"#runaround"

[zesty_pinto]

Now talking in #runaround
* Topic is 'me & LittleLewis are getting married on MARCH 12TH!'
* Set by high_n_dry on Fri Sep 13 17:12:32
* Chanserv sets mode +o Icon-o-clast
...
"I wondered when that was going to happen..."
< Icon-o-clast > Hey folks.
< Jeanette23 > hey there ico :)
< DaWgZnKaTz > sup
< undRl1ng > heya Ico!
* Icon-o-clast points at the topic. When did this happen?
< undRl1ng > you didnt know? they were talking about this for months
< Icon-o-clast > Yeah?
< undRl1ng > yeah, man you couldnt tell from the way they were talking?
< Icon-o-clast > I was just unsure, I guess.
* Hunts4Ketchup has joined #runaround
* undrl1ng hides his ketchup!
< Jeanette23 > lol
He took a look away from the glare of the sanitary white display of his monitor, pawing for the surface of the desk for where he kept the crumpled pack of Camels and the rusting metal butane lighter he kept close. He always needed something nearby in case. Walking to the patio door and tugging it free, a cold breeze escaped inside past him to accept the heat. He took a step, closed the large window behind him and took a white stick from the carton into his lips, pocketing the package before he drew the lighter and pulled the flint to give off a lonely blaze of orange and blue that reflected against his skin. Breath went out of the stick and he sighed, the gray wisps escaping as he looked out to the city skyline.
"Too long a fucking day... why did it have to happen now?" The whispering only he could hear against the echoes of a busy street. He took another draught from the smoking stick and breathed out again.
He remembered too much about these sort of things.
"I wonder if she still remembers it the way I did..."
* high_n_dry has entered #runaround
< DaWgZnKaTz > sup newbie
* FunkieFritter points at the newbie!
< Icon-o-clast > Ha, heya newbie.
< high_n_dry > lol Hi, I think...
* LittleLewis winks at high_n_dry
< Icon-o-clast > How're you doing? Welcome to our little hovel in the internet wall.
< DaWgZnKaTz > lol ya
< high_n_dry > Thanks!
* high_n_dry runs around, feeling all welcome.
< FunkieFritter > lol
-high_n_dry- asl?
He rememered it shocking him at first. "Tsk, true newbie."
-> high_n_dry Please don't private the other chatters with things like that. It's rude.
-high_n_dry- Sorry. :(
* Kuni has joined #runaround
* Chanserv sets mode +v Kuni
* Kuni is so STOOO PAAAD!!
< LittleLewis > rofl!
-> high_n_dry It's okay, just learn not to do those sort of things too often. It's kind of in bad taste.
< DaWgZnKaTz > sup Kuni!!11
< Kuni > hey guys!!
< Icon-o-clast > Kuni, you freak, where have you been? We've been missing on you!
< DaWgZnKaTz > hell ya!
< Kuni > sorry folks, been busy on my term paper >_<
-high_n_dry- So...
"What the hell?"
< Kuni > you ever try spending a few days in the library until you realize you smell like books? if you do then you'll know what I was stuck in.
< FunkieFritter > lol
-> high_n_dry What?
-high_n_dry- So what do you do?
"That was fast...!"
< DaWgZnKaTz > man Kuni wez takin you downtown to party up when youz done!11
< Kuni > lol I'm looking forward to it, Kev
* Huntz4Ketchup comes around and waves at the sight of Kuni!
< Kuni > man, I must be missed if the ketchup is trying to talk to me
-> high_n_dry Why are you so interested?
< Huntz4Ketchup > aw, I luv u 2, Kuni ;)
-high_n_dry- Because you're one of the few moderators here and I'm new to this chan, so...
* Kuni rolls his eyes
< LittleLewis > face it, your loved
-> high_n_dry Well it's not like it's anything that bad. We're all just a bunch of goof-offs that prefer to hang out here, so I just make sure people don't get too out of line while people are here.
-high_n_dry- Hee, cute. You seem like a nice guy.
This was, as he remembered, how it started. The private typing that ran between them as the world continued its humored chatting took on into the night.
-high_n_dry- So why do you write if you don't really like it?
-> high_n_dry It's pretty decent pay just to express your emotions into paper.
-high_n_dry- Well you seem good at it... you must be rich.
-> high_n_dry Nah, you're mistaking me for one of those GOOD writers.
-high_n_dry- lol You could be succesful if you apply yourself right, I think.
-> high_n_dry Well, I still have to publish enough articles to actually make enough royalties to live off of before I can even remotely think of that...
-high_n_dry- I think you will. :)
He couldn't help smiling.
-> high_n_dry Heh, thanks.
The next day was far from any different. He was working on his fifth page for his entry for Reader's Digest at the time on a woman who had lost her metaphorical cat.
* high_n_dry has joined #runaround
< high_n_dry > Hi guys!
< Huntz4Ketchup > whoah it be a Radiohead song walkin' fore us, cap'n!
< Kuni > lol Heya high_n_dry
< LittleLewis > hey high_n_dry :)
< Icon-o-clast > Hello high_n_dry.
-high_n_dry- *kisses*
His eyes immediately blinked.
-> high_n_dry Being a little quick on the draw, are we?
-high_n_dry- lol Sorry, some things had to be done :)
< Kuni > anyway, this game is cool. ever try doing blindfire option on the targets and they'll try to run as soon as possible from it
< Huntz4Ketchup > sweet!
< Kuni > yah, it is the definite shiznak. I'm buying it as soon as it comes out
-high_n_dry- So...
* DaWgZnKaTz has joined #runaround
* DaWgZnKaTz is keepn it reel!
< Kuni > lol! sup DaWgZnKaTz!
< Huntz4Ketchup > DaWgZnKaTz is in!
< DaWgZnKaTz > sup yall! :)
-high_n_dry- Are you there?
* LimberNtimbeR has joined #runaround
He didn't realize what was happening until he took a peek back
< Kuni > just what we need, another woody
< DaWgZnKaTz > lol sup LimberNtimbeR
->high_n_dry Oh sorry, just typing on something.
< LimberNtimbeR > I go away for a week, and I get THIS??
< Huntz4Ketchup > of course! come later and we would have greeted you with chainsaws and beavers ;)
-high_n_dry Oh, that story you were talking about earlier?
