the times they are a'changing

[retropolis]

WHO: NELSON GARDNER and YOU
WHERE: Around the City! Locations specified.
WHEN: January 28th - February 2nd
WARNINGS: Will edit if needed.
SUMMARY: Nelson copes with the unpleasant surprise of arriving in faux-New York almost fifty years in the future the rational way: varying levels of hysteria and despair.
FORMAT: Tagger's choice.



It wasn't often that Nelson's asthma acted up -- not noticeably, not for years -- but he had been having on-and-off hyperventilation attacks of increasing severity since he arrived in this... wherever he was. He coughed and gasped and the pain in his chest seemed to tell him (scream to him) that whatever this was, it at least wasn't a hallucination. He knew plenty about pain, after all, and you didn't feel it from simple fantasies. That knowledge didn't help his confusion any.

In a way it was both everything he wanted and everything he didn't want all in one (hah) breath. A team of heroes could protect the world (a team of the right heroes), but what good did a whole city of them do? How could they do more than stumble over each other and cause more problems for themselves and everyone in their paths? It was tactically clumsy, at least from Nelson's perspective. More than anything it was overwhelming. How could anyone stand out this way? But that was a selfish thought. He was old and he was out of shape -- really, if he hadn't been obsolete already this seemed like the final nail in his coffin, and the worst of it was that this city looked like every social ill Nelson could imagine multiplied by ten; where was he? What had happened to New York? Just looking at the communicator in his hand perplexed him. It was apparently some kind of combination telephone and walkie-talkie, which was already beyond his comprehension.

Get ahold of yourself, he coached himself, willing himself the confidence to stand up straight again and walk steady until he could find somewhere to sit, or someone that could help. Of course he could do this -- with his USMC experience, he could do anything if he stayed alert, confident, optimistic… and strong. He was going to put his best foot forward and try to meet this situation with all the dignity he could muster.

Or if not dignity, at least steady breathing.

( I can be contacted on PM or plurk if further planning for any thread is wanted. Obviously most of these scenarios are pretty flexible; I'm open to location changes and/or time jumps occurring (e.g. they meet at coffee, then go to a movie, or the tag-in doesn't occur directly after the specific moment the set-up implies but rather an hour later) after the initial set-up unfolds, or if someone else has tagged and using a different time of day or slightly different (but nearby) location makes more sense. Tagging multiple days is also totally fine if desired! )

Comments

[invoking]

There are probably some who don't...

[retropolis]

Maybe. But I'd like to move out of my apartment into something nicer as soon as possible.

[invoking]

[ Thoughtfully: ] If it doesn't bother you, you could ask on the Network about roommates.

[ Says the guy who now owns an entire penthouse to himself. ]

[retropolis]

[ Well... depending on the type of roommate... heh. ]

It's something to consider. I'd need to meet more people.

[invoking]

That shouldn't be any trouble here.

[retropolis]

Yes, but I'm not so easy to live with. [ He chuckles a little, like he's joking. ]

[invoking]

[ He stares for too long. ]

Oh... I'm sure you could find something for one person.

[retropolis]

It's probably best. [ He pauses. ] In time, of course.

[invoking]

There's a place you can go for help in getting a job here. Department of Integration.

[retropolis]

Actually -- [ He paused, frowning slightly. ] I do have an offer from City Hall. I still have to interview for it.

[invoking]

[ He seems to jerk uncomfortably and he gazes at Nelson long and wide-eyed. ] City Hall? Already?

[retropolis]

Well -- I found myself in there on Tuesday to speak to the Mayor. Then the Deputy Mayor-- [ Blackmailed him. ] offered me the opportunity.

[invoking]

[ Can't shake raccoons out of his mind's eye. ]

Then congratulations are in order.

[retropolis]

It's a little soon for that. [ He smiles nervously. ] But thank you, regardless.

[invoking]

A job at City Hall is something though, isn't it? [ He forgets what exactly they do there besides ~running the city~ ]

[retropolis]

If they decide to have me. [ His expression sours slightly. ] I've never worked in politics before.

[invoking]

[ Gil looks positively baffled by that. ]

They hire people without prior experience? That must explain that woman...

[retropolis]

Which woman?

[ He raises his eyebrows. ]

[invoking]

This... [ He looks off to the side, embarrassed. ] This strange woman who works there. She may have raccoons around her?

[ He knows how this sounds. ]

[retropolis]

I'm not sure I've met her. [ Frowns... ] I'll heed your warning, however, if I do end up back there.

[invoking]

[ He tugs with a finger at his collar anxiously. ]

I don't know what she does there exactly, but she's... [ You know what? He hasn't the slightest idea how to describe April. He really thinks the women of this time are something else. ]

Just... strange.

[retropolis]

A lot of them seem a bit strange. [ He shakes his head a little. He's not one to question authority, but man Mitch and Eddie are weird. ] It comes with the territory, perhaps.

1/2

[invoking]

[ April Ludgate is a life ruiner. ]

[invoking]

Ah... best of luck, anyway. It may help with settling in fast. [ Or however well one could settle in this place. ]

[retropolis]

That's all I can really hope for. [ A pause. ] That and income, of course. I'm sure I'll get the hang of it.