IC Inbox

[everswirlingtoilet]

You've reached the phone of Nick Sax. Congratulations--I'm sure it's the highlight of your day.

Assuming you had a point to reaching out, leave a message regarding said point. If I think it's worth my time, I'll get back to you. If not...

...beep.

Comments

[everswirlingtoilet]

Exhausting. You must have a serious caffeine habit to keep up all that rah rah spirit.

[tucky]

Nope! One cup a day.

[everswirlingtoilet]

Maybe it's the age difference then. You still have youth on your side. I've got youth on my back side. Like years behind me.

[tucky]

That's probably it. Plus I figured out I got an addictive personality type, so I try to be moderate.

[She says as if she isn't perfectly aware he has something of an addictive personality, too.]

[everswirlingtoilet]

I tried moderation. It didn't really work for me.

[tucky]

Sometimes it feels like it ain't all it's cracked up to be, but-- being too extreme doesn't always work out so good, either. For me, anyway.

[everswirlingtoilet]

Well, sure--it all depends on your goals. And if your goal is to survive to a ripe old age, extremism probably isn't the way to go.

But if you rate self-indulgence higher than survival, then moderation is a real buzzkill.

[tucky]

How long do you think you wanna live, then?

[everswirlingtoilet]

I'm pretty sure I've overstayed my welcome already.

Don't get me wrong--I'm not trying to rush things along. I just don't worry much about it.

[tucky]

I hope you're wrong. I like you, even though you're a pain in the ass.

[Because he's a pain in the ass, in part. She's like that.]

[everswirlingtoilet]

I appreciate that but no one, including you, should ever waste a moment feeling bad when the time comes I get myself into a situation I can't get out of.

Assuming that hasn't already happened. I am technically sort of dead-ish after all.

[tucky]

Sorry. I already like you enough that I'm definitely gonna cry if something bad happens to you.

[everswirlingtoilet]

Oh for crying out loud. My own mother wouldn't shed a tear.

Of course she's so drunk most days I'm not sure she remembers who I am. [Yeah, Nick may have taken being a jerk to a new level but he had help.]

[tucky]

That sucks. My mom's like that sometimes, too.

[everswirlingtoilet]

What sucks is when you can't decide what's worse-- when they forget you or when they remember you.

Your dad still around?

[tucky]

Yeah. It's kinda the same with him. He doesn't get drunk so much, but he gets high a lot.

[It'll be difficult being the only clean one in the family, if she ever ends up back on her own world.]

[everswirlingtoilet]

You should stay away from them. You know that already but in case you ever wonder if maybe you should give them a second chance--don't. Some people aren't fit to be parents.

And I say that as not only the child of an alcoholic but as an alcoholic who should never have children myself.

[tucky]

Well... I never, like, disowned them or anything. So I can't not give them a second chance, 'cause I never stopped giving them a first chance.

[everswirlingtoilet]

Have they ever done anything to deserve any chance?

[tucky]

Sure. That's why it's complicated. I don't think there's anybody who's all bad all the time, or all good all the time.

[everswirlingtoilet]

I don't know. I've met a few who were pure evil.

But my point is that it's gotta be a two-way street. If your mom and pop are making an effort...yeah, that makes it more difficult.

See, this is why I'm such a considerate guy--I make it easy for people to cut me out of their lives by refusing to make any effort whatsoever.

[tucky]

You made some effort when you decided to help that little girl, though, right?

[That is not a thing she plans to forget, ever.]

[everswirlingtoilet]

Yeah, and look where that got me.

[But Nick would really appreciate it if she did forget. Makes life easier for him when no one expects anything from him.]

Anyway, that doesn't disprove my point. I was never in that kid's life so she'd never have to decide whether to cut me out of it. If things had gone anywhere close to the plan, I would've swooped in and out and she'd barely even know I was there.

[tucky]

[Tiffany pauses to consider this.]

That might've been really confusing for her, though. Like-- bad shit happened to her, and then she was rescued from it, but she doesn't know how or why or by who. And then she would've been all alone again.

[everswirlingtoilet]

Not alone--she has her mom. Who I can guarantee you is far better at parenting than I am.

And unfortunately, confusion is probably going to be the least of the kid's problems. She's gonna need a shrink, not a broken-down drunk dad.