Teddi Beres
Secret Lives: Episode 87:Tuesday 5/22/2018
Marcus: (loitering in the Commons, sees Chris order from the food truck then go to a table, he wanders over) Let me guess -- too many onions?
Chris: (looks up, startled) What? Oh, hi. (clearly not recalling the events of that night)
Marcus: (motions at Chris' tray) You were eyeing that burger as if it offended you in some way.
Chris: (grins) No, it's fine. I was just thinking about something else.
Marcus: Then I'm intruding. I'll go--
Chris: No, stay! (surprised by his outburst) I mean, no, you're not intruding. I was just grabbing some lunch before I walked home.
Marcus: May I join you?
Chris: Sure. (smiles) No one likes to eat alone, right?
Marcus: (sits across from Chris) History has made meals a social activity. It's difficult to break with tradition. You dropped your napkin. (indicating a napkin that he'd just planted by Chris's chair)
Chris: (looking around) Huh? Oh! (spots the napkin and leans over to grab it)
Marcus: (swiftly drops the philtre from up his sleeve, into his hand, dropping a single drop into Chris' coffee then concealing the pipette in his jacket pocket as Chris sits up) The deputy isn't with you, today?
Chris: No, he got in late and dropped me off at work, so I told him to sleep in and I'd just walk home. I mean, it's broad daylight, right? So, it's not like anything's going to happen to me.
Marcus: Why would you be worrying about that?
Chris: I think somebody's stalking me.
Marcus: That sounds ominous. Why do you think so?
Chris: It's all a little weird. I was on the dunes the other night, and there was this guy, I think, and then an animal attack.
Marcus: Another animal attack?
Chris: I shouldn't have said anything.
Marcus: Why? Is it a secret? Local cops don't want the population in an uproar? That sort of thing?
Chris: Nothing like that. It's all just so weird that I think they want to figure out what really happened before they start making any public announcements. (he sipped his coffee)
Marcus: Now, I'm curious. Would you mind telling me what happened?
Chris: Why are you interested?
Marcus: Small talk. (shrugs) I'm the head of security for the Griffin Estate, so I can't help being curious about potential threats.
Chris: I'm not sure there's any threat to the Griffins. Like I said, I might have a stalker. It might even be the guy who was shot in the dunes--
Marcus: A man was shot?
Chris: Yeah, the night that I was on the dunes. (motions with his hand) See, I thought I heard someone calling me, like, by name. That's why we think it might be a stalker. I mean, if it was just someone looking to jump anybody, they wouldn't single me out by name, right?
Marcus: (watches Chris sip his coffee) Sounds reasonable.
Chris: I know it was stupid, but I went outside to see who it was. I had this idea it was Michael. Like, he was either in trouble, or just playing games with me. Next thing I know, I'm on the dunes and there was this guy, just an outline in the dark, but I realized it wasn't Michael.
Marcus: That must have been frightening.
Chris: I wasn't really scared or anything. I mean, he didn't seem dangerous. He didn't have a gun or a knife.
Marcus: But he could have had either, hidden on him.
Chris: Yeah, I guess so. (thoughtfully sips his coffee) So, he reached out to me, like he wanted to shake hands, and then this big, dark shape flew out of nowhere, and hit him, and they both went right off the dune, into a deep dip. I could hear growling sounds, that's why I'm sure it was an animal. I freaked out and ran. (looks guilty) I panicked and left the guy there.
Marcus: Fight or flight response. It's instinct, and when you don't know what you're up against, running away can be what keeps you alive. Don't beat yourself up over it.
Chris: I ran into Michael, he'd come to pick me up, and he was looking for me.
Marcus: How did he know you were in the dunes?
Chris: (shrugged) He's a really good tracker. Probably saw my footprints, or maybe he was just guessing. We heard the shot and he made me wait inside the Surf'n Sail while he called for back-up and they went out and found that guy who was shot.
Marcus: You know, the man who was shot might be the man you saw on the dunes.
Chris: That's what the sheriff thinks. His theory is that the guy was looking for someone to rob, he was jumped by the same animal that attacked those guys in the woods, and when he tried to shoot it, he accidently shot himself.
Marcus: Not an impossible scenario.
Chris: But how did he know my name? They took me in to identify him, which I couldn't, for sure, and I don't have a clue who he is.
Marcus: They haven't questioned him?
Chris: He's been unconscious since then. Coma.
