Video

[trenchknives]

[As usually happens on weekends like this, Jimmy's not aware that he's been cursed. No, when he turns the video on, he really thinks he has a logical reason for doing it. When he begins to speak, though, what he'd intended to say isn't at all what comes out of his mouth.]

D'you ever think about your families? About where you come from? I don't mean just, y'know, remember your mom 'n dad now and then, 'n miss 'em. I mean really think about it, about the way things might've been different if you'd been raised by someone else, or if you'd've had a different kinda life.

[He rests his chin on his hand, three fingers of which seem to be taped together in an amateurish fashion, as though they're broken.]

I guess I have been a lot today, y'know, 'cause I think I would've been a hell of a lot different if I'd've had different parents. The guy I basically considered my dad for a long time wasn't even related to me, 'n the guy that actually was my dad...

[He shakes his head dismissively.]

Anyway. Bein' stuck here kinda makes you think about home, right? About what you left behind? Maybe for some people it's better that way.

[OOC: Yes, Jimmy's been cursed this weekend, though he's not aware of it. He's got the Roots Day curse, which compels him to talk about his family and his heritage. And, apparently, to elicit discussions from other people. Good luck.]

Comments

[trenchknives]

A GPS? Never heard of that. Who's Tony?

[missrosetyler]

It's this sort of tracking device that you can put on anything or anyone. Blimey. What year are you from again?

My baby brother. Although I wonder if he would've existed in my other life...

[trenchknives]

1921. Still haven't gotten used to most of this modern technology.

Yeah, that's what I wonder, too. Whether there'd've been the same people in my life, if I'd've been raised differently.

[missrosetyler]

Ah. Well you're doing well with this device, I'd reckon.

It's a possibility. Different influences, different paths. If my dad had been around I probably wouldn't have made as many mistakes as I did.

[trenchknives]

Your dad wasn't around, either? Seems like a lot of us have got the same experience there.

[missrosetyler]

Nope. Yeah? Reckon, we should probably start our own club.

[trenchknives]

I visited mine sometimes, I guess. I was always kinda scared of him. Never really thought of him like a dad so much as a guy I had to visit occasionally and be polite to. The guy I thought of as my dad wasn't even related to me, he was just, y'know...

[He shrugs sheepishly.]

Sorry, I got no idea why I'm talkin' about all this.

[He has no idea he's cursed, still.]

[missrosetyler]

So you and your real dad were more like acquaintances then? The other person was just always there?

It's alright. I like listening.

[She figures it might be a curse as this weekend has been one of those odd ones but she decides to keep mum about it.]

I got to see my dad a few times but he didn't know who I was.

[trenchknives]

Yeah, somethin' like that. My biological dad...

[He shakes his head.]

I don't think he ever really wanted kids. Maybe he wanted me to be more like him, but he wasn't too invested in raisin' me. He never did. My mom did it alone. With the help of...

[He's about to say his name, but he cuts himself off. It's too painful.]

The other guy, yeah. His money, his time -- he's the one that taught me how to hunt, y'know? That paid for my college.

[missrosetyler]

M'sorry. He hinted it at? Sounds like a rough sort of life.

Reckon the other guy's a bit proud of you, yeah?

[trenchknives]

It was rough. For me, for my mom... she was only thirteen when she had me. Guess that must've been difficult.

[A pause, and then a small shake of his head.]

He was. For awhile. I dunno. Not so much anymore.

[missrosetyler]

Blimey that is young. I can't imagine how it must have been raising a baby at that age. But you said she had help yeah? Her family?

Reckon if that happened to me my mum would have disowned me.

[Or so she thinks.]

Oh? You're out of touch?

[trenchknives]

[He shakes his head again, with no idea of why he's talking about all of this.]

No, she didn't have family. It was... an unpleasant situation all around. My biological dad was a hell of a lot older, and...

[A sigh.]

Anyway. The other guy, he was pretty pissed off when I dropped of college to join the military. 'n I found out some shit about him that made me think he never really gave a shit about me. So we ain't too close, anymore.

[That's not the whole story. But it's closer than a lot of what he's given anyone else.]

[missrosetyler]

Oh. M'sorry. Not a good relationship then?

[She knows all about those.]

Military? That's not a bad choice. Still sorry to hear.

Would you do it all over again if you could?

[trenchknives]

Not a real relationship at all.

[He shrugs.]

Some of it. I mean, I'd do the shit I had to do that got me my son, but some of the rest of it... I dunno.

What about you? Would you go back 'n do it all again? Whatever you've done?

[missrosetyler]

I've had a couple of those.

Well at least you have some good bits that came out of it. Although I can understand.

[It's something that she has to ponder for a moment.]

I would've done everything the same up to that Torchwood room with the levers.

[trenchknives]

Torchwood room with the levers? Why? What happened there?

[missrosetyler]

Well there was this battle of sorts between these two races.

This friend of mine and I were trying to end it and save the Earth. Everything was going according to plan until my grip slipped from a lever and I sort of got pulled into another world.

[trenchknives]

Yeah? 'n what happened in that other world? You ever get back to the world you were supposed to be in?

[missrosetyler]

Well my mum was there and I had a step dad.

[Small>[She frowns sadly.]

I can't. Well I've been trying but it's been sealed off forever.

[trenchknives]

Sorry to hear that. Kinda like bein' stuck here, then, I guess?

[missrosetyler]

In a way. Except back home isn't this crazy some days.

[trenchknives]

Well, yeah, I didn't figure you had curses like this back home.

[missrosetyler]

Nah. We've got the occasional alien invasion.

[trenchknives]

Well, that sounds...

[A pause.]

Excitin'?