#just buffalo writing center

[sc0tters]

The Best Favour Yet | Owen Power

summary: Kent asks Owen to help you settle in when you move to Buffalo, that favour ends up being the reason for some of your favourite memories with the love of your life.

request: yes/no

warnings: some allusions to sex.

word count: 2.1k

authors note: this request made me laugh because it literally said Owen dating Kent’s sister and all the chaos that would entail. Started writing this as a regular oneshot but I hated it so I’ve just made it a 5+1.

Kent never planned on this.

When he asked Owen to keep an eye on you once you got accepted at Buffalo State University. Kent never once let the thought of you falling for one of his best friends.

1. ❝he’s like totally harmless.❞

to PowPow 🔫: thanks for checking in with y/n I appreciate it

to y/n 👾: remember Owen is like totally harmless!

You were nervous to meet the boy, sure you had spoken to Owen in person before but it was never by yourself. Usually Kent was around for those moments as he didn’t want to let any of the guys think that they could have the chance to make a move on you.

Once they reached sophomore year you were merely just a name to them though as you were going to university in Florida.

A year of that was more than enough and you had transferred to Buffalo for your sophomore year.

But as the cold Buffalo breeze chilled your face as you clutched the sides of your jacket you began to lose hope “y/n!” Owen called out as he recognised your stature from anywhere.

Owen would never admit it but he did have the tiniest of crushes on you that he felt in his freshman year the first time he met you “hi Owen.” You smiled as you spun around to face him.

You looked up at him as he gave you a hug “I’ve got a few different restaurants in mine so whatever you-” the hockey player began to ramble as he didn’t realise that his nerves were showing.

It took you giving his hand a squeeze for him to calm down “you’re the local, I trust you Owen.” You nodded as you sent him a serious look to show that you were down for anything.

And that night you laughed so hard your stomach hurt and you even managed to make eating pizza look good because Owen looked at you like you were the only girl in the world.

2. ❝you’re a sabres fan now,❞

You had to say that you were surprised that it took Owen three weeks before he invited you to a Sabres game. Every time the game was in Buffalo you’d watch from your dorm window as fans lined the road up to the KeyBank Center.

So as you stood in the waiting area with WAGs and other members of the players friends and families you couldn’t help but wish you were back there in the comfort of your dorm.

Sure the people were nice but you weren’t one of them, you were meant to be a simple college kid “you made it!” Owens cheer pulled you out of your thoughts as he wrapped his arms around you.

The older players watched on in amusement as they pieced together why the umich alumni seemed so loved up over the past month “wouldn’t miss this for the world,” you smiled as him still having his skates on meant that you had to tilt your head up further to look at him.

He swore he was on cloud nine when he realised you were wearing the jersey that he had given you just days prior “you like the outfit?” You asked as you did a little spin so he could see your outfit in its whole.

Owen sucked at his teeth as he tried to remain calm seeing Power on your back “you’re a sabres fan now you know that right?” He teased as he had seen all of the Blue Jackets memorabilia from Kent that decorated your side of your dorm.

You shrugged as you ran your fingers through your hair “I’ve been called worse if I’m honest.” You joked causing him to let out a laugh.

A lightbulb seemed to go off above his head “you gotta meet the rest of the boys!” Owen wrapped his arm around your shoulder as he pulled you into the direction of more of his teammates.

3. ❝too good for this world,❞

On Tuesdays if you had late lectures Owen would pick you up and you’d spend the evening at his. Each time you’d take turns being head chef when it came to making meals.

This particular Tuesday it was your turn and you were making spaghetti bolognaise “Power don’t you dare!” You could see the smirk on his face as he leaned against the counter behind him.

Owen laughed as you continued to watch the pasta boil “I’m not doing anything.” He raised his hands in surrender as he pushed himself off of the counter as he walked over to you.

You scoffed as you shook your head “I can see it in your eyes that there is something up there.” You pointed to his head causing him to smile.

His hands landed on either side of you “are they telling you that I think you’re beautiful?” Owen asked letting his voice act like a gentle hum over the sound boiling pasta water.

Warmth spread over your cheeks as you tried to bury your face in his chest “I’m serious!” He laughed as his hands cupped your cheeks so he could continue to look at him.

Your tongue danced over your teeth “why me?” You let the question you had been wondering for weeks finally come out.

Owens cold thumb cooled your face as it softly rubbed circles on your cheek “because you’re perfect y/n,” the hockey player hadn’t told you about how he truly felt before.

He sighed when you shook your head “I wish you’d see that you’re too good for this world sweets.” Owen confessed as he let his head drop so that his lips barely hovered over your own.

The air around you went silent “what about dinner?” You statement had to be pushed out of your lips.

It made Owen smirk “I can be done before that pasta is ready.” He proposed as he turned the heat down a setting.

That seemed to be all you needed to carry on “let’s not waste anytime then.” You shrugged before his hand was on your jaw letting him kiss your lips.

4. ❝I’ll count to three,❞

It had been two months since you started dating Owen. Besides for your close friends nobody else knew and that was because you two didn’t know how to tell Kent.

Your brother knew you had a boyfriend because you had been in the process of soft launching your relationship on Instagram, but all of those questions were met with coy answers.

So when the long awaited day came around when the Blue Jackets were playing in Buffalo you knew you had to tell your brother.

But that morning when your mind was full of clouds as you were still half asleep you didn’t think twice when you opened the door to Owens apartment in nothing more than one of his shirts.

Kent on the other hand was shocked to see his sister stood in his friend’s apartment “where is Owen?” He asked as he furrowed his eyebrows.

That was what seemed to wake you up “oh Ken-” you stammered over your words as your eyes widened “babe who is there?” Owen called out from the kitchen.

You couldn’t rack your brain for what to say “it’s Kent!” That seemed to get the right response out of Owen as he came out to the entryway.

The Blue Jackets player really didn’t know what to do “you just called my sister babe?” Kent honestly zoned out once he heard you get that title.

Owen could see the upset look on his friends face “let’s just talk about th-” he awkwardly scratched the back of his neck “I’ll count to three because I like you.” Kent cut him off as he walked into the apartment.

You let your lips swirl in as your eyes went wide “baby?” Owen looked to you for help as Kent got to one “run and lock a door.” You proposed as your brother got to two.

Part of you watched in amusement as Owen ran to the end of the hall when Kent got to three.

5. ❝wrapped around her finger,❞

Kent loved you, truly you were his little sister that he wanted to protect in bubble wrap. So it wasn’t surprising that it took him four months to be okay with the idea of going on holiday with you and Owen.

That was until your brother was reminded of the fact that you were going to be sleeping in a bed with your boyfriend.

Quickly the relaxing holiday turned into one that he didn’t get sleep in “morning baby,” you smiled as you found your boyfriend stood in the kitchen making coffee.

Owen was quick to swipe away from you “I brushed my teeth,” you pointed out as you smelt your breath wondering if that was the problem “what if he sees?” Owen whined as he still seemed to be scared of Kent’s threats “they are both still sleeping.” You grumbled as you pouted your lips not enjoying the fact that your boyfriend was ignoring you.

That was a sight that Owen truly couldn’t say no to so he placed the coffee mug down on the counter causing you to smile “always getting what I want,” you pointed out.

Owen nodded “my baby got me wrapped around her finger for days.” He never did seem to mind admitting that you just how whipped he was.

Your hands wrapped around his waist “think you should show me that then,” you proposed as just as his lips touched yours Kent had to walk in “I do not need to be made an uncle on this trip please?” He begged as he scrunched his face in disgust even once you had pulled away from Owen.

A laugh left your lips “but wouldn’t we be such cute parents daddy?” You let the words fall out of your mouth like butter.

Both Owen and Kent’s eyes went wide. Of course your boyfriend could see the mischievous look on your face and it clearly meant you were doing this to screw with your brother “you’ve got two seconds to get your hands off of-” Kent didn’t even need to finish his sentence before Owen listened and took two steps away from you.

A frown formed on your face “you’re no fun,” you mumbled as you looked at the Sabres player.

“it’s hard to be when you’re trying to get me killed!

+ 1 ❝what’d you say?❞

The last three years had been a whirlwind, whilst you hadn’t made Kent an uncle just yet you and Owen had your fair share of pregnancy scares that you both agreed were secrets you’d take to your grave.

With each day that went by you found yourself falling deeper in love with him. You had the house, the pets, and the love so there was only really two things left on that checklist.

Bless Owen for being clueless but you spent the last three months trying to hint at the wedding ring you liked but that seemed to just fall on deaf ears.

So now you took matters into your own hands as you watched him get ready for boys night “baby,” you sang as you were sat on your bed watching him pick an outfit for tonight.

Owen continued looking through his clothes as he smiled “yes?” He asked wondering what it was that you wanted to ask him “I want to marry you.” You announced as you swung your legs against the frame of your bed.

You had truly never seen him stop what he was doing that fast before “what’d you say?” Owen looked like he had seen a ghost as he walked over to you.

It made you confused “just said I wanted to marry you.” You shrugged as you watched him lean over to his bedside table drawer as he pulled out a velvet box “was gonna ask you this weekend.” He pointed out as he revealed what looked like the ring of your dreams.

A gasp left your lips “you were?” You knew he was taking you on a mini trip to Canada so that you two could go stay in the mountains for a week as it was the start of the off season.

He nodded as he sat next to you “pretty sure I can take this as a yes then?” Owen joked as he placed a kiss to your temple seeing the tears form in your eyes.

You smiled as you let out a sniffle “don’t get it twisted I asked first!”

[xf-cases-solved]

i've been doing my xfiles rewatch, but i've also been watching twin peaks for the first time with my partner (v weird that i haven't seen it before bc it's very much My Type of show, but w/e), and silence of the lambs was already my favorite movie. so since my personal aesthetic is apparently very specifically honed in on creepy and weird early 90s entertainment centered around fbi agents, here's a collection of random crossover thoughts i've had while watching these things, in no particular order:

-twin peaks, xfiles, silence of the lambs, except all the characters are shifted one plot to the left, so you have mulder and scully trying to figure out the death of laura palmer, clarice assigned to the xfiles division, and dale cooper having to make a rapport with dr. hannibal lecter

-separate thought: if mulder and scully met dale cooper, mulder would be absolutely delighted, and scully would want to put his head on a slab. this would just make mulder more delighted

cooper would be very pleasant to them both, but would find mulder's lack of self-care unsettling. mulder would be trying to talk about the case when cooper would interrupt him to tell him to try the mulberry pie and take a moment to savor it

he would also be able to follow scully's reasonings and would know all the references to scientific studies she makes, and would be like, "very clever! you're very intelligent!" not in a facetious way, he'd mean it genuinely, but then he'd still insist that his dream will lead them to the killer and she'd want to rip her hair out

-cooper to m&s, apropos of nothing: so how long have the two of you been in love?

-scully would not enjoy twin peaks. too rustic, too weird, too many affairs to keep track of

-mulder would love it for all the reasons she hates it

-if clarice and scully met they would get to know each other carnally, obviously. msr can still exist, but mulder has to be ok with being cuckolded by special agent clarice starling

he can watch sometimes, if wants ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

-agent crawford would have one (1) conversation with mulder and would immediately write him off as insane and never talk to him again

-crawford and scully would get along fine

-clarice and cooper would be buds, bc even tho cooper is fucking weird, he would be very enthusiastic about how clever she is, and would talk her up constantly, and clarice would appreciate the validation and kindness (besides, she's pseudo friends with hannibal lecter, cooper's idiosyncrasies are nothing in comparison)

-hannibal lecter wouldn't be able to manipulate mulder, but he wouldn't be that impressed by him either. it would be a mutual disdain. they could potentially have a hannibal/will graham-esque relationship but eh

-as badly as a "quid pro quo" scene between scully and hannibal would slap, i can't imagine scully giving hannibal anything to work with. she wouldn't stick around to play games; she doesn't have time for it and would never be able to regard him as anything besides a monster

mulder would agree to take on the puzzles, and hannibal might give them to him, but he'd taunt him and send him on wild goose chases more than he does with clarice, bc mulder doesn't have anything he particularly wants, but he is vaguely curious to see if he can figure it out. (mulder WOULD figure it out, but only with the addition of scully's analysis and theories, not hannibal's direction alone)

-hannibal would not talk to cooper lol. cooper would figure out who buffalo bill is anyway, tho

-nobody at the fbi in the xfiles universe would know how to handle dale cooper. skinner especially would be very -squints- about it, bc he'd get results, but would just be so fucking Weird™️ about it, but in such a different way than mulder is weird

-the lone gunmen would be very sweet and protective over clarice. they would be very confused and vaguely unsettled by cooper

-clarice would be skinner's dream agent bc she would listen to him and value his input and rarely punch him in the face or hold him at gunpoint

-while i can picture clarice getting the hang of the xfiles, i have trouble picturing her in twin peaks (tho, do note that i haven't seen all of it so mb that would change)

-this isn't a headcanon so much as a v obvious observation, but they are all so fucking hot, what the fuck??