Marcus: If this man in a coma is your stalker, why is the deputy still concerned for your safety?
Chris: (smiles) Michael's always been overprotective. That's how we met.
Marcus: Oh?
Chris: (nods) Some jerks who knew I'm gay, jumped me and Michael showed up, kicked their asses and drove me the rest of the way to school.
Marcus: (eyebrows rise) School? College?
Chris: (chuckles) High school.
Marcus: Oh, my. Should I be scandalized?
Chris: (blushing) No! I was seventeen, just a couple months from eighteen, and Michael was always a gentleman. I mean, we kissed, but that was all. He said he wouldn't be with me, you know, until I was eighteen. So, as soon as I turned eighteen I packed my stuff and got a bus out here.
Marcus: I enjoy a happy ending. Pardon the turn of phrase.
Chris: (chuckles then glances at his watch) I have to get going. (collects the remnants of his burger and grabs his coffee, rising)
Marcus: Why don't I walk with you? Through the woods, at least? (watching Chris toss the garbage, but keep the half-consumed coffee)
Chris: I'm just on the other side, at The Row. (gazes at Marcus for a moment) Sure, why not? Safety in numbers, right?
Marcus: Exactly what I was thinking. (he rises and they leave the Commons, walking into the woods, side by side)
(Thank you to Seth for playing Chris and to Erebus for playing Marcus.
I'm taking this opportunity to warn guys about their mesh choices. Seth spent L7,500 on a Signature shape and head, both Omega ready, intending to use Stray Dog appliers. Unfortunately, while SD makes an app for Signature bodies, it only makes head apps for Catwa & Lelutka. When he remarked on this he was told that he "should have picked the right (Catwa/Lelutka), head." I say, screw creators w/such narrow-mindedness. Guess what? Not everybody thinks Catwa & Lelutka are "the right" heads. I haven't found a single Catwa head that worked for me, and I've tried EVERY demo. I wear a LAQ head. Seth's now hunting for an alternative skin/head app to the one he hoped to get, based on a misleading blog post that failed to mention the person was wearing a body/head from 2 different makers, yet skin from one maker. If you're going to list things you're wearing, please be specific. I'm not a millennial, I own my responsibilities.)
Secret Lives: Episode 87:Tuesday 5/22/2018
Marcus: (loitering in the Commons, sees Chris order from the food truck then go to a table, he wanders over) Let me guess -- too many onions?
Chris: (looks up, startled) What? Oh, hi. (clearly not recalling the events of that night)
Marcus: (motions at Chris' tray) You were eyeing that burger as if it offended you in some way.
Chris: (grins) No, it's fine. I was just thinking about something else.
Marcus: Then I'm intruding. I'll go--
Chris: No, stay! (surprised by his outburst) I mean, no, you're not intruding. I was just grabbing some lunch before I walked home.
Marcus: May I join you?
Chris: Sure. (smiles) No one likes to eat alone, right?
Marcus: (sits across from Chris) History has made meals a social activity. It's difficult to break with tradition. You dropped your napkin. (indicating a napkin that he'd just planted by Chris's chair)
Chris: (looking around) Huh? Oh! (spots the napkin and leans over to grab it)
Marcus: (swiftly drops the philtre from up his sleeve, into his hand, dropping a single drop into Chris' coffee then concealing the pipette in his jacket pocket as Chris sits up) The deputy isn't with you, today?
Chris: No, he got in late and dropped me off at work, so I told him to sleep in and I'd just walk home. I mean, it's broad daylight, right? So, it's not like anything's going to happen to me.
Marcus: Why would you be worrying about that?
Chris: I think somebody's stalking me.
Marcus: That sounds ominous. Why do you think so?
Chris: It's all a little weird. I was on the dunes the other night, and there was this guy, I think, and then an animal attack.
Marcus: Another animal attack?
Chris: I shouldn't have said anything.
Marcus: Why? Is it a secret? Local cops don't want the population in an uproar? That sort of thing?
Chris: Nothing like that. It's all just so weird that I think they want to figure out what really happened before they start making any public announcements. (he sipped his coffee)
Marcus: Now, I'm curious. Would you mind telling me what happened?
Chris: Why are you interested?
Marcus: Small talk. (shrugs) I'm the head of security for the Griffin Estate, so I can't help being curious about potential threats.
