[open] Open House - redundancy is redundant

[lastchancetorun]

What exactly does an open house at a holistic clinic entail? For the most part, it seems to involve a table of pamphlets on various new age and holistic medical treatments. There are incense samples in jars, and lit novena candles. Another table is full of refreshments. Punch, of course. A tray of cookies (lemon fig, carob, oat/hemp seed and, of

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[goldenstreets]

Ben is here, just as promised; he actually thinks this is all pretty awesome, though he's a bit unsettled by the woman with the rashes on her arms He's poking around drinking punch and reading a pamphlet about healing with crystals and . . . not wondering at all about what's in the pockets of Dr. Stark's richer-looking prospects. He brought a friend along, but said friend seems to have magically vanished somewhere.

When he first notices he's a little short of breath, he doesn't think much of it; there's all the incense and candles going, after all, it must be that. Ben's much more occupied with wondering whether he should go introduce himself to Stark or not.

[lastchancetorun]

Don't pick the pockets of the rich old ladies with dogs that are miraculously not in purses, Ben. It would be very rude. And of course you should introduce yourself. That's what this party is for!

Well. Sort of.

All he's doing is tending to rashes. It's not a bother.

[goldenstreets]

Well, getting their pockets picked is what rich old ladies are for! So there.

Ben eventually gets the courage up to wander over that way and stick out a hand, with all the social grace you'd expect of a poorly-dressed sixteen-year-old. "Hey, uh. Dr. Stark, right?"

[lastchancetorun]

That is so very much a lie, Ben.

"Oh...yes. Hello." He finishes up with his young lady friend, pats her on the shoulder and turns to Ben. Hey, a hand in the face. Shake it! "Enjoying yourself?" Just a tad unsteady. It must be the tea.

[10over6]

Jervis Tetch is in need of a few things an open house like this one might provide. These being: an interesting gift for a young woman he's stalking courting, an alternative to traditional psychiatric treatment, and a way to spend his afternoon away from his apartment. He is not, however, in need of any more anxiety than he already possesses.

He walks in and immediately begins hovering around crystals, books, tarot cards, and various other commercialized, esoteric new-age baubles. Alice wears a crystal around her neck, you see, and she said it was to 'balance her energies'. Jervis is a good listener and intends to prove it. There are free cookies and he helps himself to sum, avoiding the somewhat wounded looking woman in the bandages. She may be contagious. He wonders if the "Tao of Pooh" is adorable or ridiculous and moves along. Perhaps some sage sprigs? He smells something in the air, he's almost sure, but that's not it... Whatever it is, he isn't feeling well now.

[lastchancetorun]

Yes, this young lady with the bandages is very contagious. In a manner of speaking. Scratch, scratch, scratch. BAD Emma.

If one were to wish to speak with Dr Stark, he is over there on the couch looking terrible. Poor Dr Stark. Poor everyone.

[10over6]

Anxiety. Jervis is used to anxiety. Probably from skipping his appointment today. Didn't expect it to hit this soon. Nausea, perhaps, but not this. Just don't look at anyone. Deep breaths. Shit. He should talk to the doctor. That man is a doctor, isn't he? Jervis makes hi way over to Stark, not wanting anyone to look at, touch, or speak to him.

"I..um...goodness. Um.. Dr. Stark?"

[lastchancetorun]

Of course he's a doctor. "Oh. Hello. Yes. I'm Doctor Stark?" This open house is waaaaaaaaay too crowded, sir. Who let this many people in? Surely, someone should check the fire code.

[darkmatter10]

Marcus has dropped by! His inveterate good nature is his only shield against fear gassing, and it is being sorely tested mere moments after arrival. That's what happens when you're a skinny white boy. At least he didn't bring his dog, like he thought about doing.

As soon as it's convenient, he too goes to introduce himself. "Doctor Stark? Hi, I'm Marcus Leigh. Darkmatter10 from the chatroom." His curl of a grin is not as bright as it normally would be.

[lastchancetorun]

Judah is begining to suspect that maybe he is burning too many scented candles. Really, this is what he's thinking. "Hi, Marcus. Nice to put a face to the screen name. Enjoying yourself so far?"

[darkmatter10]

"Yeah!" No. "It's really interesting." It's really uncomfortable and he's getting all short of breath. "I should, um. Go grab some air."

[lastchancetorun]

"Yeah, maybe I should..." Should what, Judah? What were you going to say? He looks momentarily confused by the fact that he seems to have forgotten, but shakes it off. "Maybe open a window."

Clearly, this will help.

[thimblerig]

In due course, Felix arrives with a 'welcome to the neighbourhood' gift that his secretary picked out. She assured him that this piddlingly ugly sort of succulent is excellent for feng shui purposes and general meditation.

Right. Whatever.

"Howdy, neighbour. How's the open house going?"

[lastchancetorun]

Judah is, at this moment, extinguishing a few of these here scented candles. Clearly, the conflicting smells in this small apartment is what's making people uncomfortable, out of it and dizzy. "Um."

It takes him too long of a pause to think of a response. "I don't think it's going that well, actually."

[thimblerig]

Ugh. The smells combined with what might have been dodgey leftover in the fridge are not doing Fix a world of good right now.

"I'm sorry to hear that. I brought you a lucky plant?" For luck, see? "Maybe this'll help."

Maybe he should sit down for a minute or two.

[lastchancetorun]

The typist, like many before her, absolutely refuses to make any sort of gas leak jokes.

"Oh. Wow. That's really nice of you. Thanks." He will set it on one of the shelves, and because it's from Fix, it will be one of the non-wobbly shelves. "Maybe. I think...I think there's a bird loose in here."

There is absolutely no bird, bat or any other type of flittering animal loose in here.

[omnia_veritas]

There are a few things Randy has learned since coming to Gotham. Things are much more dramatic here than they were in Seattle. A good job is hard to come by, even though you already have a job. And groceries get stolen if you leave the bags out on the step for longer than a minute. (He was only inside for like, five seconds. Honest

[goldenstreets]

Well . . . Ben is not qualified to judge his own blandness, but that is an extremely nonbland shirt he's wearing. And probably, under the circumstances, a vaguely alarming thing to have show up in your peripheral vision.

He doesn't mean to be alarming, though! He's just having a look at these crystals here. Possibly with the same train of thought Randy's having, even, minus some of the scruples. "Uh, hi." It's nice to see someone his own age! Since the friend he brought has vanished.

[omnia_veritas]

'Alarming' is a nice, subtle word for it, yes. 'Horribly dizzying' a better phrase, though.

Randy's reaction to the sudden appearance of that shirt is something akin to how one might after having water flicked at their face. BUH! He blinks, wide and startled, before looking at the shirt again. It's just a shirt, though. It's not moving (much) and it's not going to do anything other than be a shirt.

And then there's talking. Great. The kid looks up, at the face that the shirt wears. "...Hhhhi."

[goldenstreets]

It's not Ben's fault he has to shop at thrift stores. :( It may, however, be his fault he shops for clothing according to creativity rather than actual aesthetic value.

Shockingly enough, though, there is a face above the shirt and everything! Though Ben is startled right back by Randy being startled. Fear gas, it's a laugh a minute. "Hey, uh." Blinkblinkblink. "Didn't mean to startle you."