-final thought: dale cooper, clarice starling, dana scully, and fox mulder = dream blunt rotation

anyway those are some of the things i think about in my spare time

the end

[dollsonmain]

Ok, so...

Manager started a notebook and told us to write down what we need to order in the notebook, so I've been doing that.

I add things as I become aware of it being needed.

Today I wrote in something I'd asked for repeatedly (pork BBQ rib patties/McRibs, basically, which I suspect she only saw "BBQ pork" and stopped reading and that's why we have so many tubs of bbq pulled pork in the freezer....) and she was like "Make sure you tell me what you need by Mondays because the order goes in on Tuesday.

I was like "Ok..."

She can just order all that stuff on the next Tuesday... Next... Next week... Does she want me to not write things down UNTIL Monday???? Or write them as the week goes by and I become aware they're needed like I had been??????? Like wh...... The latter is more efficient?

I had asked for that repeatedly? There are 2 left (2 rib patties in a huge box in the freezer.......) and they won't sell by the time Monday rolls around again either way but... I did ask previously for that product.

Like, we stood there and had a conversation about them. We had lots of sub rolls expiring soon, and she had previously said she didn't want to order more rib patties because they weren't selling, so I suggested we put the rib patties into the sub rolls [because we normally slap them on burger buns and they look ridiculous because the bun covers about half the patty in the center and they really should be on sub rolls] and then heat them up and put them in the hot case, because people like to buy them out of the hot case and then be done with them. And she was like "Oh well they kind of took off..." and I was like "That's because I've been putting them in the hot case." They really do sell out of there, but not out of the cold case, and the same goes for the buffalo chicken with pepperjack. No one wants that cold, but when they're warm, people snatch them up.

I........

This week we have one tub of chicken salad that is brand new, I opened it yesterday, it expires today, and I was expected to make tons of little chicken salad sandwiches out of it, but if I do that then I have to throw it all away tomorrow and that seems a waste of bread, which we're always out of. Not that it's the right bread. It's "white wheat" bread which is just bread made with whole wheat flour that's been ground down finely.

She bought some burger buns at a store to make sandwiches with today and they all expire today.

I just.......

How has no one noticed this was happening??????? Like, NO one thought to check expiration dates?????? The past FOUR YEARS?

I'm so confused.

Me checking expiration dates has definitely opened her eyes to some issues, though. She's rearranging sections of the store, now, implementing pseudo-plan-o-grams in places that it's easy to do that like the automotive stuff and paper goods, things that don't move fast, to make reordering things easier, etc. but she's not THERE, yet, and the inventory is still all wrong.

I also saw her drawing a diagram for the Monster energy drinks so she's certainly looking at things a little differently, lately.

I'm still not sure if I can say to her "I know how to set up and manage a micro-warehouse because I have one in my basement. If you set me loose, I can get this all sorted, but everyone has to be on board and maintain the system for it to work and save you lots of trouble and money over time." because she is head strong and it would cost some money, AND she's just Manager. Everything has to pass by Owner, too, and he's not seeming too flexible.

And also that's not my job, my job is "cashier". I'm already doing way more than my job. I get paid $12/hr. That's nothing compared to the amount and variety of work I do. But the kind of person that I am, if given this Thing that needs fixed, omg let me fix it, just like how I've been pulling out fixtures that haven't been moved in ages and cleaning under and behind them and now she has the other employees doing stuff like that later in the day, too.

I am definitely shaking things up in there, and still not sure whether it's a good thing or a bad thing. It's good for the store, certainly, in general. It's bad for the bottom line in the moment because they're suddenly having to liquidate expired stuff left and right because I go find it when I'm bored (all the more reason to not let me get bored, I guess), and that's showing Manager and Owner how inefficient the inventory and ordering is. I'm sure it's frustrating af for the both of them to have someone come in and be like "Wow, all of this is wrong."

[jesslovesboats]

Getting to know someone better

Thanks for the tag @ktredshoes!

Last song: Don't Go to the Woods by the Decemberists

Favorite color: hunter green

Currently watching: Star Trek Voyager reruns. I also just finished The Good Lord Bird, which was an interesting take on John Brown

Last movie: First Cow- watched it on a friend's recommendation and it was very good!

Sweet/savory/spicy: a toss up between sweet and savory, but I'm giving it to savory because one of the saddest things about getting older is that some of my favorite things are now too sweet, which is cruel beyond words

Current obsession: Aside from polar exploration (which is less of an obsession and more of a lifestyle at this point), I am obsessed with the 588th Night Bomber Regiment, a Soviet all female aviation regiment that fought during WWII. I've been doing a lot of genealogy research lately, and I'm also volunteering with Women for Harris-Walz. Mostly, though, I'm close enough to my upcoming trip to Europe that it consumes 75% of my thoughts on any given day. I'm making a spreadsheet of friends to meet up with, museums to visit, and bookstores and perfume shops that will bankrupt me!

Last thing I searched: the address for the surgery center where my cat got neutered earlier today, but that's boring, so I will also tell you some things that I'm currently researching for Baby's First Big Writing Project That May or May Not Pan Out: the history of the US Marine Reserves in WWI, Appalachian folklore, the Christian Science movement, nativism and discrimination against German-Americans in the years leading up to WWI, spiritualism and astrology in the 1920's, and buffalo head nickels.

Absolutely no pressure tagging @i-have-loved-you-too-much, @overlysweetcoffee, @johnnystorrm, and @sastrugie, as well as anyone else who wants to play!

[knickynoo]

Okay, so, I've made a handful of Family Ties posts in the past examining some of my favorite Alex and Elyse scenes, but there's one between Alex and Steven that I've always wanted to write about. It's such a good scene—so well acted and so in line with the relationship that Steven and Alex have with each other.

I haven't done a post breaking down a scene (from either FT or BTTF) in a while, and the itch to take a look at this particular scene struck me today. Will put under a read more on account of I'm sure it'll end up being kind of lengthy.

The Steven and Alex dynamic. Great, right? My favorite father and son duo in all of TV.

They're so different from each other! Opposites in many aspects. Yet, at the same time, they share a ton of similarities. When you really look at who Steven is, the things that make him tic, his quirks, etc., you realize that someone like Alex didn't come out of nowhere. See the post all about that, here.

They have a lot more in common than it appears, but one area where there's a very clear difference is the way they process and express emotions. If you know the show well, you know what I'm talking about. If you don't (because I do have several people who read my FT posts but have never seen an episode, hehehe) it basically boils down to this: Steven is super open about his emotions and expresses them in "big" ways. When he feels something, he can't hold it back, and he feels it all very intensely.

Alex, on the other hand, has a near-constant wall up that prevents his emotions from escaping. He feels deeply as well; it's just that he has no clue what to do with them most of the time and is afraid to really let himself feel them. The Keatons know this. They have an unspoken understanding that every so often, things are going to temporarily grind to a halt because Alex is spiraling and someone needs to help him sort his life out. Normal day.

One of the BEST examples of this is a flashback scene between Alex and Steven from the "Heartstrings" three-parter. A huge chunk of Alex's plot deals with him struggling to process a very serious situation surrounding the family. He's terrified but can't properly express it, so it comes out in a way that makes him seem uncaring and self-centered. The flashback is inserted there to remind us of a few things: 1. Alex does feel things 2. He needs help to get there 3. He loves his father, and Steven knows exactly what to do to help Alex in these moments

To set the scene: the flashback begins with Alex and Steven on the couch, watching TV together. They're having a great time. Steven gets a phone call and leaves the room, and when he returns, his demeanor has totally shifted. Alex asks what's wrong, and Steven tells him what happened. Steven's just found out his father has died. Right away, Alex goes straight to shoving the emotions away and trying to rationalize it all in his head. Talking and looking at it logically is his immediate coping method.

And you can see. You can see that Alex is teetering. His breathing is heavy, and his voice is shaky, but he keeps going—unable to do anything other than try to talk himself out of the emotions that are trying to take root.

"I mean, he worked hard. Did the work of two men—three men. And yet, he was with you, you know? Every step of the way, guiding you until you were ready to go out into the world and start your own family, which you did. But time, as we know, marches on—"

He is babbling. Spewing a hurried, frantic stream of words until Steven interrupts him with a soft, "Alex. Stop." But Alex KEEPS GOING. And Steven is just sitting there, watching his son jump through all these hoops to keep from actually emotionally processing the situation. Keep in mind that Steven himself is reeling from this information, but he immediately sets it aside to focus his attention on Alex instead.

"Not to mention the house," Alex continues, "which, if my sense of the Buffalo real estate market is accurate—and, you know, I have no reason to believe that it's not—"

Yes, Alex pivots right to what he knows: numbers, market information, and facts. Alex himself mentions in a past episode that these things comfort him. It's concrete information that he can rely on without the mess of emotions or complicated relationships with others.

And it's one thing for people to have different ways of coping with tragedy. People deal with things in unique ways, which is fine. The difference here is that Steven knows that unless he intervenes, it's unlikely that Alex will ever reach the point of being able to process this loss on his own. He's going to bury it and pretend it didn't happen (or that it doesn't impact him), and that's not healthy. Steven tries again to reach him.

And it's at this point that Steven takes an interesting approach to handling this. If Alex isn't going to give himself permission to feel his feelings, Steven is going to push him until he has no choice to. Might seem to be an odd method—maybe even a little mean to force your kid to break—but it's important to remember that Steven knows Alex inside and out. He knows Alex will put this neatly into a box in his mind, hide it away, and pretend he isn't hurting. And it'll either turn into a painful memory that he simply never deals with, or it'll eat away at him until he runs the risk of reaching the point of meltdown, a la "A, My Name is Alex."

Alex needs to cry, and Steven needs to get him to the point where he can do it. But Steven's going to bring him there in his usual gentle, loving way.

"Alex, my father died," he says. "Your grandfather."

Alex knows this, of course. But Steven is drilling it in. Trying to shove aside the talk of insurance settlements and the housing market and focus on the reality of it all. We flip back to Alex, who is quite literally trembling with the effort of trying to keep those walls up.

Steven goes on, his own voice breaking with emotion, "You can cry. We love him very much. You can grieve."

This moment! Alex's response says so much, and it's another one of those "THIS SHOW! MJF'S ACTING!" moments. He's still fighting it, but not quite as strongly. He leans back into his father's embrace, moving from where he was previously perched on the edge of the couch, trying to "distance himself" as much as possible from facing Steven. He takes a breath finally.

"Your grandpa died; you can cry," Steven tells him, to which Alex reacts in another poignant way.

There's the briefest flash of eye contact, something Alex has not done since before he was told about his grandfather's passing. Soon after the information was delivered, he moved to the edge of the couch, gaze straight ahead, rocking himself ever so slightly as he went through his rambling. He has not turned to look at his father once during this whole thing until this point, and this little exchange has meaning. Alex is checking in—making sure it's okay. He sees the emotion on Steven's own face and really absorbs that he's safe, and he can cry. And he does.

The flashback ends with their embrace, and we return to present-day Alex as he continues to deal with the new, serious situation that's befallen him and the family. (I won't get into that, but the Heartstrings episodes are phenomenal)

It's a very well-done scene and a relatively short one! But it does so much to encapsulate the relationship that Steven and Alex have. There's really such a good balance to this show, because these two can get so silly at times. Lots of fun, light-hearted and ridiculous scenes between them. However, they're interspersed with more serious moments like this. You get a really nice look at the type of man Steven is—someone with a quiet sort of strength, who consistently puts his family before himself and loves his son fiercely. (Steven even tells Alex in the very first episode that there are no other fathers who love their sons as much as he loves Alex. I mean, COME ON. This guy is a gem.)

When it comes down to it, I just really like that this show gave us a character like Alex, who we see struggle so much in the area of emotional connection, and then gave him someone as kind and attentive as Steven to help guide him and love him through everything.

