Second Floor Common Room [Tuesday afternoon]

[rings-of-grace.livejournal.com]

It had been several weeks, now, since Po had arrived in this strange land, and he felt fairly educated about his new surroundings. The indoor lights and running water had fascinated him, certainly, as had these mysteries called "electronics," but he felt confident that now, at least, he understood these things in theory, if not wholly in practice.

Today, though, he was left with questions as he stared in confusion at the television. He had been told these devices were for entertainment, and thus he'd happily watched as people behind blue boxes bearing their scrawled names had answered questions about this world, moments earlier. But for the last twenty minutes, an older man had appeared and attempted to convince him that comfortable sleep was nigh unto impossible.

Po frowned as he watched, unsure what this strange man's purpose was. He made sleep seem as though it were a mission that could never be achieved without this pillow -- surely the same audience that so enjoyed the questions before wouldn't fall for this spiel? It seemed like misplaced advertising.

And, also, a really stupid pitch for a fairly useless-sounding product, but Po supposed that was neither here nor there.

[this post brought to you by the endless My Pillow infomercial that has been airing on every TV I've happened to see this week. Open!]

Comments

[pursuedthestars]

"Infomercial?" They weren't really prevalent in his time but he thought he got the gist of what they were. "It's just...it's a pillow! Do people really need a sales pitch this long? Are some people really that hard up to spend money?"

[justbeingbay]

"Don't ask me, I don't make them," Bay joked with a shrug. "But seriously, there are way better ways to spend $29.95. Like ... buying a better pillow not from TV."

[pursuedthestars]

"Yeah, you would think so, wouldn't you?" Jim said, chuckling. "But, if this thing got on TV, then someone somewhere must have shown interest and that is just so sad."

[justbeingbay]

"And also somebody had to invent it," Bay pointed out. "Probably to solve an actual problem they had. Which is just as sad. Maybe sadder, I'm not sure."

[pursuedthestars]

"If they'd kept their invention to themselves, I wouldn't have had another thought about it but going out and selling it?"

It was stupid but hey, Jim couldn't really fault someone for trying to make money. And the inventor was going to make money because people bought stupid things.

"It makes me think I could go out and buy a broom and say it was a magical broom where you'd never have to sweep again. And I'd get rich. I'm pretty convincing."

[justbeingbay]

"Uh-huh," Bay said with teasing skepticism. "Go ahead. Convince me of something."

[pursuedthestars]

Jim laughed because he did like it when people called his bluffs. It just made things interesting.

"All right," he said after a second. "I'm from the future. Like way, way, waaaay far in the future. We're talking spaceships and aliens being the norm. Space isn't this tiny little universe that people here think it is. It's massive. We're definitely not alone and anyone who believes that is gonna get a rude awakening once this planet wakes up and gets themselves together technologically."

That was pretty good for a start. "But, despite that, I'm from Iowa. Lived on a farm. I could hitchhike down the road though and see a massive spaceship, bigger than this island docked because it's a broken down piece of crap but it's there. And then I could go back home and eat some carrots and go to bed a on a pillow that isn't nearly as expensive as that thing but still comfortable all the same. The end."

[justbeingbay]

Bay considered it, eyeballing him. "I believe the stuff about space and the spaceship," she said thoughtfully. "But not that people who have all that as an option still live on farms in Iowa."

[pursuedthestars]

"Why not?" Jim questioned. "People still have to eat. And vegetables are a cornerstone of any good diet."

[justbeingbay]

"Sure, but can't they grow them on spaceships?" Bay wondered. "Like, hydroponics and stuff?"

Bay did not actually know if hydroponics worked in space.

[pursuedthestars]

"And what about people who can't afford to just live on spaceships?" he asked, curious as to her answer. "Living on spaceships costs money and people can still be poor in the future. And what about people who don't live on spaceships? They gotta have something to do."

[justbeingbay]

"I ... didn't really think about that stuff," Bay said sheepishly. "But yeah, probably all six billion of us or whatever it is by then couldn't just take off to Andromeda at once."

[pursuedthestars]

"That mean you're convinced?" Jim wondered curiously.

[justbeingbay]

"It means I'm still pretty sure there's a trick somewhere, but I don't know what it is," Bay admitted. "If I hadn't started by asking you to convince me, I'd believe you. Is this the part where you tell me you're actually an elf from the North Pole?"

[pursuedthestars]

"It's way too cold in the North Pole for me," he said with a snicker. "Nope, I'm Jim. From the future. I was born on a spaceship but grew up on a farm."

[justbeingbay]

Bay grinned back at him. "I'm Bay," she said. "From ... the Kansas City 'burbs. Now."

She sounded so glamorous.

[pursuedthestars]

"Good to meet you," Jim said, giving her a wave. "Never been to Kansas City either here or in the future, though. You'd be surprised how hard it is to get out of Iowa."

He'd even tried stealing a damn car. The cops drove fast.

[justbeingbay]

"KC's not exactly the excitement capital of the world," Bay told him. "And I've only driven through Iowa. But I can believe all the farm stuff sucks a guy in. How'd you break out?"

[pursuedthestars]

"Managed to convince my mom that I needed some special schooling," he said, lying smoothly. That wasn't how it exactly went but no one knew that. "And she's always willing to do anything to help further my education."

Or something.

"Farm's not really for me. Sure they can handle everything without me." Because he wasn't going back if he could help it.

[justbeingbay]

"Sure," Bay agreed easily. "I was just totally sick of my old school and needed something fresh, you know? And my parents were halfway sold on boarding school anyhow, so -- here I am."

She was skipping a couple things, too, but she figured that was just about expected.

[pursuedthestars]

"And?" Jim prompted after a moment. "This place all you expected it to be and more? Or too early to make that determination?"

[justbeingbay]

"Far more," Bay said. "I thought it'd be like my old school except with less plaid everywhere, but instead it's like stepping into a sci fi movie. Not that I totally hate it so far."

[pursuedthestars]

That sounded like a pretty accurate assessment to Jim. It was kind of like stepping into some warped movie.

"Even if I could make plaid look good, I still wouldn't wanna make it look good," he said, making a face. "I haven't been here that long and I can say it's been...interesting."

That was the best word for it.

[justbeingbay]

"No, no one can make plaid look good," Bay told him cheerfully. "Literally. No one. It's amazing to be able to pick my own clothes for school every day. I hadn't done that since I was four."

She was in a black sweater with ribbed bell sleeves and red corduroy pants -- nothing exciting, but it washers.

"And yeah, I am getting the idea this place is interesting."

[pursuedthestars]

Jim chuckled lightly at her happiness at being able to choose her own clothes. It truly was the simple things in life that made people the happiest.

"But, on the bright side, there's always free food," he said, amused. "Through all the weird, interesting things? Free food. The best things in life."