So it comes down to this, huh? A bunch of people wantin' to go home, but not wantin' to leave each other behind?

[He shakes his head, sighs, refuses to make eye contact with the camera. It's obvious that he's blinking back tears.]

I'm gonna miss every single one of you. Even the ones of you that I got into fights with, 'n believe me, I know that was more of you than it should've been. Thing is, I've been here for eighteen months now. I got a lot of memories. I don't wanna...

[This is ridiculous. He's not good at farewell speeches. He waves a hand.]

Anyway, forget about it. You wanna come say goodbye to me, or you wanna do it here, do it. This is fuckin' agonizin'.

Okay, I'm just gonna be one hundred percent honest 'n tell you all why I'm gettin' drunk tonight.

[A big old grin, and yeah, maybe there're a couple empty glasses beside him. Or more than a couple. Obviously, he's getting started early tonight.]

It's my goddamned birthday. That's right, happy fuckin' birthday to me. Before anyone asks, I'm turnin' twenty four. I think. I mean, it's all kinda confusin' around here anyway, isn't it?

[He's just going to muse on that for a second before turning back to the camera and shrugging.]

Oh well, whatever birthday it is, it's mine. So come have a drink with me. Y'know you want to.

So, um...

[He never knows what to expect when there're all these people around here. Should he get up his hopes and think that he'll know someone? Or should he just treat it like any other curse? It's perplexing. He scratches his head.]

For all of you that, y'know, just randomly arrived here, welcome. You'll only be here for the weekend, so don't get too concerned about it. Consider it, uh, a vacation, or somethin'. You can ask me questions, if you want, but I gotta say, a whole lot of this place don't make much sense.

[A long pause of indecision, and then finally...]

'n if I know you... I mean, if I know you from home, if there's any chance you're out there... just lemme know, okay?

[Jimmy hasn't been around much in the last couple of days. There's a good reason for that, a damn good one, and he's about to make it known. He looks tired, worn down, maybe even a little sick as he turns the communicator towards himself to begin recording.]

I died.

[No preamble, no explanation for the moment.]

I died, 'n I don't know what to think about it. I don't know whether I could've done anythin' to stop it. I don't know why the hell I had to come back to life.

[He rests his chin on his hand, sighing.]

All I know is I could sure use someone to talk to right about now. Or drink with. I ain't picky.

Just kinda noticed...

[He pauses, clears his throat, and tries again.]

I've been here a year now. I dunno if you're supposed to, y'know, do somethin' to celebrate that, but it's somethin', right? I mean, sure, I went home once in between, so it ain't a year straight, but it was a year ago I first showed up here.

[An awkward pause.]

So um. Does anyone wanna go grab a drink or somethin'? To... uh... acknowledge that? Celebrate it? Get pissed that we're all stuck here? Somethin' like that?

[When the feed clicks on, it's audio, not video, but there's still the sound of a very perturbed child speaking.]

What the fuck? This ain't fuckin' funny. This goddamned City's got...

[A groan, like he really can't believe this is happening. It all sounds surprisingly strange, coming from what sounds like a nine year old's mouth.]

This better only be the fuckin' weekend. How'm I supposed to go to work like this? Ain't like anyone's gonna take me seriously. Fuck.

[[Jimmy has been de-aged, too, but he remembers everything about being an adult. Which is why he's not at all thrilled to be stuck in the body of a child. Responses will come from the_lost ]]

[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.]

[Those who'd be inclined to notice Jimmy not being around might have noticed that he hadn't been seen anywhere since that Saturday, but with all the sickness going around, the assumption is probably that he's taken ill. He hasn't been in his apartment, he hasn't been in the hospital, and he hasn't been in any of the usual places he hangs out.

That's because he'd been sent home. And now, from the angry way he clicks on the video, he's back.]

Shit, we're really doin' this again?

[There's exhaustion in his voice, and something like defeat written on his face. What might have been anger is so dulled he obviously can't even conjure the ability to be enraged, like the first time he'd arrived here.]

How long's it been? Everyone still here?

[It's almost as though he's going through the questions without really caring or consciously asking them.]