[sahonithereadwolf]

I want to hear about the cool new werewolf metaphors and the terror 👀

I think one of the biggest reasons werewolves don't have as easy of a time connecting as a terrifying thing is how far removed cultural whiteness is from nature and the wilderness. Like people have no idea how intimidating a wolf is or what a wolf means. Let alone a wolf with the mind of a man and the compunctions that implies. They see...big dog. People don't want to be scared by the big dog, they want to pet it. There is no respect for the wolf as it's own being let alone a part of nature. The fear of the werewolf lies in two forms. Reminding people that a werewolf is a force of nature. Not in a "this is a tornado with a vendetta" sort of way, but a "this is a living being with agency and a place and surviving, but largely indifferent to your being" way. Like a bear or tiger. A bear or tiger does not care for your morals. It holds no stock to them. it is living by it's own moral standards. By it's nature. And you respect that or you learn the hard way why you should have like every year a collection of tourist who try to have their disney princess moment with a buffalo live for instagram do. The other form is within the metaphor. The werewolf is an inherently sympathetic creature as a person who is also a, well, person, at least some of the time. Most of the time when you see a werewolf it is a stand in for a very human idea of violence in one form or another be it rage, sexualized violence, vengeance. Man giving into the beast. It's often very much cast as masculine for that reason. Toxic masculinity made manifest. Puberty is another big one because you have bodies and hair and sometimes the moon matters. Like it makes sense but I am tired of these and most of them never connect. I think there is room for them. I love seeing what trans artist have made with the idea of a werewolf. I think I would have a lot to say about puberty from a racialized angle and what it's like being seen as a monster and predator at 10. But it's sympathetic and centering a marginalized experience. The terror is experiencing the sympathy for the "monster" and the human reaction to it. And it can be in many forms. Both the lens through which we see that monster and the human reaction to it. I think there is something poetic and sad about the werewolf as an outsider or someone who walks in two worlds. A creature that is so intrinsically social being denied connection to a community, or having to fight for that. I use to write a lot of werewolf fic based off my struggles with PTS. Seeing yourself as a monster that you need to keep under control. But being too afraid of letting go of that monster because you might still need it to survive. How tired and cold it makes you. I just think that if people want to pet the wolf, you make them need it. Understand the wolf on it's own terms and the horrors it sees.

[hopetorun]

“it’s almost just like how it was before” for the made-up fic title meme!

my first thought for this was actually leon goes to tampa futurefic but the @msmargaretmurry did this in a response for the same meme so i'm going to take this in a different direction.

our story starts in buffalo, new york, on june 24, 2016. draft day. auston matthew goes first overall to toronto, and patrik laine goes second overall to winnipeg. and then, instead of what actually happened that day, it goes the way people thought it would: jesse puljujarvi goes third, to columbus. and edmonton, picking fourth, takes the guy whose nameplate they already have velcroed to an oilers jersey: matthew tkachuk.

so matthew trucks his way up to edmonton, with aspirations of adding "winger for connor mcdavid" to his resume. now i'm gonna level with y'all: the oilers made me very, very mad in the summer of 2016 and hockey in general made me very, very made in the fall of 2016, so i've memory holed a lot of the details of the next couple of years. but luckily i'm not writing this story for real, so i can fudge and slur my way through that part!

matthew's career trajectory in edmonton isn't all that different from in calgary -- he's good pretty much from the jump, and with some ups and downs improves as he gets older (and a little calmer). he does get to add winger for connor mcdavid to his resume, but he ends up sticking mostly on the second line, as one of leon's wingers. there's a lot of reasons for it, but in part it's because it just drives the other teams bananas. annoyingness/60 off the charts. and matthew and leon are both having a blast the whole time.

i don't think they click instantly when matthew shows up in edmonton in 2016, because matthew's a hotshot, high draft pick, legacy, the whole nine yards, and leon's still feeling a little insecure about his place with the oilers. at least matthew's not a center.

so they don't click instantly, but it comes pretty quickly. matthew's a friendly guy, when he's not antagonizing every flames player on the ice (which frankly leon thinks is very funny), and he's smart about hockey, and a fun guy to hang out with.

and so we get a few years of the mcdavid-draisaitl-tkachuk era in edmonton. a lot of goals, and maybe not as much defensive responsibility as everyone wishes, a lot of people on twitter and capfriendly's gm tool getting stressed about the contract math. and they're right to be stressed about the contract math -- that's a lot of high-end offensive talent to have stored up, and it's gonna get pricey.

and then it's the 2021 offseason. matthew's already been a holdout, and he got his deal but everyone knows the next one won't be any easier, and mcdavid and draisaitl have their long-term deals but they're only going to get more expensive. they've been swept two years in a row in the playoffs. the front office wants results, and cap flexibility (that flat cap is already hurting). so matthew gets traded.

now, i don't think he and leon ever dated or anything at this point, but they were kind of dancing around the possibility for a while. another few years, or maybe one good solid playoff run, and it would've happened. (and by it i do mean falling into bed without actually talking about anything, but they would've talked eventually. both of them are too soft and serious about important things.) so for leon, matthew is this possibility. someone he almost got to have. it haunts him a little, when he lets it. and he misses the camaraderie he had with matthew, and how well they clicked on the ice. but that's just the business. he makes new friends and finds new guys to click with on the ice, and sure none of them make his heart beat too fast in the same way but he shouldn't be looking for boyfriends amongst his teammates anyway.

they keep in touch, a bit. it's hard with the grind of the season, and the time difference (matthew's on the east coast now) that doesn't even get any easier in the summers. leon fills up the space matthew took up in his life with other friends. more time with connor. other teammates. a dog. (it's a hassle, without someone living with him, but he's got a very generous neighbor and a big backyard and money to burn on fancy kennels if he wants.)

leon dates someone else, eventually. pretty seriously, living together kind of stuff. it is easier to deal with the dog this way. he learns just how annoying it is to play against matthew, and he tries not to laugh when matthew stares him down. the two of them get dinner with connor when the oilers are in raleigh (hey, we're playing the it almost happened game here anyway) and talk about the oilers circa 2017 experience. none of them win cups, but matthew gets the closest. leon determinedly isn't jealous, and sends him a nice text when the canes wash out in the conference final. again. but you know, it's not like leon misses him daily or anything. just at odd moments, when a play breaks down and he ends up with the puck, and he spins to find matthew on the ice, because matthew would've seen the same thing he did. and matthew's not there. matthew hasn't been there for years.

he doesn't ever ask if matthew's dating anyone, and matthew doesn't volunteer the information. he thinks it'll sting too much to find out, even though he is dating someone, and he hasn't told matthew about it.

matthew finds out, though, at an all-star game down the road. they're both there, and leon's boyfriend is too, and leon doesn't even introduce them. matthew's just saying hi to everyone, the way he does, and leon's boyfriend says leon invited him, and from the look on matthew's face, he doesn't even have to say boyfriend because matthew's got it all figured out. that shouldn't bother leon, and it bothers him a hell of a lot. (matthew's dated people too, but no one seriously enough to do something like this, and leon is right that he'd be hurt if he found out.)

leon signs a contract extension in edmonton. thinks about the possibility of retiring as an oiler. gets dumped, because his boyfriend gets tired of the late nights at home alone. the core of players he was striving for a cup with in edmonton is slowly breaking up. early-ish retirements. trades. the usual stuff. and leon wants to win, and he's starting to think that isn't going to happen in edmonton.

there's two years left on his contract and, well. he's looking, a bit. eyeballing other teams, looking at where he thinks he might be able to help the most. he has a full NTC, now, and the oilers won't be happy if he asks to be moved, but he thinks they'll make it happen. he can be flexible, a bit. he's good enough to command a decent return. connor will forgive him. he'll resent it, the freedom that his presence has given leon to do things like bail on the oilers when the going starts getting tough again, but he'll get over it. the deadline is creeping up now, and the oilers could still make the playoffs but it's looking more and more like they won't, and on the other side of the continent matthew's still -- well, he's not tearing it up like he used to, but he's putting together a decent season on a competitive team. and leon's jealous.

so he finally puts in the request. feels a little guilty but not enough to not do it. this is a business. he wants to win. he's won everything else, individually. maybe they've even won the president's trophy once or twice. but he wants a cup. the cup isn't the first thing he thinks about when all the chips are down and he's going to be matthew's teammate again.

it takes some getting used to, when it actually happens. matthew doesn't just plop back onto leon's wing and learn to read his mind all over again. matthew's an established guy on the team, he's already got a line. leon's playing a bit of wing, a bit of center. leon knows better than to have expected everything to just slot back into place but there was a stupid part of him that kind of wanted it anyway. it was so easy before! and now matthew's got a whole life here and leon's the interloper.

i think from here leon spends a while being in his feelings about it. not wanting to push too hard and upset the balance of this team, because they're winning. they're playing well. it feels good. but then the team's 2c gets hurt and he ends up slotting in, matthew on his wing again and oh, oh, that's the thing they used to have. leon is totally swept up in it, and along with it the crush he used to have on matthew. the thing that always felt like it could happen is still there, simmering under the surface. leon feels it when matthew slams him into the boards in a hug, and he feels it when matthew compliments him in a scrum and he feels it at the bar after the game, drink in hand and matthew leaning in close and grinning too wide.

it's not the same, exactly. they're both comfortably into their thirties now. older. more settled. matthew has a house in raleigh, which he never did in edmonton. even leon, uprooted midseason and in a new area, feels older and more stable than he ever did at 22.

they still don't act on it. matthew thinks leon got over it. leon doesn't want to rock the boat. but leon can't stop himself from pushing a little. touching when they don't need to. knees pressed together on the plane.

matthew does realize leon isn't over it somewhere in here. he's not an idiot. he knew what the vibes were back in edmonton, and he knows that leon's hand on his back at the bar isn't platonic. but leon doesn't push, and matthew's careful about these things. and they're winning, winning so much. winning in a way they weren't when they played together before, and it feels incredible.

gonna go big romance here and say this one ends when they win the cup. neither of them's on the ice but they pile off the bench together when the buzzer sounds, and after they've had their turns with the cup -- it feels even better than leon thought it would -- and after the night has finally wound down, leon grabs matthew by the wrist the way he's wanted to since matthew was 20 years old and so transparently trying to make everyone like him.

matthew comes toward him easily, until they're nearly touching, and leon finally, finally kisses him.

[wentzmp3]

Remember when I made that peterick flavoured song power point. Well, I decided to do it again it’s more of an analysis and less of me screaming in a power point. I won’t say this is a good analysis, but I had fun writing it and that’s the important part! Analysis under read more because it is long <3

Saturday

The connection to Peterick on the whole is loose but their relationship is pivotally mentioned twice with the recurring segment of ‘me and Pete’ setting them as a set pair in the narrative

The idea of the song centers on Patrick (the writer) and the apprehension he is  experiencing as he leaves the security of institutional education and faces the reality of the real world where he may fail and/or amount to nothing. The song captures the essence of the ‘coming of age’ narrative, a narrative in which the relationships that the speaker/writer has holds a great deal of value. So subsequently that note of it being ‘him and Pete, in the wake of Saturday’ therefore has a higher emphasis and accentuates their connection in the context.

‘Me and Pete, in the wake of Saturday’ the emotion of the line conveys the idea that the view is that it is him and Pete against the world in a way. While the narrative is mainly focused on Patrick facing the world, this line gives the idea that he is aware that he isn’t facing it alone and had Pete on his side as he entered this new era of his life.

Disloyal Order of Water Buffalo

Most notably in this song, the line ‘what a match, I’m half doomed, and you’re semi-sweet’ was annotated by Pete who said that while it generally refers to anybody you feel close to, to him ‘it was sometimes a girl but honestly sometimes it was Patrick’. This annotation from Pete speaks for itself and sets up the notion of referring to Patrick in the song.

‘I’m a loose bolt of a complete machine’ follows the idea of him being a part of a whole and when related to the following line referring to ‘a match’ the notion that Pete is only half of a whole and the other half could easily be Patrick given that Patrick is already half of one of Pete’s described wholes. And it is to be noted that traditionally Pete and Patrick work as two halves of a whole as they are the writer and speaker, Pete having before mentioning that he feels that sings through Patrick. They are necessary to one another, the other needing their counterpart in order to go on.

There are elements of unrequited emotions with the chorus of ‘boycott love’ however it is contradicted with ‘detox just to retox’ which gives the impression that while there is an urge to push away the emotions and a temporary moment of success in doing so the result is always the same, the result being falling back into those feelings. Thus creating an endless cycle. This trend to push back feelings only to have them come back is common in close proximity situations and those with delicate balances to be maintained. These two relationship parameters can easily be applied to Pete and Patrick.

G.I.N.A.S.F.S

‘trade baby blues for wide eye browns’ could be applied as a reference to Pete and Patrick’s eyes as Patrick has blue eyes and Pete has brown. The could relate to the idea of separation, a theme that is prevalent in the song, and the notion of having to trade having Patrick’s eyes present to being alone with his own brown eyes.

The recurring theme of wanting to reconnect and find solace in something/someone familiar. The imagery of wearing clothes that formerly belonged to someone who he cared about deeply as well as the fact that he ‘kisses their traced shadows’ sets up a significant emphasis on the longing he is experiencing. This longing could be projected onto Patrick given the strength of their bond and the fact that the separation of the two could/has spawned such emotions.