He told her about the Reader's Digest article, the one he was working on for Science Fiction Monthly, and the application he was running for the Nebula Awards.
* Kuni is a black belt in the art of the beaver
* LimberNtimbeR finds that hard to believe :P
* Kuni will show you his black belt powers!! -after he uses the bathroom
< LimberNtimbeR > Not to play with beavers, I hope :P
< DaWgZnKaTz > rofl!
-> high_n_dry Yeah, that same one. Almost done too.
< Huntz4Ketchup > speaking of the forbidden fruit, how was your trip to your girlies?
-high_n_dry- Cool. :) Will you let me read it when you're done?
< LimberNtimbeR > It was cool, got to meet her folks, ate some food, etc.
< Kuni > ate some nm
< Kuni > lol!
* LimberNtimbeR goes to Burger King to whoppas the Kuni!
* Kuni go splat on the wheel of fish
-> high_n_dry Um, sure... if you want I guess.
* Huntz4Ketchup hides in the closet to laugh his ass off
-high_n_dry- Great! *hugs you*
* DaWgZnKaTz rofls
* LittleLewis says hi!
< LittleLewis > it was in the right mood of things
< Icon-o-clast > You guys have definite problems.
* Kuni hugs Icon-o-clast awww, your only saying it because you dont get time to tag along tonight
< Icon-o-clast > Duh! *snicker*
It was in an hour that he finished the draft. It was two minutes after that that he sent the copy. It was five minutes after that where she replied.
-high_n_dry- This is some really good work!
< Kuni > i dunno, the whole iranian conflict just seems messed up to me
-> high_n_dry Heh, well thank you.
-high_n_dry- I'm serious! This is some top notch work. *kisses you on the lips for being so good at it* And there might be more if you're interested. ;)
He blinked again and shook his head
< LimberNtimbeR > Well what do you expect from another sign of bad US politics gone from bad to worse?
-> high_n_dry You know... I don't cyber.
-high_n_dry Oh... why not? :(
< Kuni > oh well, it could be worse... we could be french!
< Huntz4Ketchup > you're close enough, canadian Kuni :P
* Kuni hangs his head in shame!
-> high_n_dry It's not something I feel anything for.
< Kuni > we bring you kids in the hall and moose steaks and salmon and this is the thanks we get? :(
-high_n_dry- So you don't feel anything for me? :(
He paused.
* Huntz4Ketchup hangs his banner of "BLAME CANADA" in the air!
< LimberNtimbeR > We have to be jealous of *someone* so of course!
-> high_n_dry I do. I'm just not sure what to make of it.
The conversation that passed, word for word seemed to be almost impossible to remember at points. They talked online. She was a programmer from Philadelphia, working for a database technology firm not too far from the city itself. She had just lost her boyfriend to the Gulf War and has been lonely for the past few years. He offered consolences. It was never a thing of his to be able to know what to say in moments like these...
-> high_n_dry Would you like my phone number?
While the chan went through the revelry of a chatroom that was laden with the company of misadventures of internet friends philosophizing and playing with each other, the two bared each others souls. Her actual name was Diane. He was Montgomery, but he liked to be called Monty. Away from the computer screen, he watched a night sky filled with the gem-like stars of the night and the crystaline skyline. They talked. They talked until the beepings of his cellphone audibly broke the open air and they painfully tore away.
The next morning, she called him as he was at work in the office selling his idea. She missed him, and as reluctant as he was to admit it, there was a pulling in his soul that told him the same thing. During lunch they talked more, almost as though they were sharing the same cafe together as he drank his coke and ate his sandwich and she took her salad and juice. They hung up to each other with cheerful words and promises of contact later. When he came back home, he came to an idle computer, looked, and then waited for the call instead. She never came online and at eight pm, he eagerly pulled the phone open to hear the feminine wiles of her voice. It was like this almost everyday. It was the warmth of his heart that seemed to expand as his sympathetic ear listened to her; concerns, hopes, dreams. He shared them with her, and as they shared, he felt a bond that was unlike what he could ever expect.
< Huntz4Ketchup > hey, Icon-o-clast what happened to you?
< Icon-o-clast > I've been busy with someone.
< Huntz4Ketchup > yeah? about time we were wondering what happened to you these days
< DaWgZnKaTz > ya man, u have been out foreva
< Icon-o-clast > Heh, sorry guys...
It was like this for the last two months. It was during the third month "Monty..."
-when she cooed his name in a way that seemed to hint of her longing "Did you ever want someone in a way that you thought you never would?" He could not reply.
"Monty?" Her voice was wanting, wanting an answer.
"Yes..." He was unsure what this meant. No, he knew what it might have meant, but he was unsure how to take it, how to be able to react towards it.
"Monty, I want you to make love to me over the phone."
He hesitated.
"Monty, can you do it... with me?" He had never been able to know what to say about these sort of things.
"Monty... I really like you and I want to show you how much."
Within the three months, his head that spun with the spur of the event came to a tumultuous confrontation of his own soul. He had never done this before; was it right? Was it supposed to be right? Was it supposed to feel so odd, so different, yet so tempting? Diane waited on the phone for him. Waited for him the same way he remembered she waited for him before.
"...yes."
In the darkness of the room, they played the exotic dance, solo but with the thoughts of each other deep in their souls, pulling and twisting for each other, encouraged by each others voices in the wet darkness of love making. They gave each others goodnights with a moist kiss into the receivers. In the morning, like the magic of the moment, he was alone again.