Didn't think this place would still be around. Guess I was fuckin' wrong.

[Jimmy's walking down the street near the fountain, uncharacteristically bright smile on his face. It's obvious he doesn't know he's recording this, since he's not at all paying attention to the camera. His pace speeds up a little as he heads towards the fountain, the tone in his voice full of amusement as he calls out.]

Hey, Tommy, c'mon, I'm not gonna chase you!

[That is, however, exactly what he starts doing. There's a little kid running in front of him, a boy of about four, who seems completely unconcerned with the fact that he's in a new and unusual place. He's running, giggling, holding onto a bag of candy, and Jimmy's following behind him as closely as he can.]

All right, all right, slow down! You're too fast for your dad, kiddo.

[The little boy sits down on the edge of the fountain and pops a piece of taffy into his mouth. Eventually, Jimmy sits down beside him, brushing the little boy's hair out of his eyes. The little boy looks up at him, looking serious for a moment, and asks "Where's mommy?"]

Well, y'know...

[Jimmy pauses for a minute, slightly uncomfortable, and then grins down at the kid.]

We're on a little vacation, just you 'n me, okay? Just the guys. Mommy's at home, workin' on her paintin', and y'know she can't get anythin' done when we're havin' this much fun.

[He ruffles Tommy's hair, then immediately realizes his device is on, and switches it off with a bit of a sheepish smile.]

[[OOC: Jimmy's son is here for the fourth wall, and you can run into Jimmy and Tommy around the fountain, or anywhere else in town, really!]]

Y'know, I start thinkin' about what's goin' on around here, 'n sometimes it reminds me of home. It's kinda funny, 'cause there aren't a lot of similarities, but I guess there's certain stuff that sticks with you. When I was in the army, I saw all kinds of shit, really awful shit, and a lot of what's goin' on here isn't quite as bad, but...

[He sighs and scrubs a hand across his face.]

You get used to it, y'know? You start expectin' horrible shit to happen. Hell, I didn't even write home, the whole damn time I was in the army, just 'cause I was convinced I was gonna die, and my letters'd be more painful if I did. We were just the walkin' dead. Nobody expected us to get outta there.

[A shrug.]

So yeah, what's goin' on around here? Pretty bad, but I've seen worse. Funny thing is, though, this whole choosin' sides and allegiances thing? That got worse, after I got back from the war. You'd've thought I'd be done with that, but back in Atlantic City, there's a different kinda war goin' on. A turf war, kinda. Like this one.

[A long pause.]

Wait. Why the fuck am I... is this recordin'? Shit...

Hey, um...

[When Jimmy turns on the video, he looks somewhere between sheepish, confused, and deeply irritated. And maybe a little in pain.]

Just hypothetically, off the top of your heads, do any of you guys know anythin' about dog bites? Y'know, what you should do if a dog bites you, how bad it should be before you go 'n see a doctor, that kinda thing?

[A pause, and there's the sound of a small dog barking in the background.]

Or, um, how to get a dog not to bite you? That'd be good too. Kinda late this time, but maybe for next time.

[A longer pause.]

Actually, do any of the doctors around here wanna tell me if I'm gonna die, or somethin'?

This isn't funny. This is actually kinda bullshit. I mean, it ain't the worst curse that's ever happened, but it's still pretty bad. Who the fuck thought this was a good idea? I'm stuck as a goddamned girl.

[You can almost hear him sulking through the text.]

And don't even try getting me to talk or show my face until this bullshit is over, okay?

[Which means, of course, everyone should try to get him to do so. After all, he has a beautiful girl!PB that shouldn't go to waste.]

Y'know, I've been thinkin'. How come we don't call this city somethin' more interestin' than just "The City?" I mean, we been stuck here long enough, you'd think we'd have some fuckin' better idea of what to call it than that, right?

How d'you think they name cities, anyway? I mean, a lot of 'em are named after the people that discovered 'em, right? Or what they're near, like Atlantic City, y'know? So we could call the city somethin' like that, too. Shit, I dunno, even Cursetown'd sound better'n "The City."