‘it’s a strange way of saying that I know I’m supposed to love you’ the use of ‘supposed’ gives the idea that Pete feels this love is predestined, that he was always supposed to love Patrick in some capacity. This notion is reinforced by the numerous times that Pete describes his and Patrick’s relationship/friendship as something that was meant to always be and that there was no way that they were never going to find each other.

‘you saved my life that night on the roof of your hotel’ there is a story of Patrick literally saving Pete’s life and this could be a direct reference to that however that is highly debated and there isn’t much credibility to the story itself. And so this could be less literal in it’s meaning, instead the notion of Patrick saving his life in some capacity can be drawn out by his presence in Pete’s life which has likely been a positive influence and contributed to the healing process that Pete went through while getting out of the dark place he had been in

‘lips pressed close to mine true blue’ this line is notable as Pete has before referred to Patrick as ‘true blue’. Similarly, there are many instances in which Pete has kissed Patrick’s face and while their lips haven’t necessarily met there are instances that have resulted in a situation that is similar to the described ‘lips pressed close to mine’, their lips being close together but not touching one another.

Get Busy Living or Get Busy Dying (Do Your Part to Save the Scene and Stop Going to Shows)

The link to any peterick-isms is sparse in this and is limited to the bridge where both of their vocals are present, going back and forth. Which is somewhat significant given the rareness of them sharing vocals.

‘I used to obsess over living, now I only obsess over you’ communicates the idea that focus has been shifted almost fully onto the other, to the extent that living is secondary.  And while it’s not as severe as suggested, Pete has been known to place a high amount of focus on Patrick that could just about border on obsession at times.

Miss Missing You

 A critical factor in this track was that its conception happened during hiatus, Patrick having written a majority of the track while he worked on Soul Punk material. It is natural to assume that the song could be reflective of how he was feeling as there is a profound longing that is conveyed in the lyrics. And the fact that Patrick specifically set aside the song because it felt like a song that could only be done justice by the band lends to the idea that the song also related to a connection between himself and the band.

With the context of Patrick having written a majority of Miss Missing You during his solo era, the line ‘I know I’m the one you to forget’ conveys the idea that Patrick was acutely aware of the chasm that had grown between them. And given that prior to this there had been a lot of tension between them it leads you to believe that he felt he would be better forgotten and he feels Pete should/has been making an effort to forget him. It gives a tone of a messy break-up that neither party really wanted to happen.

‘baby, you were my picket fence’ invokes the imagery of past normality and stability. The ‘picket fence’ is normally associated with settling down and a stable life as often it is said that the dream is to ‘get married and settle down in a house with a white picket fence’. This all being so, it would heavily imply that Patrick viewed Pete as his own kind of stability, that Pete was tantamount at the time to settling down.

The imagery used in ‘hot whiskey eyes’ reflects the appearance of Pete’s eyes with a close accuracy as Pete’s eyes are a warm shade of brown, a similar shade to most common whiskeys.

Outside of the lyrics, the direction of the music video presses upon their dynamic and relationship. While this is almost purely in context to the Youngblood Chronicles, the music video centers upon the tragedy of having to kill your best friend as you have no choice to do. Particular attention is to be placed on scenes after Pete dies and Patrick is brought out of his trace to realise what he has done before ultimately dying himself. As well, the way they’re laying in their death is reflective of a ying yang given the way that they are head to toe with one another.

What a Catch, Donnie

From the outset Pete himself has said that he wrote this Patrick. He has related it to a ‘thank you’ as well as a promise that he won’t give himself up on himself (in reference to his prior suicide attempt)

There are references in the song to Donald Hathaway and Roberta Flack (‘Donnie’ and ‘Miss Flack said I still want you back’) set up a strong symbolic parallel with them and Pete and Patrick. This is because Hathaway and Flack had found success in their duets but after struggling greatly with mental illness Hathaway took his own life, and so they parallel Pete and Patrick who have found success in their dynamic of lyricist and vocalist as well as Pete who has had his own struggles with mental illness and suicide.

Connecting to the parallel later in the lyrics it is stated ‘I will never end up like him, behind my back I already am’ and ‘all I can think of is the I’m the one who charmed, the one who gave up on you’, which is like an exchange between Pete and Patrick. As if Pete is making a promise not to give up and Patrick is making his own promise to not give up on him as long as he doesn’t give up on himself first.

America’s Suitehearts (second verse)

The whole song isn’t applicable to Pete and Patrick, however the second verse is very much in keeping with the pair’s dynamic

‘you can bow and pretend that you don’t, don’t know you’re a legend’ connected with ‘(yeah sorry, I just) let my love loose again’ is extremely reminiscent of Pete and Patrick’s dynamic. Patrick has shown himself to be more reserved and humble, downplaying his own talents whereas Pete will heap praise upon Patrick at any given opportunity and tell everyone how talented he is. It could be said that he continually lets his love for Patrick loose.

I’ve Got a Dark Alley and a Bad Idea That Says You Should Shut Your Mouth

This is based on more of an angsty interpretation of their relationship, one that is more reminiscent of a messy van days situation

‘joke me something awful just like kisses on the necks of “best friends”’ is a line that communicates a sense of desperation and messy emotions shared by ‘best friends’, which is easy to label them as since they often present themselves as best friends.

‘I’m hopelessly hopeful, you’re just hopeless enough’ follows that tone of utter desperation between two young-ish men in a complicated period of their lives.

Twin Skeletons

The core point of the song is that it is all about love and commitment. The running narrative being that the narrator is committed and connected to the other in a way that is akin to that of a soulmate. This links to them in a way that on numerous occasions Pete and Patrick have expressed that they share a bond that is similar to that of soulmates, occasionally going as far as conveying the idea that they’re almost a single person.

Last Of The Real Ones

‘you were too good to be true, gold plated’ the use of gold imagery always invokes the idea of Patrick as more often than not Pete refers to him as ‘his golden ticket’ or just purely ‘golden’. Similarly the notion of him being ‘too good’ matches Pete’s perception of Patrick as he always describes him in a way that almost transcends pure good.

Heaven's Gate

The general notion throughout the song of devotion and giving over your heart to someone else is very reminiscent of Pete and Patrick’s dynamic.

‘if there were any more left of me, I’d give it to you’ conveys an idea that can be related to them as Pete gives over himself through the means of his lyrics he gives himself over to Patrick in a small way.

‘give me a boost over heaven's gate’ is a line that is symbolic of them mostly through the notion that Pete thinks Patrick borders on perfect (acceptable for heaven) and has since moved past being bitter or angst ridden over his goodness and now instead asks for a proverbial boost because he wants to stay with him (get into heaven with him) [I would like to credit Red falloutgirlboy for this particular piece of analysis]

The Kids Aren’t Alright

While this can be read in the context of the whole band it can also be honed in on for Pete and Patrick since they are definitely best friends (this comes up) and this is a peterick reading.

‘and in the end I’d do it all again I think you’re my best friend’ is a very direct line and mostly speaks for itself. They have always expressed their closeness so it is not a stretch to label them as best friends. And given the strength of their bond it is natural to assume that they would go through it all again if it just meant that they would be together.

It’s Not a Side Effect of the Cocaine, I Think It must Be Love

This is another instance of a song that simply just reflects the nature of Patrick and Pete’s relationship. It’s intrinsic to their close bond with one another and the way that translates into interactions and perceptions.

‘why can you read me like no one else, I hide behind these words’ is a line that places specific attention on the closeness that is shared and the ability to read the other. Patrick has mentioned before that it is like they know one another’s thoughts, which then translates to the notion of them being able to read the other with ease. While in the same vein, Pete often expresses himself through his lyrics and no other means which links to the idea of him hiding behind his words.

‘We’ll make them so jealous, we’ll make them hate us’ reads as an aspirational thought and given the context of the time, they were burgeoning on becoming something really big. And given the fact that within the band their roles are very connected, being the lyricist and vocalist, if one is making it then they’re both making it, they’re in it together. Which then means they’ll find success together, they’ll make them jealous and hate them together.

[yatescountyhistorycenter]

They never let him live that one down

By Jonathan Monfiletto

During his lifetime, it was said of Harry C. Morse that he “has certainly been a martyr in a good cause” of promoting Keuka Lake around the world “for he does not like notoriety.” After his death, it was said he “seldom wanted to talk about the unusual fishing exploit of his youth.”

And yet, more than 150 years after the aforementioned exploit and nearly 90 years after his death, the enduring image – figuratively in people’s minds and literally in photographs – of Harry Morse is of a seven-year-old boy who got bit on the nose by a trout while on a fishing adventure on Keuka Lake. But, this boy – who apparently carried a scar from the fish bite on his nose the rest of his life – became a man, and in fact a distinguished man who worked as a steamboat captain and managed two of Penn Yan’s most notable theaters.

Nevertheless, it seems a photograph of Harry C. Morse (the C stood for Corey, his mother’s maiden name, and there are newspaper references to him in his adulthood named with his middle initial) as an adult does not exist anywhere. Neither the Yates County History Center nor the Yates County Historian’s Office has such a photograph in their collections. According to historian Rich MacAlpine, who wrote about Morse in “Keuka Lake’s Biggest Fish Story” and “More Than Just a Fish Story” for YCHC’s Yates Past newsletter, even a descendant of Morse (whose daughter married the son of Admiral Frank H. Schofield) hasn’t been able to locate a photograph of her ancestor as an adult.

The closest that MacAlpine has come is a photo of the Penn Yan Cornet Band from the 1890s, with Morse identified as being in the group but not specifically identified as an individual. And the closest I can come to photographic evidence that Morse had a life beyond his escapade with the trout is a photograph from the YCHC collection of his daughter, Rosemary Morse Schofield.

It seems Harry didn’t like telling the story about his encounter with the fish, so he probably wouldn’t like me telling it here either. Just for context, though, in a nutshell: On August 27, 1873, seven-year-old Harry and his mother, Ione – widow of Civil War veteran Myron Morse – went fishing in a small boat near the shore of Brandy Bay on Keuka Lake. Ione had cast her line from one side of the boat, while Harry was fishing from the other side. Suddenly, she heard her son scream and saw a trout flopping on the bottom of the boat and then saw her son’s bloodied, frightened face. Apparently, Harry had leaned over the side of the boat at the same time the fish – weighing about 8 pounds – sprang out of the water and latched onto the boy’s nose. As Harry jumped up, the force threw the fish into the boat and left Harry with a gash on his nose.

While the story of Harry and the trout became a legend along Keuka Lake, across America, and around the world, Harry went on to live his life. He married Janet Wimbles, of Buffalo, and they produced one child, their daughter Rosemary. At age 26, Harry became a steamboat captain aboard the Mary Bell, considered a state-of-the-art craft for its time with a steel hull and twin propellers. It was also the fastest steamboat on the lake for the era and was described as the finest boat anywhere in New York State, with an interior of polished woodwork, fine upholstery, and brass fittings.

Harry once again gained notoriety on the lake during his tenure on the Mary Bell. On a cruise in 1893, a storm brewed as the boat neared The Point by Gibson’s Landing – the deepest and most treacherous spot on Keuka Lake, according to an article by John Robortella – and water began to slosh over the sides. When someone aboard shouted, “Don’t worry! Harry is at the wheel!” Booth Lowry, a poet from Mississippi visiting Yates County at the time, took the opportunity to capture the moment in verse. By the time Harry soundly docked the boat with all 500 passengers safe, Lowry had finished writing “Harry at the Wheel” as an ode the Harry’s skill as a steamboat captain.

Whether escaping local notoriety or seeking further adventure, Harry moved to Montana later in the 1890s and became a sheep rancher there. He returned to his hometown eight years later with an interest in moving picture shows. For five years, he leased and managed the Sampson Theater on Jacob Street (now East Elm, where the building still stands), and later he bought the Shearman House, a hotel on Elm Street, and opened it as the Elmwood Theater in 1921. Harry showed the first talking picture in Penn Yan at the Elmwood in 1929. He also eventually convinced village leaders to allow theater showings on Sundays.

A typewritten statement from our family files states Harry brought the first bicycle to Penn Yan in the 1880s or 1890s (the statement reads “1889’s,” either a likely typo or curious dating), and if that statement is true it only adds to the legend of Harry Morse. In his obituary, Harry is listed as living at 215 Chapel St., presumably at the intersection with Keuka Street, though that address doesn’t seem to exist anymore. He lived there with his mother and grandmother as well as his wife and daughter. He was part of the local Rotary Club and made a trip to Mexico City with the organization. Harry died at age 69 on January 14, 1936, a day after suffering what is described in his obituary as a cerebral hemorrhage. Janet and Rosemary survived him.

