14 - An asshole in any universe [text]

[no_fastolfe]

Happy Holidays, everyone! I found a funny comic about Christmas carols! Sure makes you wonder what other songs are out there, right?

:) :D :) -> Link

[On the face of it, this is a local techie waxing enthusiastic about XKCD-- in other words, it's a day ending in Y. But even on years she isn't drinking herself into a stupor, Lisa Allen's general type-a douchebaggery is well known in the village, and her brand of fake cheer is probably fooling no-one.]

Comments

[tripliketriple]

Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer, but I've been told a lot of people aren't really fans of that one.

[shortsghtedlove.livejournal.com]

We could just make new ones ourselves, couldn't we?

[tripliketriple]

That's a great idea! [If someone had any musical talent to speak of. :V]

[no_fastolfe]

This year it should probably be 'Occupy Christmas' XD

[That is not the face Lisa is making. She is making a sour-lemon face as she fakes her cloying holiday cheer.]

[shortsghtedlove.livejournal.com]

[Sorry, Lisa, he's already off trying to make a song called just that.]

[no_fastolfe]

I guess people don't really like hearing about people dying on Christmas.. unless it's a country song! LOL.

[We leave the look of disdain as Lisa taps out the offensive three letters L-O-L to the reader's imagination.]

[tripliketriple]

Yeah, go figure. [Trip is just wondering where you're going with this. :|a]

[no_fastolfe]

[She's going to a place of hatred. It's a good thing.]

What's that one about the kid whose mom is dying and he gets some shoes or something?

[shortsghtedlove.livejournal.com]

You're grumpy again, aren't you?

[no_fastolfe]

Who could be grumpy at this time of the year? :)

[...she types with an angry stare that nearly burns a hole through her expensive plasma monitor.]

[shortsghtedlove.livejournal.com]

What is it about this time? [He knows the truth. No one hides from him.]

[no_fastolfe]

It's just something personal.

[Her estranged father had a stroke and her best friend was killed in a car accident. BAW.]

[shortsghtedlove.livejournal.com]

Perhaps you should get out more. Being grumpy all the time does not actually solve problems.

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[no_fastolfe]

[She switches over and gives him a nasty smile]

I'm sure a few carols will bring Jake back from the dead and edit Foster's will so that I wasn't completely replaced by a pair of adoptive twits who made better children than me.

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[shortsghtedlove.livejournal.com]

[He rolls his eyes.] Of course it won't. But letting it spoil your mood all the time will just let them win, right? And things get done better when you're happier. [Like getting sweet, sweet revenge. He does approve of that. As long as it's done cheerfully enough.]

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[no_fastolfe]

Nobody wins. Jake's been my best friend since we were old enough to walk. I don't care about Daniel inheriting Foster's damn company -- Gladys can have it for all I care-- if Daniel had just been the one to die in that wreck!

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[shortsghtedlove.livejournal.com]

But he didn't. And unless you learn how to warp reality, which is quite unlikely, I think, there's nothing you can do about it.

There's nothing to be said against grieving, but perpetual grumpiness is not going to make things better.

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[no_fastolfe]

It just happened two weeks ago, do I get a reprieve from actually having to buy this holiday crap?

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[shortsghtedlove.livejournal.com]

Certainly. Why not? But you're never very happy, are you?

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[no_fastolfe]

I was happy when Allentech had its IPO. We had a party.

[Admittedly, it was a cold, cruel happy. But she had smiled a lot! With all of her teeth.]

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[shortsghtedlove.livejournal.com]

That's one time. And really, isn't being happy a lot more fun than not being it?

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[no_fastolfe]

So what's your secret? How do you turn that frown upside-down? [She doesn't buy your cheer]

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[shortsghtedlove.livejournal.com]

It's as I said -- being grumpy is boring and doesn't get you anywhere. [And he's slightly mad. But harmless. Mostly. Maybe.]

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[no_fastolfe]

You sound like the last consultant we had in for employee morale. "Positive thinking leads to Empowered Employees for Powerful Results.'

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[shortsghtedlove.livejournal.com]

Oh, rubbish. It's just far too boring being grumpy. I've better things to do with my time. [He's also got better things to do than be employed because when you're rich, you don't need that sort of nonsense.]

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[no_fastolfe]

Are you sure you don't want a contract job? One week of cheering up the troops? They always band together afterwards and take pride in ignoring all the busywork 'techniques' in favor of getting their real work done-- it's worth every penny as far as I'm concerned.

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[shortsghtedlove.livejournal.com]

Perhaps some time. But I am serious. Wasting your time with unhappiness is foolish. [He sounds like he may speak out of experience. But you never know with Ray.]

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[no_fastolfe]

Maybe I'm not wasting my time. Maybe I like feeling like I have a good reason to absolutely loathe this whole holly jolly civic pride festival. Maybe I'm having fun hating everyone.

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[shortsghtedlove.livejournal.com]

Maybe. Do you?

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[no_fastolfe]

Sometimes, no.
Sometimes smiling hurts and it's the only thing that makes me feel better.

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[shortsghtedlove.livejournal.com]

Why does smiling hurt?

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[no_fastolfe]

Because it rankles. Just the building hatred of hiding your pain so that other people's lovely days are completely untroubled.

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[shortsghtedlove.livejournal.com]

[For a moment his surprise shows enough for the smile to disappear, then it's back, softer than before.] That's now what it's about. Why should you care if they'd find you troubling? It's about yourself. Everything is much more bearable if you just find the strength to let go and smile.

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[no_fastolfe]

The smiling doesn't help. I've tried. It feels like burden. [She sighs softly] I don't know how to break out of the anger, and some days I don't want to.

Oh god, Jake. [Just gone. Just like that.]

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[shortsghtedlove.livejournal.com]

[Oh dear D: Could cheerfulness not be the solution in this case?] Are you angry about his death? Or other things as well? Even before the crash?

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[no_fastolfe]

I was furious at Foster and the whole mess. His hypocrisy and what a saint he was seen as. But it drove me.

The crash... it took all the energy out of me. I wasn't happy Jake had taken up with that little slimeball but we could still talk. And now... he's just not there anymore.

[She hadn't cried when she found out. Hasn't yet. She's just faded into numbness, with the occasional assistance of alcohol.]

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[shortsghtedlove.livejournal.com]

[He thinks about that for one long moment.] If you're sad about his death, then be sad. Grief doesn't go away by repressing it. And soon enough, when life goes on, thinks will look brighter again.

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[no_fastolfe]

Isn't grief weak, though? Isn't it giving in?

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[shortsghtedlove.livejournal.com]

[He raises a brow.] Why would it be?

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[no_fastolfe]

It's something in lifetime movies. It doesn't have a place in corporate culture. You have to suppress it to succeed.

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[shortsghtedlove.livejournal.com]

Then corporate culture is a foolish one. Success cannot happen without emotions.

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[no_fastolfe]

Ray, you know you're one of my best friends in this cheerful little hellhole, but you've never had to operate in this environment.

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[shortsghtedlove.livejournal.com]

[And there's a mysterious little smile. That sort that says "I know something you don't" that is really, really aggravating.] What makes you so sue about that?