Twenty-Sixth PSI

[a_gentle_boy]

[Ring, ring!  It is 6:00 in the morning and there is someone buzzing at your door.

The day after Thanksgiving, Lucas was awakened by the sound of the telephone.  Upon picking it up, he was greeted by a friendly disembodied voice thanking him for his application as a paper-boy.  He'd be starting tomorrow!

 . . .

The rest of the day was spent in anxiety about what he was going to do.  And seeing as how he was Lucas, he came to the inevitable conclusion that he'd better make the best job of it he could.  This is the reason why your doorbell is being rung at an ungodly hour -- If it's possible for a buzzer to sound polite, it does.  Lucas will wait with a cheerful smile on your front porch until someone shows up to answer the door, after which he'll promptly launch into a speech that sounds as if it has been nervously rehearsed for hours.  In the event that no one does, he will leave after two rings.  Morning people may notice that there's no bike nearby, but there is a table meandering about your front lawn.  The speech runs as follows, though you can cut him off at any time.]

Good morning, [mister/miss]!  My name is Lucas.  We're not acquainted, but I wanted to let you know that I'll be responsible for bringing your newspapers in the morning now.  I'll do everything I can to make my delivery as quiet and punctual as possible.

Thanks very much, and I look forward to serving you!

[In the event that he knows you.]

O-Oh!  Hi!  Um.  Ah.  Oh, I have to change my speech.

Comments

[abravelikehero]

[He answers the door on the last ring, he looks half awake. It takes him a moment realize there is a kid telling him something, but by the time the speech is finished he's more awake.]

Isn't it a bit early for this? I didn't even know we got a paper. Can other things be delivered?

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

. . . Early? No, this is when newspapers should be delivered, I'm pretty sure. I think. D-Did I do it wrong?

[abravelikehero]

Are they delivered by ringing the bell? I thought they were just left on the doorstep.

N-no! You didn't do it wrong, I don't think. I mean, I don't really know what you're suppose to do.... I was just asleep...

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

. . . Oh. Um.

[Come to think of it, no one had ever rung his doorbell before.]

Oops.

[abravelikehero]

Don't worry about it.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

I-If you call them and report unsatisfactory service, y-you can get free service, I think.

[abravelikehero]

This isn't really the kind of situation you would call about. That should be reserved for serious infractions.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

Oh.

. . . Um. Just out of curiosity, what kinds of things would you call about?

[abravelikehero]

What kinds of things? Well... I guess if my paper was torn up every day, or put somewhere really strange like a filled bird bath. There's also things like thrown through the window with a rock tied to it, articles cut out, the comics removed, three days late

You know, things like that.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

. . . D-Do these kinds of things ever even happen?

[Lucas has actually magicked a notebook from somewhere (the same one he carries around in his pocket all the time for drawing) and appears to have taken copious notes.]

[abravelikehero]

I'm not really sure, I've never had a paper delivered to me before.

I'm sure you don't need to worry as long as it's just delivered normally?

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

So . . . normally is just . . . throwing randomly at the door and hoping it lands on the porch, right?

[abravelikehero]

Pretty much, you aim at the from step, or something like that. That's what every show on TV has when they have a paper boy at least.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

I never watched the Happy Boxes before I got here. Isn't this nicer, though? We can be friends this way.

[abravelikehero]

I wouldn't mind being friends. As long as we could be friends during waking hours.

[Ah! That's a bit selfish, this boy here is being friendly and I'm complaining about an early rise. A true hero wouldn't care if he got up at the crack of dawn or not. A true hero would take friendship where it stood, be it dawn, middle of the night, or afternoon! If I ever hope to be a true hero, I will have to embrace such things.]

You're right! It is better this way, it gives a sense of closeness to those around you.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

A-Aha. I was trying to make a joke, actually. I really am sorry about waking you up.

[abravelikehero]

Oh... um... well I'm sorry I got a little annoyed, that wasn't very fair of me.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

It's alright. I'd be a little grumpy, too.

[Well no he probably wouldn't, but.]

But I wasn't joking about being friends or anything. We can do that if you'd like.

[abravelikehero]

I wouldn't mind. I haven't made a whole lot yet since I only just recently arrived. So, being a friends would be really nice.

[And he really means it.]

I am so bad about not doubling icons

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

I'd like that.

My name is Lucas. It's nice to meet you.

[abravelikehero]

My name is Almaz von Almandine Adamant, it's nice to meet you as well. I hope delivering papers turns out to be fun as well.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure about fun, but I think having a job is something you can learn from. I'm going to do my best.

[abravelikehero]

That's true, but I think a job should also be enjoyable. If you don't like what you do, there's not much to gain from it.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

Oh, I don't know . . . I don't like taking care of the sheep too much, but I think I learned from it, still. And I guess I don't really have a choice here.

[abravelikehero]

I didn't mean you can't learn but, doing something you hate all the time will make that harder, right?