There is a profound and poignant part of Harry’s fishing exploit that endears me and perhaps gets lost in the excitement and unusualness. Myron Morse – Harry’s father, Ione’s husband, and a Civil War veteran – died August 25, 1872, almost exactly a year before Harry and Ione’s fishing adventure. “Mr. Morse was one of the soldiers of the Union Army against the great Rebellion, and it was while in the service of his country that he contracted the illness which settled upon him the fatal disease, consumption, of which he has been gradually wasting away,” Myron’s obituary states.

A year later, perhaps to celebrate her husband’s life and sooth her son’s grief, Ione took her son fishing on Keuka Lake for the day. Maybe she truly did enjoy fishing, or maybe she just went along with it because Harry liked fishing. Either way, a single, widowed mother was trying to raise her only child and fill a void in his life.

[seedlessmuffins]

Hi! I have hockey questions, actually. So, I went to school in Western New York, which was the first place I experienced hockey as like a popular sport, and the team everyone was for was the Buffalo Sabres. A friend of mine actually is a huge fan and writes a lot of sports history papers and articles about them, so I know some of their history and it’s fascinating! But I’m also from Ohio and we have our own NHL team apparently. So what’re your opinions on the Sabres and the Columbus Blue Jackets? Just out of curious or y and because I know basically nothing about the sport 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜

eleanor! hi! thank you for the question!

buffalo is a great team to be a fan of imo, they are very similar to my fav team in that they have struggled a bit in the last few years however with young talents such as tage thompson (center), rasmus dahlin (defenseman) and owen power (defenseman), they are slated to climb the standings and become a more competitive team this year. they also play interesting hockey, and though i don't follow them, whenever i watch their games i have a good time! they are fast, explosive, and score lots of goals which means they're a pleasure to watch. and they're one of the teams in the nhl i'm not necessarily a fan of, but im not against them! fairly neutral. their jerseys are pretty cool as well, i do love the blue/yellow/white colour combo. also if your friend writes articles for them, then that's great! honestly that's the best if you're looking for resources on the team. if you want to look more into them, there is this podcast, that does daily recaps of the team explaining things (although i must admit, while listening to it, it isn't the most beginner friendly), this website is the official nhl sabres website which will have the most reliable news and such, and if you're looking for sabres at a glance, this twitter account was helpful to me!

in terms of the columbus blue jackets, i have to say i don't really like their team that much and they aren't very good. they have a few good talents such as johnny gaudreau (winger) and adam fantilli (center), however the rest of their team isn't great players and they probably won't do well this year. i also just don't like them as a team sorry, so i can't say too many nice things about them because i don't know a lot! if you do end up wanting to support this team, lmk and i can do some more in depth research for you. same with the sabres actually, if you want more info just hmu!!

as always, if you want links to watch reply to this post here, and if you want more general information about hockey as a sport, you can check out this post here as well as my intro to hockey for football fans here (or check out my series #k the hockey prof??? for all my intro to hockey business!)

it's hockey season! ask me questions!

[roublardise]

Clarice - 1x09 - Silence is Purgatory

Transcript

CLARICE: Whatever it is you have to say to me, it'll be okay.

JULIA: That.. case. And.. all the press that came with it, your TV interview, the magazine covers... It created a story. A story that did a lot of damage for me.

Buffalo Bill was clearly a monster, a killer, and I don't know what their story was, but they got labeled transsexual. And whether it's true or not, that word was then in every headline. Every story, every gruesome tabloid photo right next to "murderer," "maniac." "Psycho skins women, driven mad by transsexual desire."

That was the front page of the Baltimore Herald. Overnight, suddenly, the biggest story on everyone's minds was that transsexuals were monsters.

CLARICE: And this affected you personally?

JULIA: Clarice... I'm transsexual.

And... I have to keep that part of myself hidden because I could lose my job. My life. I have to hide who I am because of stories like Buffalo Bill. And at the center of all of those was... you. You made my life harder.

CLARICE: I didn't write those articles. I didn't say those things.

JULIE: No, but the press were listening to you. And people like me don't have a voice. You had the power. To say something and... you never did.

So I needed to say something now. You know, being silent, it's... It's like purgatory. You're never really living one truth or the other.

I, um... just needed you to know, you know? What your silence can do.

[brainrattlers]

Play It Cool - Tyson Jost (34/n)

Pairing: Tyson Jost x OFC (AJ)

Word Count: 6274 (I went a little overboard)

Warnings: Language. There’s adult naughtiness, so if you’re under 18, get outta here. It’s not graphic but still... get out. Holiday fluff too.

Need to start from the beginning? Check out Chapter 1 at https://at.tumblr.com/brainrattlers/play-it-cool-tyson-jost-1n/p7no8u1hzuza

Just need to catch up on last chapter? Chapter 33 is at https://at.tumblr.com/brainrattlers/play-it-cool-tyson-jost-33n/roh2we9w75t3

Author’s Notes: I am reposting this because I'm getting the feeling my tags aren't working right. Testing something out. :)

Happy Holidays, readers! I’m hoping you’re having a festive season full of friends, family, food, and fun. Things got away from me, and then the weather that hit last week threw a wrench in the works for a LOT of people, myself included. Ended up having to rewrite things, and then I got stuck. That’s the hard part about writing sometimes... you have to come up with the ideas! I hope I did this justice, especially since I took a couple extra days.

Anyway, Tyson’s on the road, AJ’s in Minneapolis packing, and there’s a storm heading toward Buffalo. Tyson wants to bring AJ home for Christmas, but there are a lot of “what ifs” looming.

After a few hours of packing, AJ’s stomach alerted her to it being well past lunch time. 

As if on autopilot, she grabbed her keys, and headed to the garage to retrieve her Soul and hit the road. Truth be told, she missed her car after driving Tyson’s so much the past few weeks. Hitting 94, she headed to St. Paul, craving Cossetta. Traffic was rough on Seventh, reminding her of the fact the Wild were playing that night, just two blocks down the road. Opting to take her dinner with her, she headed back to the apartment wanting to get as far from the Xcel Energy Center as she could.

It wasn’t that she was mad at the team, or the arena… There was still frustration with the management and coaching staff there, getting under her skin. She didn’t know why it was still bothering her when clearly Tyson was carving out a new home in Buffalo, now on the third line consistently. AJ really did need to learn to get better, not bitter. Minnesota was just a stepping stone onto bigger and better things, for the both of them.

Sitting on the sofa next to Maple, AJ looked at the clock on her phone. Tyson was in Arizona, and likely would be at practice, but it didn’t stop her from sending a quick photo and message.

AJ: Maple was a good messenger. I miss you too! We’re just chilling on the sofa at the moment, having some late lunch. &lt;;1 attachment>

Putting on some music in the background, AJ got back to work. Tyson’s musical influences were creeping into her Spotify mixes, realizing that a few of his playlist songs were showing up in her Chill and Electronic pre-made playlists. Some of those very songs graced the speakers in this very apartment while cooking dinner together, low-key afternoons that Tyson read while AJ crocheted, and some intense late nights spent connecting on multiple levels. 

Just like packing up life in Denver, memories came rushing back, even though their time there was short. While working on packing but really more reminiscing, the music was interrupted with a notification of a text message. Grabbing her phone, AJ smiled, but then frowned reading the words that popped up on the screen.

Tyson: I’m so glad Maple was able to relay the message. I told him to write it down because I’m pretty sure he would have forgotten otherwise. Skate went well. Change in plans though - don’t think Mom is going to make it to Minny to help. How’s it going? 

AJ looked around and sighed, knowing an extra set of hands would be a huge help. In her heart though, she knew though this was the least she could do right now considering she still didn’t have steady work in Buffalo and Tyson was footing the bill on things. Granted, he IS the one with a $2M contract currently. But with Laura not there to help, it was definitely concerning AJ whether she could pull this off as the movers would be there soon, and how it would affect Christmas plans that she was working with her on to surprise Tyson.

Either way though, AJ was going to have to make this work.

AJ: I’ve got a ways to go in that case, but doing what I can. Maple’s just sitting on the sofa though not helping. Everything okay?

Tyson: I don’t know if you’ve been paying attention to the weather but they’re starting to say that Buffalo is going to get hit hard with snow, but don’t know how much yet. Can I call you when we get back to the hotel? It’s a lot to text.

AJ: Of course. Love you, talk soon.

Tyson: You’re the best, love.

Shortly after, Tyson facetimed AJ better explaining the situation. He was worried about her traveling too - if she left too late, she might get stranded traveling back to Buffalo. Taking a minute to film the apartment situation, she told him it would be close to getting it done before the movers arrived, and making sure she left early enough without Laura’s help.

The silver lining in this situation is that literally she just needed to pack up and clean a bit - and AJ was staying at the apartment so it wasn’t like she needed to drive back and forth to a hotel each day. Late nights, early mornings, it didn’t matter other than the last night. Once boxes were packed, she could grab the most important ones and stash them in her car and hit the road.

The two closed out the call pretty quick, knowing the time crunch.

AJ ended up chatting a bit with Laura that evening too, confirming the news from Tyson about not coming in. The two were trying to figure out what this would mean for the Christmas surprise the two were plotting and scheming to make happen - unfortunately it was a “hurry up and wait” situation not knowing what the weather truly would bring. The two promised to keep in touch to figure out if plans were changing. Both were optimistically hopeful, but knew the reality might not be that picture-perfect.

Tyson was still worried, constantly checking for weather updates. It didn’t seem to show during the game in Arizona though, with him scoring an empty-net goal to help the Sabres beat the Coyotes 5-2. Directly after the game, the team traveled to Vegas.

AJ: Not staying at the Wynn Encore, I’m assuming?

Tyson: Ha ha ha babe. You’re lucky you’re beautiful, smart, kind, and laugh at my jokes.

Working until nearly 2am and the exhaustion hit, AJ gave up on packing for the night. While the mattress felt familiar, the lack of all the extra pillows (there were two left behind from the initial round of packing) and the lack of Tyson left it feeling empty and cold. Soon enough though she’d be back in Buffalo with him, curled up in their giant hotel room bed. And hopefully shortly after that, they’d be moving into a more permanent residence.

After a few hours of sleep, AJ found herself up again, working on putting everything into organized boxes, labeled with what room the box would belong in, or at least if it was Tyson’s stuff, or her own. A few hours later was a good morning text from Tyson, saying the forecast was about the same at that point, but he was still nervous. AJ showed off the progress she’d made, clearing out two rooms already, leaving just a couple left. 

AJ also vowed to herself she would have to get rid of some of her stuff at some point, especially if moving around was going to be a fairly consistent thing. She certainly hoped it wouldn’t be that way - while Buffalo may not have been her first choice, she’d rather stay there at least a few more years before being potentially sent somewhere else. 

Not wanting to interrupt her more than he had to, Tyson recorded a short video and sent it to AJ while she continued on the mission. He sent it from the dressing room before the game started. It pinged her phone as she was stopping for a bit to get some dinner.

Opening the clip, AJ saw her man smiling, definitely taking his time to choose his words.

“Hey Eggo, you are such a trooper putting up with everything, me being me, moving, moving again. I’ve never once heard you really complain. And you doing what you’re doing right now? It made me realize that if the situation were slightly different, I wish you were here in Vegas because I’d take you to the place with Elvis and I swear I’d marry you right now. In the meantime, all I can do is promise I will make it up to you. You’re everything to me, AJ… I love you so much.”

His eyes were glassy, and AJ caught him at one point smiling, laughing, and wiping his eye. Tyson was becoming more and more open showing his feelings to her. She watched the video a couple more times, watching how the smile on his face got bigger when he talked about getting married. 

For AJ, marriage wasn’t a necessity, she knew they were committed to each other. And to be fair, she wasn’t opposed to it either. But for Tyson and his old soul, there was something special, something extremely intimate and romantic about getting to say the vows, and signing on the lines of the license, even if the minister was an Elvis impersonator.

AJ: I can’t wait to see you in a couple days. Feels empty without you here. Got another room finished, only have the kitchen and the guest room/office left. If I were there, I’d gladly take you up on the offer to become Mrs. Jost officially. Your mom would kill us both for that though, pretty sure she wants to be at the wedding lol

With the game on in the background, AJ packed as much as she could, trying to not get sucked into the game too much. Close game though, with a 3-2 win over the Golden Knights. Quiet night from Tyson, but not from lack of trying. 

Tyson: Getting ready to fly back. Weather is looking worse for Friday. Hearing that they’re contemplating postponing the game. Should know more soon. If you can leave sometime tomorrow, I think that’d be for the best.

Looking around the room, AJ could probably pull it off although the boxes wouldn’t be as organized as originally intended. That could easily be dealt with later. With the news though, she called it a night, and got up early the next morning to finish tackling the remainder.

