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

[infinitemars.livejournal.com]

[And she is kind enough not to actually mention it.]

I see. Doesn't one usually just leave it and go, though?

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

Oh! Oh. . . . Right. I-It's my first day, though, so I thought I'd better . . . get to know my clients. Or something like that.

[infinitemars.livejournal.com]

I see. [She smiles. Seems she's probably used to being up early anyway, so it's no big deal.] So you are?

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

O-Oh, sorry! I forgot . . . Ahem.

Good mo -- I already said that. My name is Lucas. We're not acquainted, but I wanted to let you know that I'll be ......

[infinitemars.livejournal.com]

[Kira lets him say his speech. After all, why not? She isn't even going to tell him she has a sketch of him as his superhero self... that would probably cause trouble]

Nice to meet you. I'm Kira Kashino.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

[Lucas stops sounding like a robot once he's done.]

It's nice to meet you, Miss Kira. I hope I do OK at this. I've never had a real job before.

[infinitemars.livejournal.com]

They get easier the more you do them. [She nods from experience, giving him a kind smile.]

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

Did you get assigned a job here, too? Or did you work a lot back home, do you mean?