RO > call me out; a forever open RP post, version 2

[midvalley]

NEW OPEN RP POST

Comments

[animated]

Oh goodness, no. I do, in fact, sell books at my bookstore.

[arbitrated]

Now, that is surprising. I always assumed they were cardboard facades. The type you find on shelves in furniture stores.

[animated]

I actually think that's my worst nightmare. An entire bookstore full of fake books.

[arbitrated]

... Really? Not-- I don't know, spiders? Standing at the top of a very tall building? Things that go bump in the night?

[animated]

Nope. Fake books. [ he shudders ] Creepy.

[arbitrated]

[ ... Alright, that manages to surprise a genuine laugh from him. ]

Is it all the blank pages that scares you? Or the possibility that they're hollow inside?

[animated]

[ That laugh is a surprise, and Charlie actually beams a little for getting one out of him ]

I dunno. I mean, if it's got blank pages I guess it's still technically a real book.

[arbitrated]

[ He hums thoughtfully, folding his hands on the table. ]

Have you ever seen that episode of The Twilight Zone, where the man has all the time in the world to read, only his glasses break?

[animated]

Oh my God, no. That sounds horrifying.

[arbitrated]

Well, there's also the little fact that he was the last man left in the world, but yes. His glasses breaking was a tragedy.

[animated]

That sounds doubly horrifying, then. I don't know if I could handle being the last man on Earth, even if I did have a ton of books.

[arbitrated]

What I really want to know is -- if you had to choose between hollowed out books or unreadable ones, which would be the lesser of two evils?

[animated]

I guess that depends on your definition of "unreadable". If it could still be ready by somebody, then that one for sure.

[arbitrated]

So as long as someone can enjoy it?

No wonder you sell books.

[animated]

What can I say? I have a soft spot for the written word.

[arbitrated]

And for putting up strange little signs and statues in your store, apparently.

[animated]

Why, Mr. Lysander, are you spying me?

[arbitrated]

Your store has windows that face the street, Mr. Maxwell. And whether you believe it or not, I do, on occasion, drive.

[animated]

You mean you don't turn into a bird and fly to work?

[arbitrated]

Only on casual Fridays.

Otherwise, I prefer having access to an air conditioner.

[animated]

... You know, I can't tell if you're joking or not.

[arbitrated]

What would I have to joke about?

[ He takes a sedate sip from his mug of coffee. ]

[animated]

What, is casual Friday around the office just "show up in your favorite shift" day?

[arbitrated]

[ He hums in the affirmative as he's drinking. ]

One of our paralegals, Kathy -- she likes spending the morning as a quokka. After lunch, she switches to a Pomeranian.

[animated]

I-- wait, what's a quokka?