With a handful of boxes in her own car, and the VIB buckled in the front seat (Maple IS a very important bear!), AJ was on her way back to Buffalo. On her way to Indiana, a phone call was made between Laura and herself, unfortunately calling off the Christmas surprise, which was not only Laura coming out to visit Tyson in Buffalo, but also getting Kacey and the grandparents out there as well - AJ and Laura were going to pay for the tickets to surprise Tyson. Unfortunately this left AJ with NO gifts purchased for Tyson, causing her great anxiety. She tried to tell herself it would be okay if it were late, especially considering the fact she’s now on her way back to Buffalo, where it sounded like the weather was going to be awful, no doubt.

Stopping in Indiana for the night, she checked into her hotel, and checked in with Tyson.

“Game is postponed Friday, for sure. So I talked to Mom though, and… since it’s an extra day, what do you think about heading to Edmonton for a quick Christmas trip? I can get tickets to fly out directly after practice on Thursday morning.”

As tired as she was, AJ still fought to keep the really frustrated heavy sigh from being heard over the phone. She really understood, he hadn’t seen his family all together since their trip over the summer. BUT - He didn’t know that her Christmas surprise was now canceled, and that she didn’t have a backup. Tyson didn’t see all the boxes in the living room ready for the movers to pick everything up. Tyson wasn’t the one driving through crappy weather heading back to Buffalo.

What he did know, however, is that when AJ gets quiet, something is amiss. The lack of response was a dead giveaway.

“Hey, is everything okay?”

The frustrated sigh couldn’t be held back, nor was the exhaustion fueled feelings.

“No. No I’m not. I’m just…” AJ trailed off, fearing what might come out of her mouth with her filter seemingly broken.

Tyson stayed quiet, letting her figure out her words to let him know what she’s feeling.

Another sigh happened, but he knew this was the one that always came when she was nervous to say what she was about to say.

“I… I’m just tired, Tys. Physically and emotionally. I was expecting some help with getting the old place sorted, and I know that isn’t anyone’s fault that the weather kept your mom from coming down. But I’m tired from that, I’m tired from driving all day in awful weather. On top of that (sigh) I had this big grand plan for a surprise for you for Christmas, but it completely fell through and I don’t even have a gift for you now. You’re a hard man to shop for, you know that?” AJ was chuckling to keep from crying at this point.

Yep. AJ was truly exhausted.

“Aww babe, I’m… I’m really sorry this is happening, if I had the power to change the weather, you know I would,” Tyson thought for a moment and calmly responded, “Would it be better if we just skipped going home?” 

“That’s not fair to you. My gift to you was getting your family all to Buffalo for the holiday, but… this is still a way for you to see them all. I mean worst case, you can always go without me.”

That last bit stung. Tyson was sure that she didn’t mean it to hurt, but it did.

“It didn’t occur to me what all you’ve been up to the past few days especially without the help you were expecting. I forgot what kind of mess I left the apartment in. You are a fucking ROCKSTAR for putting up with all this and taking care of everything. That right there is more than enough of a Christmas present. But if I had my say, wherever you are for Christmas, I want to be there too. I’m not leaving you alone in a new city, in shitty weather, especially on Christmas.”

AJ was quiet, taking it all in. The silence hung, but Tyson wasn’t about to step in and say anything else until she did, and he was willing to wait however long it was. She was still processing everything in her sleep-deprived mind. Something finally clicked and she realized she was doing the thing again - overreacting and going worst case scenario without considering that it might not be that bad. And Tyson wasn’t going to hold it against her either, realizing he kind of sprung this on her last second as well.

“How about I get some sleep, and I do my best to get back tomorrow in decent time. I want to be with you for Christmas too. I just can’t promise I’m going to be the best company for a day or two as I recharge my batteries.”

Tyson chuckled and sighed, “One step at a time, and that first one is getting you back here. Text me before you leave in the morning, and check in when you can? We’ll figure it out from there, sound good?”

AJ agreed to the plan. She wasn’t sure what the next few days would hold, but was going to roll with it the best she could. And Tyson was going to make sure it was as easy on her as possible, realizing how much she deserved some time off.

After what felt like a few hours of sleep, Maple and AJ were on the road again, driving along Lake Erie heading toward New York, seeing the sights she had seen weeks prior driving the Grand Cherokee up. A few texts were shared before Tyson was on his way to practice, figuring he’d be getting home shortly before she would be. The estimates were right, as AJ texted one more time as she was getting parked.

AJ: Get the luggage cart and help me unload… Maple is cranky and needs a nap. *Maple is me.

With the Soul unloaded, and the handful of bins and large bear brought inside, all AJ could do was hug Tyson, grab a quick kiss, and crawl into bed for a couple of hours. But not wanting her to sleep all afternoon and then not be able to that night, Tyson woke her up before dinner. While he really wanted to take her out for a nice dinner, he also knew that she wasn’t going to feel like getting dressed up. 

Instead he opted to order in some Chinese from a place one of his teammates recommended. As AJ came out of the bedroom, she was greeted by a smiling Tyson who put the Christmas lights on again, and set the table buffet style, complete with an order of General Tso’s for her, Beef and Broccoli for him, veggie fried rice, some egg rolls and an order of crab rangoon to share. Full plates in hand, the two found themselves on the sofa. Eating in silence, they watched an episode of Yellowstone. The second episode found them curled up with each other under a large thick fleece blanket, with AJ fading fast. 

Clicking the off button on the TV, Tyson urged AJ to take out her contacts and come to bed. It didn’t take much to twist her arm.

Letting AJ sleep in, Tyson quietly slipped out in the morning after already packing his suitcase. Little did she know, but he also set an alarm on her phone for 8:30 so she could get up in time to get breakfast downstairs, and get packed. Little did he know, she was planning on getting up at 8 to get breakfast downstairs, get packed, and still try to find a gift before leaving for the airport when Tyson was back from practice.

Thankfully, inspiration struck while she was eating breakfast in the hotel lobby. Throwing on a hoodie and grabbing her keys, AJ made a quick stop at a place she knew that would sell what she was looking for. After spending a few minutes, she picked out which one she hoped he would like. And getting back to the hotel, she quickly packed her bag, stashing the purchased item between a layer of clothing - wrapping would have to be done when they arrived. With a bit of extra time before Tyson’s inevitable return, a visit to the gym happened, followed by a shower to relax herself before popping the Dramamine she’d need to survive flying and not being a nauseated mess.

The door lock clicked, alerting AJ to the arrival of Tyson. Seeing her backpack next to his suitcase, he knew she was coming with… which was good because he had already bought her ticket.

Opting to get a ride to the airport, rather than leaving one of their vehicles there, the two arrived with plenty of time before their flight. This was a smart move, everyone was freaking out with the storm coming in the next day and trying to get to their holiday destinations. AJ fell asleep on Tyson’s shoulder at the gate waiting for boarding, the motion sickness meds clearly doing their thing. When it was time to get on the plane, it took a bit of work, but he did get her awake and coherent enough to get seated. She was back out as soon as her seatbelt clicked. Tyson’s hands would be safe from the death grip of AJ’s at least this part of the trip

The flights to Edmonton were Buffalo to Chicago to Calgary to Edmonton, with that little extra bit of going through customs. With the time zone changes, the two were greeted by Laura at the airport just in time for a late dinner. 

At home, Kacey and a couple cousins were already waiting, decorating the tree. Tyson insisted AJ have a seat on the sofa as he took their bags upstairs to his room. AJ took in the environment, remembering a few of the cousins from their trip up earlier in the year. Laura let AJ know there was pizza in the kitchen, if they were hungry. Tyson appeared again, and grabbed some ornaments to help finish the tree, excited for his favorite holiday with his family. With the tree finished, and a few pieces of pizza devoured, it was actually Tyson who threw in the towel first, admitting he was pretty tired with it feeling two hours later AND a day of travel. AJ was in agreement though, wishing everyone a good night as they headed upstairs.

This time around, it wasn’t Tyson trying to be sneaky and start something, he was legitimately tired. And if he were this tired, he knew that AJ was probably twice as. The two took turns in the bathroom, and cleared the bed of their bags while getting changed into pajamas. And just like last time, it was a tight fit with the two of them in the full-sized (much smaller) bed. But unlike last time, AJ felt a lot more at home and fell asleep quickly in Tyson’s arms.

The next morning, the Jost clan had breakfast, and talked about plans for the coming days. It’d be a short trip, considering Tyson had to be back in time to travel to Columbus for the game on the 27th. Updates from Buffalo though were starting to come in, and while it wasn’t bad yet, the forecast was grim. It was very up in the air what plans were, but as of right now, they had a red-eye to get back early on the 26th. But in the meantime, the plan was to have dinner at the Grandparents Jost’s home on Christmas Eve, and then everyone back at Laura’s for Christmas day. 

Tyson thought it’d be fun to go into the city and test out how much AJ’d been practicing skating. Truth be told, she was getting a little better, able to stop, and take corners awkwardly. (Don’t tell Tyson but she actually got some lessons from a couple of the guys back in Minnesota.) He was so proud that she didn’t even fall down once, although she still looked like a baby deer at times. After skating, they decided to hit up a mall to wander around to kill time. The crowds of people were ridiculous doing their last minute shopping. This did make for some good people watching though. Dinner was catching up with some old family friends of the Josts.

Suddenly, AJ’s phone buzzed in her pocket. Checking her watch, a rather unexpected text was in her inbox.

Tyson:  Hey baby girl, what are you doing after dinner? (winking emoji)

AJ looked over at him, quirking her eyebrow up. She knew what he was doing. 

A few minutes later, Tyson felt the vibration of his watch against his wrist.

AJ: Sleeping? (evil imp emoji)

The texts were spaced out so it wasn’t obvious they were texting each other back and forth, and were doing their best to not be rude to the others they were dining with.

Tyson: I was thinking maybe something that might put us on Santa’s naughty list.

AJ: Is that so? Someone hoping to get lucky in his childhood bedroom?

Tyson leaned back in the booth, putting his arm around AJ, whispering in her ear.

“I want to do all the things that make you scream… but you have to stay quiet or else everyone in the house will know, baby girl.” He smiled as he rejoined the conversation.

A shiver ran down AJ’s spine and her breath stuttered a bit at his words hitting her squarely where he hoped they would. In retaliation, Tyson found AJ’s hand very high up on his thigh under the table, just enough to tease but not actually cause any friction.

The car ride home was thick with tension because they didn’t want to seem any out of the ordinary, that Tyson had been riling up AJ all evening.

Once home though, AJ apologized and went to bed early, citing that she thought a migraine was coming on. Tyson, being the gentleman he is, told everyone he was going to go check on her and excused himself as well. As the two were safely in Tyson’s room, AJ pinned him down in bed, seeing just how far she could get with him before he started getting too loud. It took a lot of effort to not give loud audio cues as to how she was doing. She ended up kissing him deeply, as he moaned and whimpered into her mouth.

Don’t think for a minute though that Tyson let her get fully away with it either. Clearly with the strength advantage, he turned the tables and was working the spot just above her collarbones and riling her up. The major difference though was that as quiet as AJ had been, what he was doing with his fingers that night drove her over the edge, and his other hand had to be put over her mouth to keep her from letting the rest of the house know what they were up to, especially considering she was “worried about having a migraine.”

Getting up from the bed, Tyson grabbed a small, shiny packet from his bag, and stopped to think a minute.

“Babe, get up.”

AJ was still in a heightened state of bliss and ignored the request.

“Seriously, I need you to get up a second.”

Looking toward Tyson at the foot of the bed, he motioned for her to get up. Once she was, he pulled the bed slightly away from the wall, knowing that what he was wanting to do might cause the headboard to rattle against the wall. That would be a dead giveaway.

Content with the distance the headboard was from the wall, a smirk graced Tyson’s lips.

“Now, where were we?” Tyson watched AJ crawl back into bed. “I think we were right about here…” 

Tyson moved slow, knowing that AJ would be able to stay quiet only momentarily as the movements were exaggerated, creating a tease. He reminded her with a finger to his lips to stay quiet. When the whines, moans and whimpers from her were beginning to increase in volume, he moved with more intent, swallowing the noises coming from her mouth with his own. She had to grip into the pillows behind her in fear of getting caught from the noises that would come from Tyson as she would have raked her nails down his back.

The feeling of her fighting it, holding back underneath him was too much, leaving his body shuddering as he let go. Tyson reached between their bodies, using his fingers the best he could at the awkward angle to get her there too. Trying to stay quiet, she scrunched her eyes shut tight, and tried to keep the noise to a higher-pitched hum as she rode it out.

