Page 96 of Nearly Roadkill
Scratch:But, but! ::muttering to self:: It’s not like you want to see her again…. .
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*** You are in room “Scared” ***
Winc has entered the room.
Winc:How was your little delay?
Scratch:Kinda weird. I’m not sure she even knew she was in this “Gwynyth domain” at all.
Winc:::chuckling:: Did you love it?
Scratch:No, I think I feel kind of used.
Winc:::snorts:: OK, here’s what Jabba gave me as a hint:
alpha %^&*#$% ())\anon
Scratch:Do you know what it means?
Winc:No. It’s the kind of thing she always sends me. It’s her way of saying “recipient is stupid.”
Scratch:And you put up with this?
Winc:Long story. But at the end is anon. Anonymous?
Scratch:Yeah. Wait no. ::thinking:: Maybe it means “soon.” Like Shakespeare language, soon. As in “See you anon.”
Winc:Right! She talks like that! Another one came in.
::brightly:: OK, do you know what *that* means?
You’ve read more, I bet it comes from classical literature. That, or some forties potboiler.
Scratch:Literature’s kind of a big area, my love. And many pots have been boiled. How long have you known Jabba?
Winc:A few years maybe. She’s weird—I like her.
Scratch:So she’s definitely female?
Winc:::laughing:: Oh, it’s Toobe’s game of trying to balance out the “default masculine pronoun.”
Scratch:By calling Jabba a she?
Winc:Right. Jabba doesn’t go in for “hir” and “ze.” Thinks it’s stupid, like everything else. So Toobe just uses “she.”
Scratch:Stupid?
Winc:She spends a lot of time being disgusted with people. They’re *all* stupid. But one thing I do know, she’s huge. That’s why “Jabba.” There are little hints I get, like she doesn’t fit in the world so well.
Scratch:Kind of like us.
Winc:Whoa! What’s that picture?
Scratch:What the hell? An erector set maybe?
Winc:Wait! ::staring at picture:: It’s… it’s sideways!