Chris: I'm not sure there's any threat to the Griffins. Like I said, I might have a stalker. It might even be the guy who was shot in the dunes--
Marcus: A man was shot?
Chris: Yeah, the night that I was on the dunes. (motions with his hand) See, I thought I heard someone calling me, like, by name. That's why we think it might be a stalker. I mean, if it was just someone looking to jump anybody, they wouldn't single me out by name, right?
Marcus: (watches Chris sip his coffee) Sounds reasonable.
Chris: I know it was stupid, but I went outside to see who it was. I had this idea it was Michael. Like, he was either in trouble, or just playing games with me. Next thing I know, I'm on the dunes and there was this guy, just an outline in the dark, but I realized it wasn't Michael.
Marcus: That must have been frightening.
Chris: I wasn't really scared or anything. I mean, he didn't seem dangerous. He didn't have a gun or a knife.
Marcus: But he could have had either, hidden on him.
Chris: Yeah, I guess so. (thoughtfully sips his coffee) So, he reached out to me, like he wanted to shake hands, and then this big, dark shape flew out of nowhere, and hit him, and they both went right off the dune, into a deep dip. I could hear growling sounds, that's why I'm sure it was an animal. I freaked out and ran. (looks guilty) I panicked and left the guy there.
Marcus: Fight or flight response. It's instinct, and when you don't know what you're up against, running away can be what keeps you alive. Don't beat yourself up over it.
Chris: I ran into Michael, he'd come to pick me up, and he was looking for me.
Marcus: How did he know you were in the dunes?
Chris: (shrugged) He's a really good tracker. Probably saw my footprints, or maybe he was just guessing. We heard the shot and he made me wait inside the Surf'n Sail while he called for back-up and they went out and found that guy who was shot.
Marcus: You know, the man who was shot might be the man you saw on the dunes.
Chris: That's what the sheriff thinks. His theory is that the guy was looking for someone to rob, he was jumped by the same animal that attacked those guys in the woods, and when he tried to shoot it, he accidently shot himself.
Marcus: Not an impossible scenario.
Chris: But how did he know my name? They took me in to identify him, which I couldn't, for sure, and I don't have a clue who he is.
Marcus: They haven't questioned him?
Chris: He's been unconscious since then. Coma.
Marcus: If this man in a coma is your stalker, why is the deputy still concerned for your safety?
Chris: (smiles) Michael's always been overprotective. That's how we met.
Marcus: Oh?
Chris: (nods) Some jerks who knew I'm gay, jumped me and Michael showed up, kicked their asses and drove me the rest of the way to school.
Marcus: (eyebrows rise) School? College?
Chris: (chuckles) High school.
Marcus: Oh, my. Should I be scandalized?
Chris: (blushing) No! I was seventeen, just a couple months from eighteen, and Michael was always a gentleman. I mean, we kissed, but that was all. He said he wouldn't be with me, you know, until I was eighteen. So, as soon as I turned eighteen I packed my stuff and got a bus out here.
Marcus: I enjoy a happy ending. Pardon the turn of phrase.
Chris: (chuckles then glances at his watch) I have to get going. (collects the remnants of his burger and grabs his coffee, rising)
Marcus: Why don't I walk with you? Through the woods, at least? (watching Chris toss the garbage, but keep the half-consumed coffee)
Chris: I'm just on the other side, at The Row. (gazes at Marcus for a moment) Sure, why not? Safety in numbers, right?
Marcus: Exactly what I was thinking. (he rises and they leave the Commons, walking into the woods, side by side)
(Thank you to Seth for playing Chris and to Erebus for playing Marcus.
I'm taking this opportunity to warn guys about their mesh choices. Seth spent L7,500 on a Signature shape and head, both Omega ready, intending to use Stray Dog appliers. Unfortunately, while SD makes an app for Signature bodies, it only makes head apps for Catwa & Lelutka. When he remarked on this he was told that he "should have picked the right (Catwa/Lelutka), head." I say, screw creators w/such narrow-mindedness. Guess what? Not everybody thinks Catwa & Lelutka are "the right" heads. I haven't found a single Catwa head that worked for me, and I've tried EVERY demo. I wear a LAQ head. Seth's now hunting for an alternative skin/head app to the one he hoped to get, based on a misleading blog post that failed to mention the person was wearing a body/head from 2 different makers, yet skin from one maker. If you're going to list things you're wearing, please be specific. I'm not a millennial, I own my responsibilities.)