
Riyyh: But, Nick... we're only going to be here for a few days.
Riyyh: Certainly we can't abandon everything to this cause. Or... were you suggesting we invite him to join us?
Riyyh isn't sure that's such a good idea, not that his opinion is going to make much difference to anybody in the long run.
Riyyh isn't foolish enough to cling to his own opinions in the face of inexorable opposition, so why should anybody else?
Riyyh: Oh, my.
Nick: Well, I don't know how practical that would be, although it would be a very good solution for Buggfa, if he was willing.
Riyyh: Well, if he is willing... do ask him gently, though.
Nick: I will. And even if all he is prepared to commit to is one or two sessions, that would help.
Nick wonders if there is a way to bring Prunida's name into the discussion, as a possible consequence of non-participation.
Riyyh nods.
Riyyh: I would not refuse to help him, of course.
Nick had been pretty sure of that from the beginning.
Riyyh can't really see enjoying spending a lot of time with somebody who sings songs about mad channels who get drunk and then influence renSime skiers to veer into trees in order to pick up work.
Riyyh doesn't know that the song he is thinking of was inspired by both Lettus and Snake.
Riyyh sighs.
Nick: I'll try to find Buggfa today, then, and see what he says.
Nick is well aware that his finding Buggfa depends in part on Buggfa's inability to see him coming first.
Riyyh: Very well.
Riyyh smiles sadly, and turns back to the mirror.
Riyyh pauses for a short moment, and then starts brushing slowly, starting at stroke #219.
Nick checks Riyyh's appearance, expertly assessing the time-to-presentable.
Nick: In fact, why don't I take a quick look around now? He was in the cafe down the street when I saw him before.
Riyyh: Go ahead. I shall be a few minutes, here.
Riyyh can literally take hours to become properly groomed, and does tend to fret when rushed through it.
Nick gets to his feet, glad to have something to occupy himself while Riyyh gets ready to start the day.