(Untitled)

[dontlooklisten]

Time is occasionally weird between Milliways and other worlds. As far as Whistler's concerned, it's been hardly any time at all since his last visit. Sure, he has to stop just inside the door and listen to the echoes for a while, but that happens EVERY visit. "I gotta say," he announces to no one in particular, "I like what you've done with the

Comments

[snap_time]

"No kidding." And that's Larry, a couple of seats to Whistler's right. "I'm just glad I've actually got a job now."
He hasn't had to stay in the bar, aside from Halloween, but still. Any outstanding fee is daunting when you're mostly broke.

[dontlooklisten]

"Oh, hey," says Whistler, turning his head in the direction of the voice. "Yeah, that'd make it kind of ugly if you didn't. Man, I really have to talk to Bishop about our next gig."

[snap_time]

"It might still be a little dicey, but I figure if I pay it off a little at a time, I'll be okay. It's mostly food anyway - only time I've had to stay here was Halloween."
Narration maintains Larry brought that down on himself, being the one who said he'd never live it down if he went back to the museum dressed like that.

[dontlooklisten]

"That's probably not too bad," Whistler allows. "Suzi and I're probably going to be able to manage. It's not like we've been in the room here that much lately, so, yeah, food more than anything. How've you been?"

[snap_time]

"Pretty good. Museum's about as crazy as usual. And my son was visiting during his birthday this year. Had the means to get him something pretty noce, for once."
...Not that lack of funding stopped him in the past, but still.

[dontlooklisten]

"Congrats," says Whistler. "How old is he now, anyway? I don't think I have the math right."

[snap_time]

"He just turned eleven. Which means he'll probably have outgrown his present by the next hockey season, but I figured it couldn't hurt for the meantime."

[dontlooklisten]

"Helmet, huh?" Whistler guesses. "Or gloves?"

[snap_time]

"Gloves and knee pads. He's probably going to need new skates soon, but that's definitely waiting until the fall."
Nicky's not complaining about his current pair, anyway, and that's generally the telling sign.

[dontlooklisten]

"Gotcha," says Whistler. "Yeah, that would be something you'd wanna be careful about, with the size and all. Man, the things I missed growing up."

[snap_time]

Larry shrugs, even though it's pretty much for his own benefit. "You could say the rest of us missed the joys of the audio world. Most of them, anyway."

[dontlooklisten]

"Nah, I didn't mean it like that," Whistler says. "I was the kind of kid who would've lost half the equipment given half the chance, and then my dad would've flipped out on me."

[snap_time]

"There's that too. Nicky's pretty responsible, though - gets it from his mother."
Larry knows what his strong points are. Responsibility... is becoming one, but it isn't on the list of strong points yet.