Collapsing against her, Tyson rested his head against AJ’s chest, listening to her heartbeat slow. AJ snaked an arm around him, lightly playing with the hair on the back of his head, feeling him calm as well. After a few minutes, an exhausted sigh escaped Tyson, realizing he needed to get cleaned up. Throwing on a pair of shorts, he first made a stop to the bathroom, and then snuck off to the kitchen to grab some water for the two of them. It had to look odd coming downstairs shirtless to the remaining family members still hanging out in the living room.

“Just grabbing some water so AJ can take her migraine meds.”

Tyson didn’t realize just how sweaty he was, so… yeah. It was probably pretty obvious.

“Mmhmm, g’night Tyson.” Kacey just grinned.

Back in his room, locking the door, AJ was curled up in bed wearing Tyson’s shirt. It was a sight he never grew tired of. After sharing the glass of water, Tyson played the big spoon. The little spoon could feel the big spoon around her giggling. Twisting around, she needed to find out what was going on. The grin on Tyson’s face was huge.

“That was the first time I’ve ever done that in this room. Glad it was with you.”

“Really Tys? You’ve never before in here? I mean I don’t want to hear about your sex life before me, because I just don’t, but… seriously?”

“Hockey always came first, and I wasn’t the babe magnet I am now. What can I say?”

AJ rolled her eyes and smiled. “Well I’m glad I was the first in that case.” 

The two kissed a few moments, until AJ resituated herself as the little spoon. The two drifted off quickly in the warmth of the blankets and each other.

Christmas Eve morning, Tyson came back from his shower wearing a horrible (or awesome) sweater covered in little gifts in various colors. AJ had never seen it before, but it screamed Tyson. Dressed and good to go, the family went to Grandma Emily and Grandpa Jim’s to spend the day playing games and getting caught up on the adventures Tyson and AJ had been up to since they last talked. 

AJ’s phone had been incessantly buzzing and had been ignoring it. But it finally got to a point where she had to check what was going on. A number of friends and family were wanting to make sure she was okay… because Buffalo had been hit hard with the weather. Extreme winds and snow caused massive power outages across the city. Tyson was getting similar updates, and he was never more happy than he was right then that she came with him to Edmonton. The news and video clips just kept getting worse and worse.

“So, what happens if you can’t get back to Buffalo?” AJ was legitimately concerned as the Sabres were set to play the Blue Jackets on Tuesday in Columbus. “I’m seeing that the Bills couldn’t get back to town after playing in Chicago. The airport is shut down.”

“I need to keep in contact with the staff, but hopefully we’ll be able to head back on the 26th as planned.”

Surprise plot twist, the airport closed down due to said power outages and snow drifts, slated to reopen on TUESDAY, which was too late for the whole team to fly to Ohio. The storm had now postponed not just the Friday night game, but Tuesday now too. The next game would now be Thursday versus Detroit IN Buffalo.

AJ was doing her best to stay unconcerned about the weather, but she was failing. Not knowing if he’d get in trouble for not making it back in time potentially worried her. Tyson made it out that it wasn’t going to be a big deal though.

To keep her mind occupied elsewhere, the family played some card games and ate all sorts of food all day. Tales were told, baby photos were shared (much to Tyson and Kacey’s chagrin). AJ and Kacey became the champions of four-player cribbage. Grandpa Jim and AJ talked music. Tyson watched, loving how well AJ blended into his family.

As it grew late, the family split up and went back to Laura’s home for the night. And just like the previous year, matching pajamas were worn by all in attendance. Laura even pulled AJ aside before everyone went to bed.

“Last year I told you that you were an honorary Jost. I’m so happy that you’ll be a real one soon enough, that I’m gaining an extra daughter.” Laura hugged AJ tightly. “Merry Christmas, AJ.”

“Merry Christmas, Lau… you know what? No. Merry Christmas, Mom.” AJ hugged Laura just as tight. It didn’t feel weird saying it either.

Tyson caught the whole exchange from the doorway of the kitchen, and the feelings he had further made it obvious that AJ was the one for him. She didn’t take him away from his family, she added to his family. AJ was everything he could ever want. He made sure to express those feelings to AJ as they curled up for the night, wearing matching fleece pajamas and all.

Unlike last year, Tyson was NOT the first one to wake up, in fact, it was Kacey. She wandered the house to see who was awake. As she wandered the hall, Tyson woke up, which set off a chain reaction of AJ then waking up. The kids all went to the kitchen, getting some caffeinated beverages going. Laura was the last to join in, the sounds of the kitchen waking her up. Shortly after, the grandparents arrived, a box of gifts in tow.

AJ felt awkward this year not having gifts for everyone as she did the year before - there was so much happening between the move to Buffalo and having to get back to Minny to pack up the old place - that she just didn’t have a chance to really go shopping. Thankfully though, Tyson had her back and had picked out gifts for everyone, putting both of their names on the “from” line on the tags. 

Realizing she still had the one gift left in her bag, AJ had to pull a Tyson and throw it in a gift bag, and brought it out to the living room.

Tyson of course played Santa, handing out the stockings and gifts to everyone. This year, after last year’s overspending, Tyson did better and did NOT go overboard on gifts, especially since they’d have to pack whatever they received to come back on the plane with them. Tyson was still under the impression that AJ hadn’t had a chance to get him a present, so he was surprised to find the extra gift bag in front of him.

“Well open it, goof.” AJ pushed the bag toward Tyson.

Reaching inside, he found a new leather wallet with a crisp $1 bill in it.

“When did you find this? And… why… a dollar?”

AJ smiled, “ Remember when you were at practice on Thursday? I snuck out early. Also it’s bad luck to give someone a new wallet that’s empty… is that another AJ’s family thing like the pickle ornament?” 

Tyson laughed and nodded, and then pushed a bag to AJ, which held a new Sabres hoodie for her.

Everyone showed off their gifts, thanking each other for everything. While the men cleaned up the living room, the women of the family all went to the kitchen to get dinner ready. As they did so, snow was falling outside, causing a white Christmas for sure. 

This reminded AJ to check in again with what the situation was in Buffalo - and the situation was worse. Originally they were to leave early on the 26th, but then the airport said it was closed until the 27th, and now it was showing that it would open on the 28th at 11am. This was really causing some travel issues. AJ was trying to check flights to other nearby airports and maybe rent a vehicle and drive back, or fly elsewhere and finally get a flight back in on Wednesday once the airport in Buffalo opened again.

And of course, Tyson was just going with the flow. Concerned, yes, but it was all out of his hands. Instead, he saw the silver lining.

With not being able to fly out the 26th now, he had a plan that involved getting bundled up in whatever warm clothes he still had around his mom’s house, and finding some for AJ as well. This actually was easier for her than him - She had a new thick Sabres hoodie, and had packed some warm pants. Tyson ended up stealing another hoodie in her bag, an old Reverse Retro Avalanche hoodie. (Hey, a hoodie is a hoodie, even if it has a logo from two teams ago. Plus… the Avs were her team still, except when they played the Sabres.) After rummaging around in the garage, Tyson emerged with a couple saucer sleds.

“You ready to do this?” 

It was easy to see how excited Tyson was, that childlike silliness back in full force. Grabbing AJ’s hand, he led her (and the rest of the family that was with them) up the street to a park with giant hills, perfect for sledding.

“I think I’m going to be better at this than ice skating, that’s for sure!” AJ laughed as Tyson handed her one of the plastic discs.

At the top of the hill, both situated themselves, leaving Kacey to push AJ, and Laura pushing Tyson, until they started sliding on their own. AJ started picking up speed and started spinning slightly, with Tyson close behind. The shrieks and laughs that were had came to a quick halt when Tyson crashed into AJ, leaving them both laying in the snow at the bottom of the hill.

The giggles started up again between the two. Tyson leaned over to check on AJ, brushing snow and hair out of her smiling face. 

“Love you Eggo.” Tyson gave her a quick kiss, knowing the teasing from Kacey would start any minute.

AJ sat up, feeling her arms and legs to make sure she really was okay. Getting up, she challenged Tyson.

“Last one to the top of the hill has to cook dinner when we get back to Buffalo.” 

With a wink, AJ started running, trudging through the snow.

“HEY NO FAIR you have a head start!” 

Tyson was no match for AJ, especially when he playfully bumped into her and she lost her balance, falling into a drift. Again he checked on her and she pulled him down into it with her. They both finally got up laughing, and held hands (and sleds) getting back to the top of the hill.

Dinner would just have to be a team effort once they got back home.

Chapter 35 can be found at https://at.tumblr.com/brainrattlers/play-it-cool-tyson-jost-35n/v1c63xdvng6q

[anthonybialy]

Tre White Transaction Academy Not As Fun

Buffalo fans have been sad about something other than games.  For a change of pace, the last few days have been spent watching the Tre White Goalie Academy ad and crying like it’s the start of Up.  The Bills made rational moves factoring salary and injury history that hurt our dear feelings.  Altering the roster embodies the tough human challenges of an employment decision by a city’s sports team.

All-time puck-stopper White leaves Buffalo never having seen a pro hockey game.  He could finally have a chance by signing somewhere that doesn’t host the Sabres.  Either way, he’ll remain as professional as he is charming. 

The cornerback you most wish was your friend has had a Robert James-style career where he’s trying to keep pace with injuries.  A star’s tremendous play hasn’t been seen frequently lately on account of a career shortened by devastating injuries.  

The secondary is now truly depleted.  Jordan Poyer came along at just the right time.  That may not have been a coincidence.  Correlation may not equal causation, but it may, too.  A huge part of the defensive turnaround didn’t just happen to arrive when Poyer turned tackling into more than a dream.

Some wishes won’t be granted.  For one, I will never find out why his girlfriend blocked me on Twitter even though I agree with her about the absurd infringements capriciously ordered by a government that risibly claimed to be acting in everyone’s health.  Like how Jerry never learned why his girlfriend refused to eat the pie, some mysteries will remain unsolved.

The oddity of excessively extensive work deals is a little easier to address.  Last year’s two-year deal was twice as long as it should have been, but it can be tough to work comfortably if you know you’re getting canned at year’s end.  It’s better to at least maintain hope.  On that subject, I’m optimistic his decline will accelerate now that he’s joined the Dolphins.  Embrace a chance for perfect timing.

The longtime center happened to be snapping just after Josh Allen was bitten by a radioactive spider.  Mitch Morse also uncannily appeared as the offense changed from a corporate write-off to a juggernaut that can only be stopped by their own coach.  The center of thoughtful play and answers brought stability from play’s start and past its finish.

Which player do you miss the most?  Conducting a forlorn debate may help cope.  Not getting the premier cornerback back was the saddest roster move.  An irrepressible person’s play was just the start.  Lamentably, we’ve recently only gotten to enjoy his personality.  White has only played 21 games over the last three seasons with a recuperation that may keep him out of some during a fourth.

Bills fans were more shocked by Morse’s LinkedIn browsing.  But a franchise that’s overpaying its roster by rule couldn’t justify keeping an offensive lineman who’s about to turn 32 with a concussion history.  Morse is someone you can thank for his contributions as he’s getting canned and not be lying.  Personally, I’m always proud to have introduced him.

By contrast, there’s the Sabres.  The sentence applies to so many things.  This month, it applies to the trade deadline and a technical captain.  Kyle Okposo didn’t play well, but at least he didn’t lead well.  He guided the Sabres through the drought.  Also, “through” means “ deeper into”.

Florida gets the cursed Brady Bunch Kyle tiki while Okposo’s erstwhile employer should be glad for the marginal defenseman and draft choice received in return.  A plagued fanbase is long since tired of hoping traded Sabres go on to find success with other clubs.  The pathetic notion is particularly noxious for one player who didn’t earn the chance.

Constant fear that a chronic underachiever will drag down a team is thankfully not our problem anymore.   The energy’s already changed for the better just by ostensible subtraction.  You may have noticed the first two Sabres games without him featured both a win and ensuing salute to fans, which were two infrequent occurrences during his unproductive tenure.

The traded captain looking around trying to figure out who caused semipermanent playoff misses like Hot Dog Guy.  Both like and unlike how Poyer showed up as the pass defense became respectable, Okposo was a Sabre for a huge percentage of the exile.  The guy who reeks of gasoline vows to help you find the arsonist.  They couldn’t win because a team where he was supposed to be a huge contributor underperformed by sheer coincidence.

The fact Okposo didn’t sign the worst contract in franchise is condemnation of the Sabres, not praise of him.  We call that the Leino Precedent.  Being finally free of his paralyzing deal only to bring him back in was a decision that can’t be blamed on unawareness of potential outcomes.  The Sabres would bring Moses to the Promised Land multiple times without letting him in.

The Sabres got something back for one last turnover for Casey Mittelstadt.  An eighth overall choice scoring a little more than half a point per game is the sort of uninspiring production that keeps a team drafting similarly highly.  Bowen Byram is playing well because he hasn’t been tainted yet.