For the next day, he waited for a response from her, to no avail.
By the second day, he called her. He only caught her voice messaging service where her genuine voice over a plastic message box promised to keep the message for her to listen to when she got to it. The chat room felt emptier, and his writing seemed to only be stunned whenever he began each word, ending only with a block. A block that only Diane could have alleviated.

"Why?" He whispered to himself in fear of inciting a response "Why was she gone? Where had she gone?" His eyes almost watered up and he nearly punched the monitor of his computer in anger, fearful of breaking a possible connection to the woman that held his heart. It was another month. His writing stifled to a few mere aborted paragraphs that he could not bring life to. He looked online, considered telling the others but knew it would only hurt the mood of the chatroom.

He spent the next few weeks crying and taking sick days from work. His boss had grown worried for him enough to leave him emails and messages on his uncharged cellphone to wonder if he was all right. It would be on the last month of August before he finally looked to the light of the sun in his patio and realized that Diane was just in his way. A thief that stole his heart and refused to give it back. The trees of autumn were shedding their old leaves in the prospect of growing something new. It was time for him to do the same. He returned to his writing, and came back to work at the relief of his coworkers.
< LittleLewis > hey guys
< Kuni > LittleLewis! where the hell have u been?
< Icon-o-clast > About time you showed up man, we've been wondering about you.
< LittleLewis > i've been great dudes, get this: I'm getting married
* LimberNtimbeR ^5s LittleLewis!
< Kuni > who's the lucky ball and chain?
< LittleLewis > remember high_n_dry? we moved together a few months back and i just proposed to her last night SHE ACCEPTED!
He jumped back.
< Kuni > dude, congrats! have her come in
"No, please..."
< LittleLewis > nah, we only have one connection shes busy planning the wedding anyway :)
The tears began to well up in his eyes, the stiffness in his throat. This was not right... it was nowhere right.
"This... this just isn't fucking right..."
* you have left #runaround (brb)
It was then that his cellphone began to ring. He hesitantly looked to it, and saw her number on it.
"..."
The more he looked at it, the more he wanted to throw that phone out. The more he looked away, the more he wanted to grab it and scream "Why?" with the deepest in his throat. He stared at it. Stared at the wailing of the phone as it sat there... and then watched it go deaf. He had a message.

"Monty... I'm sorry. I never thought that we would go this far and have it come like this. Now I can imagine what you're thinking... I hate myself for this too, but I want to tell you that I never wanted to have you hurt. I fell in love with Ben when we bumped into each other while he was in a convention in Philly and we immediately started to talk. We... fell in love and-"
He deleted the message, sighed, and turned off the computer.