I should be writin' this shit down. It's really comfortable on this couch, though, I don't wanna get up. Y'know, shit around here really isn't so bad. Maybe I shouldn't be thinkin' that, but it ain't. Sure, Ang 'n Tommy aren't here, but we'll get to go home sooner or later, right? Besides, City's got some real great lookin' women goin' for it.

Shit, I gotta get to work. Gotta see about findin' somethin' else, too. Gotta pay those bills. You get accustomed to a certain kinda lifestyle, you don't wanna throw that away. Maybe I'll see about some kind of work on the side. No more armed robbery, though. That's not for me.

[[OOC: Oh, the No Inner Monologue curse is a dangerous one, to be sure...]]

I'm just gonna officially state, for the record...

[He gestures to the crumpled up tabloid which, unfortunately, possesses an article all about him and how he is, apparently, extremely suspicious and potentially a criminal, and, apparently, sleeping with half the women in the City. Whether any of this gets close to the truth or not, he's not exactly happy about it, especially given the ridiculous photos of him making idiotic faces.]

... this shit? It ain't funny. 'n anyone who found the time to write about it should go jump in a fuckin' lake.

[Unsatisfied with just crumpling the tabloid, he then pushes it off the table onto the floor, shakes his head, and turns off the feed.]

[The video comes on to show Jimmy, holding a drink -- probably not his first of the day -- and smiling a little sloppily at the camera.]

Happy fuckin' St. Patrick's Day!

[There's a pause as he takes a long sip from his drink and continues.]

So maybe you ain't Irish, but today you can pretend, y'know. Have enough drinks, and everybody looks fuckin' Irish.

[He adjusts the video a little so he can raise his glass to the camera, as though toasting everyone.]

Just don't do anythin' stupid.

[And then he seems to realize the ridiculousness of that statement coming from him, and laughs until he remembers to shut the video feed off.]

[Jimmy has always enjoyed reading, but maybe not quite this much. As he's wandering down the street, he's so focused on his book that he's not looking where he's going, and yes, he might be getting in other peoples' way.

If he bumps into someone, though, they'll find that he doesn't snap at them and tell them to watch where they're going. Instead, he simply tries to draw them into a conversation about literature.

And it looks like he's walking without any trace of a limp whatsoever... strange...]

[[Jimmy has been affected by the Years That Never Were curse! And he'd really like to run into you today.]]

[Jimmy is heading towards the hospital, limping more heavily than usual, face pale and drawn, as though he's seen a ghost. And given what's been going on lately, he certainly has. He's taken out his phone to post a short message, and he sounds out of breath.]

If anyone knows... what the hell's going on, what the fuck is... just... I wanna know. I wanna know how this is possible.

[Another few ragged breaths, and the hospital is in view.]

I'm... going to the hospital. I think I'm sick. I dunno.

[Pushing open the door to the hospital, he immediately looks around, calling out.]

I need a doctor!

[[OOC: Feel free to run into Jimmy in the hospital or on the way, or over the network. He isn't actually sick, he just has no idea how to deal with the emotions that this curse is stirring up.]]

All right. I said I was gonna do it, so I did it.

[Jimmy bends down to pick something up out of view of the camera, and the something makes a yipping noise as he does so.]

C'mere.

[He holds up a Boston Terrier with a particularly grumpy expression to the camera, turning it this way and that.]

Nucky, meet the City. City, meet Nucky. 

[A pause as he sets the dog back down.]

Okay. So. Anyone know how to take care of a dog? Beyond the obvious shit, like walkin' 'em and makin' sure they don't chew up your stuff.

I'm just gonna put this out there...

[He moves the video around, showing the delicious desserts that have become his bedroom in the Welcome Center.]

And the fact that I even gotta say this really kinda makes me worry for everyone's decision making skills, but I'd advise not eatin' this stuff. For one, y'don't know where it came from, and you could die from eatin' it.

[Paranoia? Here? Never.]

And secondly, if y'eat all of it, then you're gonna be shit outta luck when you realize that you just ate your house. All I'm sayin' is, this curse ain't as tasty as it looks.