Wags note the Sabres should’ve traded the coach, general manager, and owner.  Make the front office abide by Twitter polls.  They can’t deal for a cultural turnover.  Nobody trusts those responsible for changing employees.

The play’s the thing, according to Sabres fan Hamlet.  The prototypical tragedy where everyone dies is far less melodramatic than the drought.  I’m sorry for the spoilers, although we sadly know what’s next with this club.  The titular character is more indecisive than Kevyn Adams.

Vague platitudes about change’s inevitability offer little preparation for specific moves.  Buffalo features one team that could stand to start over while another tries to slightly improve efficiency despite losing crew members.  The individuals we miss overshadow the play even if that’s how we got to know them.

[fromjasonxp]

Why it feels like AIs are coming for the artists

Each week, a new AI thing goes viral. It's always something artistic-adjacent. Either it's a GPT-illustrated kids' book, an AI pop singer, or a chatbot promising to write the next blockbuster movie. And it's always from some guy whose profile pic looks like he's a Buffalo Wild Wings DJ.

It's driving me mad. Not just DJ Drumstick but this aggressive march toward perfunctory art. Why? AI can do so much more. Replacing artists feels like a trivial capitalist pursuit. I think about this often. It's probably safe to say a lot of you do, too.

The short answer is that it isn't.

And then, a moment of clarity— AI isn't here to replace the painters, singers, and screenwriters. I mean, artists may be replaced incidentally, sure. But only as much as we all will.

Those consumer-facing products we see on social media are just the attention grabbers— the peddler's bell that draws a crowd. It's a classic case of loud and dumb.

Companies like OpenAI aren't burning billions of dollars, so some guy named Braxton may ask Generative AI what a big-boobed woman from each state looks like. It feels that way because Braxton and all the other low-level AI peddlers are simply the loudest bell ringers. So people convene around their buggies. But, really, it's the quiet ones we should worry about.

Social media AI grifters won't last long

AI dropped, and some saw an opportunity to make fast cash. Typical grindset stuff— pretend to have made money, then use social media to promote your "expertise.” But it always fades away, and so will this.

For one, what they're doing isn't lucrative long-term. They sell their "methods” so that other grifters can repackage it, then turn around and sell it as their methods. Do you see the problem? It's incestuous. No one is making money because no one is actually buying the outputs. They're just trading the same twenty-five bucks between themselves, minus the Stripe processing fees.

Soon, a new shiny thing will emerge, just as people get wise to the elixir's low efficacy, and it's on to the next town.

So that's one reason— loud dumb-dumbs on social who think they "get” AI but don't. And to be clear, neither does this dumb-dumb. Not in the ways that enrich yourself, anyway. So, take what I say with a grain of salt. But I have just the right amount of cynicism and a decent sense of practical application. I also read a weird amount of tech blogs, but that's probably because I'm just as depressed as everyone else.

The second reason the "AI economy” feels so decidedly anti-artist is about who isn't ringing the bell— corporations.

Master of nun-ya

RAG, or Retrieval-Augmented Generation, is a Machine Learning method that solves a big problem for corporations interested in AI.

Here's the problem— Large Language Models are generalists. It's a jack of all trades, master of none-situation. ChatGPT may know the names of every mountain in Japan but not, say, how Nintendo internally handles unsatisfied customers. The latter is where the money is, apparently.

ChatGPT also has a bad habit of "hallucinating” facts, whereas it may provide "Mount Fuji” as the correct answer to "what's the tallest mountain in Japan” but cite Yoshi as its source.

RAG solves both problems by “feeding” a customized GPT with a corporation's knowledge base. That way, the GPT is not only a mountain trivia whiz, but knows that Nintendo offers a discount to angry customers in some instances (I don't know if they do or even why I picked Nintendo as an example).

More importantly, the GPT can use that knowledge to deal with customers directly via chat, email, or even a phone call. You see where this shit is going.

The Great Plugin

These corporate-trained GPTs will veritably replace all the call center reps, data analysts, and the folks who generally perform "email jobs.” GPTs will also eliminate many administrative tasks shared across an organization, resulting in more cuts. And that's just the heavens and the earth— day one shit.

Perhaps it's already starting with mass tech sector layoffs.

For the rest of the non-tech business world, it'll take time to get its ducks in a row. A lot of corporate knowledge is still kept in human brains, so there's a lot of work to do to convert it to 1s and 0s. We may even experience a hiring spree as corporations prepare for "The Great Plugin.” HR administrators will necessarily work themselves out of a job authoring detailed policy procedures.

But once the troves of internal corporate knowledge are ready to be fed into BrandNameGPT®, it's shareholder value time, baby!

The people who know what's coming— the CEOs (actual CEOs, not Twitter bio CEOs), CTOs, developer-led startups, computer scientists-turned-corporate executives, and otherwise anyone at the vanguard of AI technology are shutting the fuck up. At least for the moment. Because they're just about to thump out a lot of coin from somebody's boot. (likely us poors). And, nan-a single AI-generated Star Wars / West Anderson mashup can stop them.

While these MidJourney muffin-tops cry on Threads because no one respects their "art,” Fortune 500s are training AI mercenaries. So when the next time a customer calls with a billing question, it won't be Jake From Statefarm or whatever poor schmuck making nine bucks an hour who'll look up the account. It'll be some chatbot named SAFFRON or some shit. And SAFFRON has a dozen vector databases shoved up its ass with everyone's account info, HR corporate policy manuals, a copy of How To Win Friends and Influence People, and every frequently asked question since the Bush Administration.

None of us, least of all the DALL-E dildos, are escaping unscathed.

And yeah, I played with generative AI. It was fun for a month. My niece and I made a shark biting a guy's head off. It was like magic to her. She'll remember it forever. But even a six-year-old knows the difference between something her uncle showed her on an iPad and the beautiful stick figures she makes for me. The first thing she said to my sister was, “Look what the robot made, mommy.” And it was her prompt!

I'm not here to shame anyone who uses AI for work. Honestly, I'm not. Get a leg up while you can because shit is about to get ugly for the working class real quick. It the grifters and peddlers that irk me. It's the demanding of artistic accolades for administrative work.

I make websites for my whole-ass living. I watched an AI do what pays my bills using a doodle and some text as a reference. Seriously. You draw a rectangle with a few extra lines, and in 30 seconds, you get a working website. It had a fucking contact form. The drawing doesn't even have to be good, either. Wait until my niece hears about this!

Listen, if a custom GPT and some productivity hacks keep my clients from replacing me for a few more months, a year, five, whatever, I'm doing it. The chicken is already plucked. Our best hope is to find who's about to eat our dinner and help them choke on the bones.

But I'm not about to pollute the world with an uninspired AI novel like some fake feckless writer, and then have the audacity to act like I reinvented art. In the same way I won't cum in a jar and demand you call me a father.

So, if you're wondering why it feels like AI is coming for the artists, it's because the most unimaginative among us can't think of anything else to use it for. And in the absence of ever having an expressed emotion worth sharing, they try diluting everyone else's work until it's as tasteless as they are. And somehow, that's supposed to make them rich. But the jokes on them because all of us are fucked. At least some can offer us comfort with their art.

[yessadirichards]

What should I do on the death anniversary? More are asking as U.S. mass killings rise

were killed in the same attack — chose to spend the day alone.

“I turn down invites to ‘celebrate’ because it’s not a celebration to me,” she said.

Instead, she honors her children privately by looking at their photos and remembering how their life together used to be. She writes, cries and practices self-care by reading a good book or taking a hot bath. She hopes people will understand that she wants to be alone, and that they shouldn't worry or be upset if she turns down invitations or doesn't respond to texts.

Everyone deals with grief differently, said Jeffrey Shahidullah, a pediatric psychologist at UT-Austin Dell Children’s Medical Center.

Shahidullah was part of a team that stayed in Uvalde for months after the shooting to operate a crisis walk-in clinic for first responders, community members, family and friends of victims.

In the short and long term, mass shootings can traumatize entire communities, Shahidullah said. That can lead people — even those who didn’t know the victims personally — to avoid situations that remind them of the event, feel constantly unsafe and experience intrusive flashbacks to when they first heard about the killing.

“A lot of these symptoms could be exacerbated or worsened around the time of these anniversaries,” Shahidullah said. “Over time, those symptoms do tend to subside. But everyone has their own timeline.”

(asterisk)(asterisk)(asterisk)

By cruel coincidence, the first anniversary of the Buffalo supermarket shooting fell on Mother's Day. That made things especially hard for Wayne Jones, whose mother, Celestine Chaney, was among the 10 people killed by a white supremacist that day.

Jones said some friends came over on the anniversary, and they talked about other things.

“5/14 is every day to me still,” he said. “I watched my mother get killed on video.”

The video and a photo of the shooter — standing with the gun he used, a vulgar racial slur scrawled on its barrel — are “ingrained in my brain," he said.

Tirzah Patterson and her 13-year-old son, Jaques “Jake” Patterson — who lost his father, church deacon Heyward Patterson, in the supermarket shooting — left town altogether for the anniversary. They have not set foot in Tops Friendly Market since it reopened last summer and did not attend the memorial events in Buffalo for her ex-husband and the others who were killed.

“We don’t want to go through that again,” Tirzah Patterson said before the weekend. “We’re going to be gone.”

They spent Mother’s Day weekend in Detroit and attended a church service there.

(asterisk)(asterisk)(asterisk)

While some are just crossing the one-year mark, others have been dealing with these anniversaries for years.

“I meet the sunrise daily on the way to get mine,” he recited. “I don’t play myself ’cause I don’t got time.”

When he finished the poem, Presley gave the signal to release the balloons. They soared straight up, gently rising above the rooftops and disappearing into a clear blue sky.

Aaron Morrison and Carolyn Thompson contributed from Buffalo, N.Y.

Trisha Ahmed is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues. Follow Trisha Ahmed on Twitter: @TrishaAhmed15

Ahmed’s father, Avijit Roy, was killed on Feb. 26, 2015, by religious militants in Bangladesh. Each year on that date, she throws a party — because he loved celebrations — and surrounds herself with people she loves. This February, they played games and gave a toast in his honor.

[fruitstories]

Moving like snakes higher and higher on thick elephant skin, gray and green, gray and green; moving past big black roosters, tiny puppies, lost children's flipflops; serpentines, serpentines, endless serpentiness, sun shadows, up on the neck; strange; strange, how still, how still, how still, how you still sneak up on my selfless skin; serpentine, serpentine, you move like a snake up my spineless spine; strange, how still you are while moving; stay, stay, stay still; moving like a snake up up up my spine, sneaking on my neck; i turn i turn and twist; trying to catch your whisper; whispter still; strange; you move up behind my ears; drums are banging; this city is qll in red; did you leave mine because i was too?; Birds in small cages, cats in bags, hands in hands; what is your prison?; Mine is the mirror; strange, ain't it?; a bumpy road, but i promise, i promise it leads to a lake bluer than your lover's eyes; and it's hot and it's sweaty but you're holding on; not knowing where to place your hands; on the lookout for your center; activating the forgotten muscles of your abdomen; serpentines, serpentines; nauseous waterfall; a memory catching up; are you ready? Are you ready?; Two white butterflies making love in the winds; i was writing to you on the very last tops of the himalayas; counting last minutes; counting the steps we have yet to take; and those we have already walked; a can of coca cola in the turquoize waves; my phone catches chinese signals; sun setting, sunday ending; is it saturday?; Forgot how to count days; somehow, i wish i never knew; kids wave at us, dressed in colourful skirts, and butterfly tshirts; here, the mountains become chameleons; transformed into moving skin; close your eyes; see how it moves, its thick feet rumbling; close your eyes; the chameleon has moved; mountain tops like dragon's spine; a dinosaur, a gecko, a never ending sea of possibilities; but there, they have built a dam, and it is dry, god, it is dry; a lake and a dry field; the chameleon moves, alright; corn fields heavy on its skin; the rain comes; the mosquito bites; the child has no clothes on, but they carry a basket full of corn; a european boy walks by; irony has a sad reality; today, i am in grief; wish i had some tears to spare; but im busy being happy; the wind cries and i try to catch its tears; crickets sing and i try to catch their thoughts; two chameleons meet; they kiss; and a lake forms underneath; an earthqake, a separation; this is just a dream just a dream just a dream; tomorrow i will wake up and the corn fields will be gone, the rice buffalo asleep; the city shows itself, growing between cliffs; somewhere, the moon is different; underneath, a lost face; a winter freeze; something that should not be there, but here.

We drink a rice spirit and Alim has a Manchester accent; of course, of course, I know what follows; I wish I did not know; wish it did not follow; he goes on to tell a story about his easy rider; got added on facebook; fb friends and all; we shared a fanta, he's the cutest;